One of the hardest parts of making any record is debt and I am so happy to say that all of the debt I had incurred during the making this record was payed off entirely in that one night! Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone!

My vision for the album was to deliver a complete package that was entirely who I am to date. So, each Blue or Green album is handstamped and comes with a built in work of art photography shot by me during my day to day life. This little touch allows each album to deliver a unique, indvidual aesthetic experience.

Thank you all so insanely much for your support throughout the whole album creation process! I’m so happy sharing my music with you and am humbled by the experience. I’ve got more music on my brain and already an EP in mind (not for a couple months though. Hah!) Stay cool and stay tuned!

See you at a show soon!

Yours Ever,

Ben

Pick up your hard copy of Blue or Green online! Click here to order: benrothermel.bigcartel.com

Or, if you prefer digital downloads, buy Blue or Green at Ben’s Bandcamp Store: benrothermel.bandcamp.com

Speaking of Easter, I had lunch with a friend of mine, Mike Mains, and somewhere in the conversation he commented on Easter. It wasn’t his comment that got me as much as it was that I had forgotten that Easter was today. I know I’ve been busy lately but to me that’s a pretty big thing to forget. Although I didn’t go to a church today, I’ve been thinking on Easter and what it means to me. It means the world in it is the pivotal foundation of my faith in God. If Jesus hadn’t risen from the dead, it would be a dead (forgive the pun) religion. I don’t have facts or evidence to throw your way but I have faith (based on my experiences) that leads me to trust in God. That’s all it is folks. Faith.

I have a feeling these next few months are going to be very happening. It’s like a rollar coaster just about to crest over the 1st big hill and rocket away down the course. Here’s to holding on and enjoying the ride!

Yours,

Ben

PS. I shot some footage of this years LAUNCH Conference to give you a rough idea of what my life has been like these past three days. Enjoy!

I had the opportunity to meet Denison and his wife for five minutes before the show started. They both were very friendly people and I hope we get to meet again. I’ve never actually seen Denison perform before so tonight was the double treat of opening for him and getting in to see him for free! His show was emotion filled, skillful, and short & sweet. He left the stage but came back at the request of us fans to perform one more song unplugged. The whole crowd hushed so that you could hear him all the way across the large room even without the mic. Absolutely astounding.

I’m taking Denison Witmer as a model of sorts for my current singer/songwriter career. I see this model as this: write quality songs, keep yourself in your songs, connect with your audience, and always leave them wanting more. Follow that and you can’t go wrong.

I have a friend named Crystal who once gave me some very good advice on music business. She said, “You have to network! Network, network, network! Go to every event; talk to every person! Network!” My friend Crystal’s advice is very wise and came in handy this last Friday night when I performed at Folklore Coffee Company.

A 20 minute drive from Lancaster, PA is Elizabethtown, PA. Elizabethtown is home to one of my favorite coffee shops – The Folklore Coffee Company. Owned by Ryan and Dawn Bracken, the coffee shop serves as a popular meeting hub for all of the students from E-town College. The night I was there over 50 people came out to see local E-town student, Katie Kressler, show off her art at Folklore. I’ve never played at an art opening before so it was very interesting for me. Wine and Cheese were served and then the art-observers wandered around the store perusing the art. Quite interesting and fun!

I performed for the first hour and then took a 10 minute intermission. I met a girl named Chloe who was from Australia and I asked her a question that had been burning in my mind for a long time. “Here in the States you Australians definitely have the cool accent. Is it true however that down in Australia I would have the cool accent?” She said that yes, we Americans do have the cool accents down there! Yes!

After the show I was walking around meeting and greeting people and met some interesting characters. Austin Robbins of Ceylon Studios was there taking pictures. He reminded me so much of my brother Mike! Photographers must shop at the same place because the moccasins, plaid shirt, tight pants, and blond hair are just too common between them. Haha! I also met Austin’s older brother Justin Robbins who runs JMR Music Group. Very nice fellow who can handle all of your professional performance needs!

It was a fun night full of art and music! For quick, prompt, and excellent service, visit Folklore Coffee Company in Elizabethtown, PA! I know I’ll be back to spend some time there sipping coffee and reading books!

I read the notes you sent to me,

In zeros and ones across the sea,

Words we exchanged with

no trail for leaving

The sounds of my friend Chris Flinchbaugh’s intricate fingerpicking guitar and tuneful lyrics floated through the Lancaster Coffee Co. while I said hello to patrons and friends. The Friday night crowd jam packed the small coffee house  to the point where even the very tables in the back were full.

I was excited to be tagging along on this show. Chris and I had been trying to perform together for a long time so when he asked me to split the two hour show at the Lancaster Coffee Company with him,  I agreed! It was a splendiferous evening of music and coffee  combined with a full house! I always enjoy the shows where I’m able to have an audience with whom I can interact. It makes the music more personable and real for me.

I think the funnies part of the evening for me was when Chris and I found out we both lugged our gear around in suitcases. We looked at each other and went, “Oh! You use a suitcase too!” Must be a subconscious singer/songwriter thing. Haha!

Swell evening! If you do get a chance, swing by the Lancaster Coffee Co. in Lancaster, PA and say hello to Woody, the manager! He’s a good dude who will put you on the right track to your caffeine (or diet) fix!

Overcoming boundaries is what The Aurora Cafe in Mechanicsburg, PA is all about. This unique cafe is by week a day center for people with mental issues but on Friday night it turns into a cafe open to the public. The Aurora Cafe, run by director Mindy Myers, is an idea bent on overcoming the social stigma so often found on interacting with people with mental problems.

I very much enjoyed my show at the Aurora Cafe. It was a small, intimate environment with an attentive crowd. The cafe’s sound was powered by a Bose L1 I Model which sounded surprisingly stunning! It was perfect for a single musician playing in a small room (Hey wait, that was me!)

After the show Amber and I spent some time with our friends Jared and Steve at Jo-Jo’s pizzeria across the street. Good pizza and all you can drink Peak Iced Tea (a favorite of mine!) but be careful, something gave Amber and I an upset stomach. Could be the tea was out too long. Or maybe I drank too much…Haha.

Great show! I’d encourage you to check out The Aurora Cafe some Friday night if you happen to be in Mechanicsburg, PA!

Last night’s show at the Crimson Frog Coffeehouse in Harrisburg, PA went well! This was my third time performing at the Crimson Frog and favorite time. The audience was the largest ever and quite responsive!

It was an interesting show though… The coffeeshop only has a single amp as their soundsystem. Since my guitar broke recently I was using a borrowed one that didn’t have a pickup. The soundsystem only had one XLR input and that had to be used for vocals. So, I just kicked it oldschool! It reminded me of the movie Once where the musician Glen Hansard is playing on the streets of Ireland – just him and his guitar.

Over all, great night! Let’s do it again soon Harrisburg!