In honor of Valentine’s Day, I asked some of my favorite couples to share the secrets of their partnership. Both individuals are in a creative field (sometimes the same field!), and find ways to inspire, collaborate and support one another while remaining dedicated to their own endeavors. There is no competition, jealousy or doubt but love and respect.
Let’s read about NATALIE PRASS & BENNY YURCO, a POWER COUPLE of two incredibly talented touring musicians with their own careers. they still find time to host taco nights, write music together and be each other’s biggest fan.
What kind of creative work do each of you do?
Natalie: Solo artist under my own name. Songwriter, singer, mainly keys/guitar player, producer, steadily working way of engineering. Also very much into visual art and poetry.
How did y’all meet?
Natalie: We met when I was playing guitar supporting my very talented friend, Rayland Baxter. Rayland had some opening dates for GP & The Nocturnals and he asked me if i would come sing and play. Ill never forget when i first saw Benny. I was loading my amp in on his side of the stage and he was fixing the bridge on his guitar and we made eye contact. I thought he was so cute! Even though he’s been friends with Rayland for a long time, he came over to me first and introduced himself. From that point on, Benny knew we had to be together and basically made sure that it happened! The moment i knew that I would be an idiot if I let him get away was the day he sent flowers to the venue before a really big show I had in Nashville. (Allie was there for that! - I was and it was adorable.)
Benny: I met Natalie when she was playing guitar and singing with my dear friend Rayland Baxter who was the support act for my band Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. I was playing a theater in Missouri & I had just finished up sound check with the Nocturnals. I was fixing my guitar when all of a sudden I see the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen walk onto the stage carrying a Vox AC15 tube amp and a guitar case. We caught eyes and I immediately abandoned my guitar and walked up to Natalie and introduced myself. I was totally mesmerized by her. My whole band the Nocturnals even called me out on my crush for Nat. I was hooked to her from the day that we met and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I refer to that day as the best day of my life.
Do you ever collaborate creatively? If so, what does that look like? If not, why?
Natalie: Yes! All of the time. We aren’t together a lot since Benny is touring the country most of the time, but when we are together, we play music a lot. We finally got the music room in our house set up for recording just over the holidays. Benny is going to be recording his second Benny Yurco & the Revealers album in April, so when he’s home (for a day or two) in between your dates, we’ll get up in the music room and he’ll start writing new grooves and bass lines for his new record. I’ll engineer it and play keys. Benny also has played bass for me at a couple shows around Nashville recently. He’s a crazy good bass player. I got asked to open for one of my favorite Nashville bands, The Apache Relay, for a couple days and I’m going to book more shows after it. I’ve been in the studio all day everyday since Benny has been gone, working on a new live show that I’m pretty excited about. Benny is going to make it so much better.
Benny: We collaborate all the time. Whenever I’m not touring I am usually at home writing grooves, recording, and playing gigs with Nat. She’s a total pro in the studio. Nat is a ringer musician who can do it all. We also did a bunch of recording in my hometown in Burlington, VT last September which I played guitars, bass, percussion on a dozen of her new songs. She will also be playing on my next album as well. We are also hitting the road for a string of dates as a duo in March after I get back from touring in Europe with GPN. We love playing and creating music together. Nat also plays guitar and sings in my solo band The Revealers.
How do you support each other in your creative work?
Natalie: Benny and I love what each other does creatively so it’s not hard for us to get excited for one another’s music and want to be involved however we can. I will play guitar in Benny’s solo band The Revealers and Benny will play in my band. Benny and I definitely inspire each other everyday. We both love finding new bands, buying vintage vinyl, writing music, and playing music. Most of the time were not together physically, but we keep each other very involved with what we are doing musically. I’ll send him recordings of new songs I’m working on, or videos of me figuring out new gear, and he’ll send me new guitar licks and videos of him playing new songs. I’ve never felt so supported in my life like I am by Benny. He truly loves the music I make and encourages me everyday to keep making it. That alone has been the most beneficial element to my creativity.
Benny: We totally have each others back and support each other to the max. We play in each others bands and love what each other have to bring to the table in those situations. Natalie plays guitar in my band the Revealers and i play either bass or guitar in her band so we support each other on stage and off stage as well. We are both musicians and creative forces who grind every day to push the sonic envelope to become the best we can be at our crafts and to reach our goals musically and creatively and we support each other in doing so. We are traveling gypsy rock n roll musicians who respect and support each other’s dedication to the road as well. I’m on the road for 250+ days a year (which is very hard being away from my love) but Nat supports me just like I support her when she hits the road to tour. Natalie is my favorite artist/musician and the songs that she writes and sings are so next level and melodically intriguing. Her sound is unlike anyone’s I’ve ever listened to before. Nat has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. When I listen to the songs she writes I get chills and when I see her perform live, I get can’t stop smiling. I’m a proud boyfriend. We inspire each other daily to become better musicians, songwriters, and people.
What’s your favorite thing to do together?
Natalie: Benny and I are very busy and not together much. When we are away, our favorite thing to do is Tango. It’s a video app where you don’t need wifi, so it’s good for him since he’s in motion a lot of the time. But when we’re home one of our favorite things to do together is host “taco night” at our house. Well invite a handful of friends over and all cram in our tiny house, listen to records, and eat tacos. Benny and I love our friends so much so this is a really great and easy way for us all to be together and hang out.
What are you doing for Valentine’s Day?!
Natalie: Benny is actually going to be on tour for Valentine’s Day, but I’m going to be flying into Charleston, SC and meet up with him! I’m so excited. Benny has a show that night, but I absolutely love watching him play, so it will be really special. I’ll throw chocolate and rose pedals at him while he’s playing or something. I’m just so glad we will be together on Valentine’s Day!
love this series! the way they can’t stop encouraging one another without a hint of competition really stands out to me. also – that both sides now cover is still my favorite thing.