Ben R. Atkinson
@benratkinson.bsky.social
Broadcaster, academic, musician 🎶 PhD candidate music KU Leuven, Belgium 🇧🇪: Women of Nashville country music scene 🎓 Do Learning Tech at Uni of Nottingham, UK + digital for British Association for American Studies 🇺🇸
New album, Country Folk, out now! 🤠
New album, Country Folk, out now! 🤠
Spotify wrapped 2025 is in, and aside from my top songs all being ambient noise for sleep I think this list sums me up well. The Kip Moore and Eric Church records were my standouts from this year, and MCC is always my go to when I need calm 😌
December 3, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Spotify wrapped 2025 is in, and aside from my top songs all being ambient noise for sleep I think this list sums me up well. The Kip Moore and Eric Church records were my standouts from this year, and MCC is always my go to when I need calm 😌
Featured are my first trip to Nashville in 2011 on stage at the Ryman Auditorium, repeating the same a decade later as a PhD researcher, and backstage on the Woman of Country tour earlier this year. Plus some favourite performances! Happy 100th ✨🎈🤠
November 28, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Featured are my first trip to Nashville in 2011 on stage at the Ryman Auditorium, repeating the same a decade later as a PhD researcher, and backstage on the Woman of Country tour earlier this year. Plus some favourite performances! Happy 100th ✨🎈🤠
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, which began on this day in 1925 with Uncle Jimmy Thompson playing his fiddle in the WSM downtown studio, here are some favourite photos from visiting that special place over the years.
November 28, 2025 at 11:01 PM
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, which began on this day in 1925 with Uncle Jimmy Thompson playing his fiddle in the WSM downtown studio, here are some favourite photos from visiting that special place over the years.
Great to have the chance to present at the British Association for American Studies PGR Conference, discussing my completed PhD research on women in country music. I'm now 3/4 way through writing up, and I'm on track to have a complete draft over winter break.
November 26, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Great to have the chance to present at the British Association for American Studies PGR Conference, discussing my completed PhD research on women in country music. I'm now 3/4 way through writing up, and I'm on track to have a complete draft over winter break.
The deluxe edition of my second album, Country Folk (At Heart). Is available everywhere now. Go listen on your favourite music platform, or if you're old school like me order a physical copy from my website.
November 21, 2025 at 9:33 AM
The deluxe edition of my second album, Country Folk (At Heart). Is available everywhere now. Go listen on your favourite music platform, or if you're old school like me order a physical copy from my website.
Surprise! ✨ The deluxe version of my second album, Country Folk, which came out earlier this year, drops tomorrow. There's some new songs and bonus tracks on this extended version, and it's called Country Folk (At Heart) 🎸🤠
November 20, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Surprise! ✨ The deluxe version of my second album, Country Folk, which came out earlier this year, drops tomorrow. There's some new songs and bonus tracks on this extended version, and it's called Country Folk (At Heart) 🎸🤠
Catching up on Rob Brydon's interview with Lainey Wilson for his country music documentary and thinking back to summer 2022 when I played on the stage behind them at The Bluebird Cafe 💛🤠
A song from that evening will be on the digital deluxe of Country Folk (At Heart), out end of November.
A song from that evening will be on the digital deluxe of Country Folk (At Heart), out end of November.
October 21, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Catching up on Rob Brydon's interview with Lainey Wilson for his country music documentary and thinking back to summer 2022 when I played on the stage behind them at The Bluebird Cafe 💛🤠
A song from that evening will be on the digital deluxe of Country Folk (At Heart), out end of November.
A song from that evening will be on the digital deluxe of Country Folk (At Heart), out end of November.
Snuck out all incognito Swiftie like to watch The Release Party of a Showgirl this afternoon. Great to see some of the behind the scenes making of the music videos. I'll be feeding that into a chapter I'm writing on film and TV representation... Do you I think I was that obvious? 😁 😅 👀
October 4, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Snuck out all incognito Swiftie like to watch The Release Party of a Showgirl this afternoon. Great to see some of the behind the scenes making of the music videos. I'll be feeding that into a chapter I'm writing on film and TV representation... Do you I think I was that obvious? 😁 😅 👀
I heard that Taylor Swift has a new record out today. Well, I've been a Swifie since the early days, but my new single is also out today. I guess you'd say it's about The Life of Cowboy 👀 🤠
'All About You' is available now on all platforms, one of the most requested songs from my album Country Folk!
'All About You' is available now on all platforms, one of the most requested songs from my album Country Folk!
October 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM
I heard that Taylor Swift has a new record out today. Well, I've been a Swifie since the early days, but my new single is also out today. I guess you'd say it's about The Life of Cowboy 👀 🤠
'All About You' is available now on all platforms, one of the most requested songs from my album Country Folk!
'All About You' is available now on all platforms, one of the most requested songs from my album Country Folk!
When one of your music heroes writes their autobiography. Can't wait to start reading this later tonight with a glass of red after a crazy week! 🍷
"So on and on I go, the seconds tick the time out. There's so much left to know, and I'm on the road to find out!" 🎵
"So on and on I go, the seconds tick the time out. There's so much left to know, and I'm on the road to find out!" 🎵
October 2, 2025 at 6:40 PM
When one of your music heroes writes their autobiography. Can't wait to start reading this later tonight with a glass of red after a crazy week! 🍷
"So on and on I go, the seconds tick the time out. There's so much left to know, and I'm on the road to find out!" 🎵
"So on and on I go, the seconds tick the time out. There's so much left to know, and I'm on the road to find out!" 🎵
Absolutely devoured this book, the new autobiography from Sir Tim Berners-Lee. A fascinating story of how the World Wide Web came to be, and for me the story of my life. I was born in 1991 the same year the WWW went public and it's development tracked my childhood, studies and career.
October 1, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Absolutely devoured this book, the new autobiography from Sir Tim Berners-Lee. A fascinating story of how the World Wide Web came to be, and for me the story of my life. I was born in 1991 the same year the WWW went public and it's development tracked my childhood, studies and career.
Why does BST Hyde Park continue to assume people will pay such ridiculous prices for a single ticket? And in the middle of a cost of living crisis! Think I'll go and see four smaller gigs instead.
September 19, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Why does BST Hyde Park continue to assume people will pay such ridiculous prices for a single ticket? And in the middle of a cost of living crisis! Think I'll go and see four smaller gigs instead.
This seemed appropriate today, can't for the life of me think why...
September 19, 2025 at 3:43 PM
This seemed appropriate today, can't for the life of me think why...
3,2,1... Time to see what the 34th trip around the sun has in store! 💫🚀✨🎈🎂
September 10, 2025 at 6:56 PM
3,2,1... Time to see what the 34th trip around the sun has in store! 💫🚀✨🎈🎂
Then in the evening there was an arts and craft night, where my contribution was two watercolour and pencil sketches based on photos from my Nashville fieldwork. First a riverboat on the Cumberland passing through East Nashville and second an abstract sketch of the Ryman Auditorium.
September 9, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Then in the evening there was an arts and craft night, where my contribution was two watercolour and pencil sketches based on photos from my Nashville fieldwork. First a riverboat on the Cumberland passing through East Nashville and second an abstract sketch of the Ryman Auditorium.
Yesterday I had a chance to slip out at lunch and visit the new Beyond Coffee in Lincoln which has creative takes on an iced latte (raspberry was my pick), plus windows views across to the beautiful New Theatre Royal where I've performed many times.
September 9, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Yesterday I had a chance to slip out at lunch and visit the new Beyond Coffee in Lincoln which has creative takes on an iced latte (raspberry was my pick), plus windows views across to the beautiful New Theatre Royal where I've performed many times.
Today's vinyl choice, the brilliant Petty Country tribute to Tom Petty on orange vinyl. Still working my way through records purchased in Nashville earlier this year! 🎶🎸
August 30, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Today's vinyl choice, the brilliant Petty Country tribute to Tom Petty on orange vinyl. Still working my way through records purchased in Nashville earlier this year! 🎶🎸
What a wonderful weekend at @thelongroadfest. Too many years away and great to be back with friends old and new. I can't think of a festival with more wholesome vibes and a great family friendly atmosphere. Lineup across the weekend was eclectic and top notch!
Roll on 2026 y'all! 🤠🎸☀️😁
Roll on 2026 y'all! 🤠🎸☀️😁
August 26, 2025 at 5:19 PM
What a wonderful weekend at @thelongroadfest. Too many years away and great to be back with friends old and new. I can't think of a festival with more wholesome vibes and a great family friendly atmosphere. Lineup across the weekend was eclectic and top notch!
Roll on 2026 y'all! 🤠🎸☀️😁
Roll on 2026 y'all! 🤠🎸☀️😁
"Here in a small town, where everybody knows your name. It's hard to escape from local fame..."
youtu.be/Olth0nsQ_O8...
Big plans afoot for my hometown come 2026.
youtu.be/Olth0nsQ_O8...
Big plans afoot for my hometown come 2026.
August 17, 2025 at 12:59 PM
"Here in a small town, where everybody knows your name. It's hard to escape from local fame..."
youtu.be/Olth0nsQ_O8...
Big plans afoot for my hometown come 2026.
youtu.be/Olth0nsQ_O8...
Big plans afoot for my hometown come 2026.
And here's what I've been listening to, beautiful bell ringing from the cathedral 💛
August 14, 2025 at 7:55 PM
And here's what I've been listening to, beautiful bell ringing from the cathedral 💛
I'll never get bored of walking this city on a beautiful summer evening. Despite everything else, it's why I'll never leave. I've been lucky to graduate twice in the Cathedral. A Belgium PhD graduation will be hard pressed to compete!
August 14, 2025 at 7:55 PM
I'll never get bored of walking this city on a beautiful summer evening. Despite everything else, it's why I'll never leave. I've been lucky to graduate twice in the Cathedral. A Belgium PhD graduation will be hard pressed to compete!
How fitting that I've just finished a chapter on the women of the 90s in country music. There's a lot of Jeannie in that, and this clip from the '93 Women of Country documentary is one of my favourites 💛
August 3, 2025 at 11:21 AM
How fitting that I've just finished a chapter on the women of the 90s in country music. There's a lot of Jeannie in that, and this clip from the '93 Women of Country documentary is one of my favourites 💛
And not only a trailblazer for women in country music, celebrated for her spirited nonconformity and for a string of undeniable hits in the ‘60s and ’70s, but also the first to wear a miniskirt on the Opry stage.
August 3, 2025 at 11:21 AM
And not only a trailblazer for women in country music, celebrated for her spirited nonconformity and for a string of undeniable hits in the ‘60s and ’70s, but also the first to wear a miniskirt on the Opry stage.
Heard the sad news that we lost Grand Ole Opry legend "Miss Country Soul" Jeannie Seely. I was lucky to see her perform on my first visit to the Opry, just one of the nearly 5,400 shows she did in the circle, the most ever.
August 3, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Heard the sad news that we lost Grand Ole Opry legend "Miss Country Soul" Jeannie Seely. I was lucky to see her perform on my first visit to the Opry, just one of the nearly 5,400 shows she did in the circle, the most ever.
Here's a little taste of the opening of "The Kraken's Curse", published 2008, King Edward VII Press.
July 28, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Here's a little taste of the opening of "The Kraken's Curse", published 2008, King Edward VII Press.