Ben R. Atkinson is a broadcaster, academic, and musician with over 15 years of experience in media and music. Whether hosting his internationally syndicated Ben’s Country Music Show, conducting academic research, or releasing original music, Ben has built a career at the intersection of broadcasting, scholarship, and creative practice.
He has appeared as a featured guest on the BBC, lectured at universities in the UK and USA, and authored two novels, numerous radio dramas, and documentaries. Currently, he is completing a PhD at the University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium, researching the experiences of women in Nashville’s country music industry from 1990 to 2024.
Ben honed his craft at the Lincoln School of Film and Media, earning a first-class BA (Hons) in Media Production (2013), an MA in Digital Media (2015), and the school’s award for Outstanding Contribution. He later trained as part of the BBC Production Talent Pool at MediaCityUK, Salford, and the World Service, London.
A recognized expert in American roots music, Ben has been presenting Ben’s Country Music Show since 2008. Broadcast globally, the show is known for its depth and attention to detail, and Ben has been lauded for his knowledge and passion for the music he loves.
In addition to his country music programme, Ben is an experienced broadcaster and public speaker. He has hosted a diverse range of programming on radio in the UK, including drivetime, breakfast and specialist programmes on culture, arts and politics.
Ben is also a writer, having independently published two novels: The Kraken’s Curse (2008), a YA fantasy, and Walking on Cinders (2010), a dystopian thriller. His 1000 Books to Sell project in 2010/11 was one of the first British author campaigns to leverage social media for book promotion, gaining national and international attention. He is currently working on new writing projects, including fiction and non-fiction.
His PhD research examines the experiences of women in Nashville’s country music industry from 1990 to 2024, examining the impact of cultural change, new technology and campaign movements on the success and opportunities for women in the genre. As part of this ethnographic study, Ben has conducted over 50 interviews and spent 12 weeks in Nashville undertaking fieldwork, writing fieldnotes, and documenting his research through observational photography.
Alongside his PhD studies, Ben is a Learning Technology Consultant at the University of Nottingham, advocating for digital pedagogy and teaching innovation. Since 2021, he has also served as Digital Communications Manager for the British Association for American Studies (BAAS).
As a musician, Ben released his debut album, Cold Hard Shoulder, in 2020. Recorded remotely during the COVID-19 lockdown, the project brought together musicians from around the world. In 2021, he followed up with the live EP 3-0 Live. His second album, Country Folk, released in January 2025, reflects on the turbulence of the past five years through a collection of new songs.
Ben lives in the Lincolnshire countryside with his young son and two grumpy Lionhead rabbits.