BIOGRAPHY
   
Ben Mauro grew up in Syracuse, New York. He first began playing guitar at age 16 blasting Led Zeppelin songs in his parents' basement and he says that by age 17 he was totally obsessed with making music. Ben would live for concerts in those days. "I would wait in line for hours for tickets and be wide-eyed watching all my favorite bands up close." He says that's why he still feels like a fan today and usually goes out of his way to meet people that come out to his shows. In those early days Ben would sit in his bedroom, which was lined with Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix posters that he got from an older cousin and practice for eight hours at a time, dreaming of the day he would be playing concerts in huge stadiums all around the world. His first gig was playing at one of his father's rugby parties. "I grew up around my father's rugby team. I would travel with my dad to his away games and the team would play really hard then after the game they would have a big party with the other team, drink beer and sing songs. It was perfect training." Ben also went to school for classical guitar around this time and then headed to New York City where he says his real musical education began. Upon hitting New York he quickly got hired to perform in the house band at The Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village five nights week, performing from 10pm until 4am. Cafe Wha? is the legendary nightclub where Jimi Hendrix was discovered. At Cafe Wha? Ben would perfect his chops playing and singing many styles of music. After leaving Cafe Wha?Ben worked with various groups that played anywhere from the hard rock clubs of New Jersey to the funk and R&B clubs of Manhattan. Soon the word spread and he was offered the job playing and singing for funk and pop icon Lionel Richie and moved to Los Angeles. Ben's reputation as a dynamic performer also led to jobs playing and singing with many of the top pop stars both on tour and in the studio,  including Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears. Ben's new rock band 13CURVES, which he is the lead singer and guitar player for is just releasing their debut CD entitled "Underground." Check out www.13curves.com and www.myspace.com/13curves.