(Spanish) Guitar Hero

September 29, 2023
2 mins read

Roni Benise returns to Jacksonville

Words by Shelton Hull

When Roni Benise comes to town, you’re gonna hear about it well in advance, and his concert at the WJCT Soundstage on Oct. 10 is no exception. It’s the first of five shows in Florida, coming right after a run through his old stomping-grounds of Southern California. “This is my eight time in Jacksonville,” said Benise (pronounced Buh-nes-say) via email. “My first was 2007 and I enjoy coming back every year! I look forward to the sweet tea!” And the sweet tea, it turns out, is looking forward to him, as well.

 

The story of Roni Benise begins in what seems like the most unlikely place: Nebraska, where he was born in January 1965. (Interestingly, he grew up in Ravenna, a town of less than 2,000 which happens to share a name with the Italian city that was a hub for classical music for generations.) Music was a passion for him at an early age, inspired by the legendary rock guitarists he heard on the radio. He got his first guitar at age 11, and he was already playing in local bands by the time he was a teenager. Benise moved to Los Angeles in the 1990s, and quickly built his own rep, busking the streets of the entertainment capital of the world.

 

His own style is often classified as “nuevo flamenco,” in recognition of the fusion elements he brings to his music, while also incorporating aspects of Cuban salsa, Brazilian samba and Parisian waltz. The Flamenco style of guitar has influenced rock and roll since at least the 1950s, helping to inspire icons from Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck to Dick Dale and Jimmy Page. “Santana helped expose Spanish Guitar to a lot of people,” says. “What I do is fuse Spanish guitar with rock. Some examples are Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” It creates a different take on these classic songs.” 

 

You can easily hear the rock influence in Benise’s music, but you’re more apt to see the influence, particularly in his stage presence. “The whole show is a multimedia production,” he said. “The sets/lights/costumes all help set the mood as each song is a different scene. I like to take people on a roller-coaster of emotions.” Roni Benise shows aren’t just concerts — they’re experiences, and that has allowed him to cultivate a fiercely loyal fanbase with no radio and minimal media support.

 

Obviously, Spanish guitar in early 2000s Los Angeles was not the easiest thing to sell, so Benise took up the means of production and, with it, control of his own destiny. He formed his own band and began renting venues independently and booking the shows himself, which is something every working musician should think about doing. Within seven years, he went from playing for tips from tourists to selling out 2,000-seat theaters, which he’s been doing for 20 years now.

 

In addition to what seems like a never-ending tour schedule, with shows already booked through July 2024, Benise has also released 14 albums in 23 years, in addition to two compilations, a live album and six concert films, the second of which, Nights of Fire!, even won an Emmy Award in 2006. That is a remarkably productive pace, by any standard, but that is literally only the half of it. His autobiography, “The Notes Less Traveled: My Journey of Music, Love, and Life,” was published in 2016, followed not long after by a children’s book, “Wish Upon a ROCK Star,” available via his website. He even runs his own ocean cruise, every Memorial Day Weekend.

 

The man called “The Prince of Spanish Guitar” has embraced all aspects of the music business, including the actual business of music, and all that hard work in the early years has certainly paid off. And soon, there will be sweet tea, as well.

 

                  

Shelton Hull has been writing for Folio Weekly since 1997, but his resume goes back even further. He has written for almost every newspaper, magazine and zine in Northeast Florida, as well as publications like Orlando Weekly, Narrow GNV, Creative Loafing Tampa, Charleston City Paper, Ink19 and The Atlantic.

He currently writes the "Folio Weed" column, which he created in 2018; he remains one of the widest-read and most influential cannabis writers in the world today. He also compiles material for "Weird Wild Stuff" column, and he previously wrote the legendary "Money Jungle" column for Folio Weekly from 1999 to 2009.

He is a regular contributor to "First Coast Connect" on WJCT, as well as the Jacksonville Music Experience. He is a co-host of "The Contrast Project" and the "Bold City Civics" podcast. He is also a co-founder of the record label Bold City Music Productions. He can be reached at sheltonhull@gmail.com.

Current Issue

SUBMIT EVENTS

Submit Events

Advertisements

Welcome to Rockville 2025
SingOutLoadFestival_TheAmp_2025
omaha-steaks-banners

Date

Title

Current Month

Follow FOLIO!

Previous Story

We Are Itching to Know More About Fleabag

Next Story

Table for One

Latest from Feature

Beat It to MJ THE MUSICAL Downtown

The audience is socializing as patrons trickle in.  The auditorium lights are on.  Then you realize actors are trickling onto the stage.  If you’re not watching for them to be starting something, you might not notice.  Suddenly, someone comes on and announces, “Five minutes ’til Michael,” and you realize you’re

HOME GROWN

Words by Teresa Spencer Ah, the Mary Jane enthusiasts — the passionate crowd that loves more than just the high. We’re talking about folks who appreciate the plant, the process, and the purpose. Whether it’s for medical relief, growing the perfect bud, crafting edibles or just vibing with like-minded

Jacksonville’s Weirdest Wellness Trends 

Words by Kaili Cochran When it comes to wellness, it’s easy to think we’ve heard it all — yoga, meditation, green smoothies. But, as self-care is increasingly all over our For You page, some unique and creative ways to approach wellness have emerged.  Looking at goat yoga, for

Earth to Shoppers

Words by Kaili Cochran “If food waste were a country it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.” This is what Kevin Anderson, senior coordinator of Ogier Gardens at the University of North Florida, shared with me during a composting workshop he led. It’s a statistic that sticks

The Battle Over Green Space: Jacksonville’s Fight to Preserve Nature

Words by Ambar Ramirez When the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) revealed its 2024-25 Great Outdoors Initiative last year, Florida residents took to the streets for protests. As a quick reminder, the Great Outdoors initiative planned to make Florida’s State Parks more accessible by expanding public access, increasing
July 5th Cleanup
GoUp

Don't Miss

There’s a Place Off Ocean Avenue

Emergence of pop-punk with Yellowcard Words by Ambar Ramirez Before
The Machine Tahrah Cohen Folio

The Machine: Bringing Pink Floyd’s Timeless Sound to Life

Words by Teresa Spencer Pink Floyd is legendary, known