Video: Song for Ben raising money for Shrewsbury Ark
A single written and recorded by a musician whose life was cut short has been released.
The song, Alone in the Crowd (My Mate and Me) – referred to on social media simply as #BensSong – was out today and the money raised from sales will go towards helping vulnerable members of society. Its release was preceded by a special launch party which took place in the Boathouse Inn in Shrewsbury yesterday.
Hundreds of people turned up to hear the special performance of the single performed by Shrewsbury singer Paul Henshaw with Ben Bebbington's vocal on a backing track. Ben, a talented musician, poet and artist, died after an unprovoked attack by two men in September 2012.
As an act of remembrance, his family organised the Big Busk, a music festival which first took place in Shrewsbury town centre on April 6, 2013 – what would have been Ben's 44th birthday.
The event raises money for, and awareness of, Shrewsbury Ark, a centre for homeless and vulnerable people in Shrewsbury.
There have now been three Big Busks and at this year's event Paul performed his duet with Ben in St Chad's Church. Ben's sister Karen Higgins said: "The launch event has gone really well.
"The atmosphere at the Boathouse was lovely and it was busy.
"When my brother was younger he loved the song on the R. White's Lemonade advert. It was so popular when we were younger and Ben always wanted to create something on that scale.
"He wrote a lot of music that was sadly never heard so for this single to feature his vocal is brilliant.
"It is an absolutely fantastic song and it is really special."
The song, which costs 99p, is available from all digital music sites including Amazon and iTunes.
