Songs inspired by stories of people with dementia

Burgess Hill-based singer-songwriter Benita Johnson has brought out a new charity two-track album Feel Your Way.
Benita Johnson. Picture by Bohdan PiaseckiBenita Johnson. Picture by Bohdan Piasecki
Benita Johnson. Picture by Bohdan Piasecki

Benita explains: “My style incorporates folk, blues, rock elements. I moved to the area, from the southwest in August. Since then I’ve played small venues in Horsham and Crawley and enjoyed discovering the local open mic circuit.

“The songs on this charity CD were commissioned as part of a project called I Will Tell You Something Of My Own. I was part of the team running the project and had input into programme design and manned the exhibition. On hearing the stories of people living with dementia I was moved to write these songs, which became incorporated into the artworks.

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“The project was a research and arts exhibition exploring the lives and experiences of people living with dementia. It took place in Stroud in Gloucestershire, where I was formerly based, and was led by my partner, Helen Gregory at the University of Gloucestershire (now Brighton University).”

The charities supported are Alzheimer’s Society and Parkinson’s UK. They will take 100 per cent of proceeds.

“The songs are inspired by the words and stories of people with dementia who were involved.

“Because the two people these songs relate to had different forms of dementia, I chose to reflect this in the choice of charities supported.”

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Benita has a website, www.benitajohnson.co.uk, and has profiles on MySpace and Reverbnation. You can find her too on Last FM, Twitter and Linked In.

Benita’s first album You Should Know..., released on her own label in 2010 as well as her 2013 acoustic album HOME, are available on Bandcamp. Limited edition EP Stars & Fireflies is available for download via most digital distributors.

More releases will follow in this format shortly.