Balancing Act
Black Stone Cherry’s Ben Wells and Chris Robertson perform a hard rock/country crossover on The Human Condition.
BY MARK McSTEA
Ben Wells with his Gibson Les Paul Classic
Chris Robertson with his Lucky Dog Evangelist
BLACK STONE CHERRY are more than a band. They’re practically a family. The American hard-rock quartet’s members have been friends for more than 20 years and began playing music together when they were still at school in Edmonton, Kentucky. They even have a familial connection with another area group, the Kentucky Headhunters; Drummer John Fred Young is the son of the Headhunter’s rhythm guitarist, Richard Young.
Consisting of Young, bassist Jon Lawhon, lead guitarist and vocalist Chris Robertson and rhythm guitarist Ben Wells, BSC have a unique take on the traditional southern rock sound, adding pulverising downtuned riffs that have won them fans in the metal and hard-rock arenas, all while maintaining a roots feel that has helped them score airplay on mainstream country radio. Their new album, The Human Condition (Mascot), builds on that reputation with a set of infectious songs that make good use of BSC’s doubleaxe threat. Robertson handles the majority of lead vocals and solos, while Wells plays a handful of solos but covers a multitude of parts. After many months off the road, the group is looking forward to returning to the road in 2021, with a year’s worth of postponed shows now rebooked.