Benny Rowe

Location: Perth, WA

Challenge: Blind

Website: bennyrowemusic.com

Benny Rowe is a blind singer/songwriter from Perth, Western Australia.

Previously known as Mr Bodangles which has been a name floating around Australia's music scene, Today Benny Rowe performs under his own name. He has been performing since 2005 at most of Western Australia's top bars and hotels of which support original music. He says "I released my 1st demo CD in 2005 and my debut studio album in 2008 called the 'Concrete Countryman' of which gained much airplay on a number of WA's local radio stations. I was able to perform live on RTRfm during an interview about my album release. I performed at the Fremantle Blues 'n Roots fringe festival in 2009 and at the Nannup music festival in 2010". Benny has also been able to tour my music through some of the wine regions of the south west of WA such as Margaret river and Pemberton, whilst also performing in the Northern Territory at some of their coolest venues.

In 2012, Benny Rowe released his 2nd album called ‘Love arrows’, which is showcased on radio across Australia.

This album will force you on a melodic path to your inner self – it is fun, warm and everything music should be. Love Arrows has been used by life coaches and counsellors to help with some people's journey as it tells stories of life and overcoming challenges.

In 2013, Benny Rowe joined up with the amazing Emily Dewar as a great duet, performing at some of WA’s lively venues and events, Such as The Boddington Rodeo & again at their Australia day celebration.

In 2019, Benny released an EP called "Burdens" which has only been found on digital music streaming services such as Spotify, Youtube, Apple Music and Pandora to name a few. "Burdens" touches on Benny's love for Blues with a soulful sound of the Telecaster and dreamy vocals. "Tracks Down So Deep" and "Knock Down The Wall" showcase Benny's love for Rock and the guitar with a touch of Pulp Fiction. Finally, "Set Me Free" brings the listener in close with an oldschool sound that sings.

Benny says "I was born with a retinal eye disease called "Retinitis Pigmentosa", nicknamed as RP. This disease causes the rod cells in the retina to die which causes a decline of my vision over time. This disease causes tunnel vision, night blindness and over time blindness. For me it's been a steady decline in my vision, however difficult to notice until I look back in time. I remember as a kid in school, playing cricket, football and riding a bike without any problems, then played basketball as a kidin High School, but started having trouble seeing the ball even in the lit up courts of Cockburn Basketball Stadium".

He adds "When I finished High School, my mum guided me in the direction of Disability Services. I went to college to study as a social trainer and begin my career in the helping industry. This was a difficult decision as I had a love for art and a creative mind, however I persisted and completed the course. At age 19 years, I found my first job as a disability job support worker in a high needs environment. This was amazing and it really set the stage for me and my journey helping others with a disability. I was able to work closely with people with Down Syndrome, Autism, Brain Injuries, and other Intellectual and Learning disabilities".

After spending 9 years in that role, Benny decided to go to university and study counselling. He attended the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle, WA and earned his bachelors degree. He adds "This was a unique time in the helping industryas we were becoming more exposed to Mental Health classed as a disability and for me this was a difficult transition". However, Benny learned how disabling mental health can be and affect a fully-able person in ways people with blindness, hearing loss and physical disabilities have dealth with all their lives. Benny adds "The power of the mind intrigued me and has done ever since".

At 24, Benny was reintroduced to his artistic side and found a passion for music. He adds "I joined a band named Cartwheels in the Dark and performed around Perth's top hotels and bars". Benny loved music so much, he released a number of solo albums which are available via his website.

Aged 32, Benny was looking to recapture some of his passion for sport. He adds "I found one of the most amazing sports for the blind and vision impaired called Goalball". He began playing Goalball with a couple of others who had similar interests, and formed Western Australia's first Men's team to compete in the Australian Goalball Championships. Benny says "From here, I enjoyed it so much I wound up trying out for the Australian Goalball Squad and in 2011 was selected to represent Australia in the Paralympic Qualifiers in Sydney. What a blast! From here I managed to travel to China, USA, Japan, Thailand and South Korea as an Australian athlete". During this time, Benny became a co-founder and president of Goalball Western Australia, where they trained kids and adults with blindness or vision impairments how to play the sport Benny came to love. Benny says "Here I learned about the benefits of inclusion and being part of a community group. The positives this sport has brought to me and many others is priceless and will be a cornerstone of my proud moments".

More recently in 2018, Benny completed his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) which he says was a great achievement. He adds "Studying again in my early 40s was hard work, and I showed to myself under difficult circumstances that I can achieve anything". Benny is once again working in the disability field with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which he says is a world first.

Benny says "This scheme has given me a second lease of life and the support I need to re-establish my music. So stay tuned as I get back out there".

Benny Rowe