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Benjamin Jackson Burnley IV (born March 10, 1978) is an American musician, best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, primary songwriter, and sole constant member of the band Breaking Benjamin. He has written some of the group's most successful singles such as "The Diary of Jane," "Sooner or Later", "Breath," "So Cold" and many others.
Benjamin Burnley was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey and grew up in Cape May County and in Snyder County Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. At 16, he became home schooled, and quickly passed the GED requirement. At 21 he moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where he became a roommate of former Breaking Benjamin bass player Jonathan Price. During his early teen years he taught himself to play guitar by listening to Nirvana's Nevermind (he cites Nirvana as his biggest influence). Before Breaking Benjamin was formed, Ben Burnley earned money playing cover songs, mixed in with his own in various coffee houses and other all age venues mostly with local neighboring musicians . It was during this era that his band got its name. After performing a Nirvana cover, Ben knocked over a microphone (in imitation of his lifelong idol Kurt Cobain) and cracked it. The mic's owner walked onstage and said, "I'd like to thank Benjamin for breaking my F-ing microphone."
In 1998, Burnley and former lead guitarist Aaron Fink, got together (along with Nick Hoover and Chris Lightcap) and started the band "Breaking Benjamin." Eventually, Ben wanted to try something different and went out to California to try some new material. The other three members went on to form the band "Strangers With Candy." They recruited old friend Mark Klepaski to play bass and he joined in, and shortly after, Nick Hoover was asked to leave the band.
In 1999, Ben Burnley moved back to Pennsylvania, and started a band called "Plan 9" with drummer Jeremy Hummel. Originally, the band was a three-piece. The lineup consisted of Ben on vocals and guitar, Jeremy on drums, and Jason Davoli on bass. Plan 9 would occasionally open for Lifer at home shows. During one show, Ben said "Thank you, we're Breaking Benjamin," thus reclaiming the name from 1998. Later on, Mark left Lifer and found himself playing bass for Breaking Benjamin. Lifer continued going through struggles, and months later, Aaron sat in for a set with Benjamin. Finally, Aaron left Lifer, and was offered a spot in Ben Burnley's band, and they became a four-piece.
Breaking Benjamin released four studio albums, Saturate in 2002, We Are Not Alone in 2004, Phobia in 2006, and Dear Agony in 2009, selling over five million albums in the United States.
In mid-2010, the band entered a hiatus due to Burnley's recurring illnesses and inability to tour. Further complications arose in August 2011 when Mark Klepaski and Aaron Fink were fired from the band. After the legal issues regarding their dismissal cleared up in April 2013, Burnley announced he had retained the right to use the band's name, and would be pressing forward without any of the prior members. The new lineup wasn't revealed until August 2014, revealing that in addition to Burnley remaining the lead vocalist, the band consisted of Jasen Rauch and Keith Wallen on guitars, Aaron Bruch on bass, and Shaun Foist on drums.
Benjamin Burnley was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey and grew up in Cape May County and in Snyder County Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. At 16, he became home schooled, and quickly passed the GED requirement. At 21 he moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where he became a roommate of former Breaking Benjamin bass player Jonathan Price. During his early teen years he taught himself to play guitar by listening to Nirvana's Nevermind (he cites Nirvana as his biggest influence). Before Breaking Benjamin was formed, Ben Burnley earned money playing cover songs, mixed in with his own in various coffee houses and other all age venues mostly with local neighboring musicians . It was during this era that his band got its name. After performing a Nirvana cover, Ben knocked over a microphone (in imitation of his lifelong idol Kurt Cobain) and cracked it. The mic's owner walked onstage and said, "I'd like to thank Benjamin for breaking my F-ing microphone."
In 1999, Ben Burnley moved back to Pennsylvania, and started a band called "Plan 9" with drummer Jeremy Hummel. Originally, the band was a three-piece. The lineup consisted of Ben on vocals and guitar, Jeremy on drums, and Jason Davoli on bass. Plan 9 would occasionally open for Lifer at home shows. During one show, Ben said "Thank you, we're Breaking Benjamin," thus reclaiming the name from 1998. Later on, Mark left Lifer and found himself playing bass for Breaking Benjamin. Lifer continued going through struggles, and months later, Aaron sat in for a set with Benjamin. Finally, Aaron left Lifer, and was offered a spot in Ben Burnley's band, and they became a four-piece.
Breaking Benjamin released four studio albums, Saturate in 2002, We Are Not Alone in 2004, Phobia in 2006, and Dear Agony in 2009, selling over five million albums in the United States.
In mid-2010, the band entered a hiatus due to Burnley's recurring illnesses and inability to tour. Further complications arose in August 2011 when Mark Klepaski and Aaron Fink were fired from the band. After the legal issues regarding their dismissal cleared up in April 2013, Burnley announced he had retained the right to use the band's name, and would be pressing forward without any of the prior members. The new lineup wasn't revealed until August 2014, revealing that in addition to Burnley remaining the lead vocalist, the band consisted of Jasen Rauch and Keith Wallen on guitars, Aaron Bruch on bass, and Shaun Foist on drums.
source: wikipedia
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