Ben Tankard

Ben Tankard (born January 10, 1964) is an American gospel/smooth jazz musician, producer, and arranger.

Ben Tankard
Background information
Born (1964-01-10) January 10, 1964
Daytona Beach, Florida, United States
GenresContemporary gospel, smooth jazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Keyboards
Years active1990s–present
LabelsTribute, Sony Music, Verity
Websitebentankard.me

Biography
Ben and Jewel Tankard receiving Stellar Award

Tankard's father was a minister and his mother a missionary.[1] In church, he played drums at an early age.[1] He played tuba in school and received a basketball scholarship.[1] Although he was selected in the NBA draft, he hurt his knee before the season started.[1] During a period of homelessness, he went to church and was inspired by a revival service to turn his life around.[1] He began playing keyboards, recorded Keynote Speaker (1990) for Tribute, and started to learn about arranging and record production.[1] He followed with He has worked with Gerald Albright, Twinkie Clark, Fred Hammond, John P. Kee, Shirley Murdock, Kelly Price, and Take 6.[1]

Tankard discovered a third-grade school teacher named Yolanda Adams and signed her to his indy Tribute label. He produced her albums Through the Storm, Save the World, More Than A Melody, and Yolanda... Live in Washington. They collaborated on over 40 compositions. He credits her voice for helping to bring his production style and keyboard playing to a large audience.[2][3]

He won Stellar Awards' Best Instrumental Album in 2010 for Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.[4]

In 2012, Ben Tankard/ Full Tank was nominated by the Soul Train Music Awards for Best Contemporary Jazz Artist.[5]

Discography
  • All Keyed Up (1989)[6]
  • Keynote Speaker (1990)[7]
  • Keys to Life (1991)[8][9]
  • An Instrumental Christmas (1991)[10][11]
  • Sunday Drivin (1993)[12]
  • Play Me in Your Key (1994)[13]
  • Instrumentally Yours (1996)[14][15]
  • Git Yo Prayze On w/Tribe of Benjamin (1997)[16]
  • Raize Da Praise by Tribe of Benjamin (1999)[17]
  • The Minstrel (1999)[18]
  • Christmas Love (2000)[19]
  • Song of Solomon (2001)[20]
  • Play a Lil' Song for Me (2003)[21]
  • Piano Prophet (2004)[22][23]
  • Let's Get Quiet: The Smooth Jazz Experience (2007)[24]
  • Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (2009)[25]
  • Full Tank (2012)[26]
  • Thicker Than Water-The Church Picnic (2013)
  • Full Tank 2 (2015)[27]
  • Full Tank 3: CanTANKerous (2017)[28][29]
  • Rise! (2018) [30]
  • Shine! (2021)

References
  1. Bush, John. "Ben Tankard". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  2. Mercy Mercy Mercy: The Ben Tankard Story. Ben-Jamin' Publishing. 2010. p. 40.
  3. Davis, Doug (May 18, 2007). "Meet 'The Godfather of Gospel Jazz'". The Daily News Journal - Murfreesboro, Tenn. D1.
  4. "25th Annual Stellar Award Results (2010)".
  5. "Soul Train Awards 2012 Viewers Choice Awards". Archived from the original on 2012-10-23.
  6. "All Keyed Up - Ben Tankard | Release Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  7. "Keynote Speaker - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  8. "Keys to Life - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  9. Tankard, Ben. "Keys to Life" (album notes). Tribute. 1991.
  10. "Christmas - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  11. Tankard, Ben. "An Instrumental Christmas" (album notes). Tribute. 1991.
  12. "Sunday Driving - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  13. "Play Me in Your Key - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  14. "Instrumentally Yours - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  15. Tankard, Ben. "Instrumentally Yours" (album notes). Verity / Zomba. 1996.
  16. "Git Yo Prayze On - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  17. "Raize Da Praize - Tribe of Benjamin | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  18. "The Minstrel - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  19. "Christmas Love - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  20. "Song of Solomon - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  21. "Play a Lil' Song for Me - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  22. "Piano Prophet - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  23. Tankard, Ben. "piano Prophet" (album Notes). Verity. 2004.
  24. "Let's Get Quiet: The Smooth Jazz Experience - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  25. Tankard, Ben. "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy". Verity / Zomba. 2009.
  26. "Full Tank - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  27. "Full Tank 2.0 - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  28. "Full Tank 3: Cantankerous - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  29. Tankard, Ben. "Full Tank 3: Cantankerous". Ben-Jammin' / Universal Music. 12 May 2017
  30. "Rise! - Ben Tankard | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
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