BETHESDA, MD. — Everything about Ben Utecht is big – his body, his voice, even his Super Bowl ring.

'“We don’t need lighting in this show with that thing,” songwriter Jim Brickman says.

Big Ben rises up to his full 6-foot-6, 245 pounds when he belts out a tune, looking very much like the tight end he used to be catching passes from Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer. These days, he sings classical crossover as lead male vocalist for Brickman, a Peyton of the piano, on their 32-city Christmas Celebration tour.

Ben Utecht called on a Monday. Earlier that day, he thought it was Wednesday. Such is the hectic life on tour for the football player-turned-musician.

"I thought the NFL schedule was intense," said Utecht, a former Super Bowl-winning tight end with the Indianapolis Colts who's now singing on the Jim Brickman Christmas Celebration Tour that hits 32 cities in 35 days. "I'm definitely experiencing what it's like to really work in the music industry."

Utecht has always lived a dual life, balancing football and music throughout high school. Once his football career was derailed due to concussions, music came calling. He recently put out his first album, "Christmas Hope," featuring the 6-foot-6, 245-pound tight end singing "White Christmas" and "First Noel," among others.

The tour schedule can be demanding -- Utecht compared the feeling to the NFL season's midway point, when "your body doesn't feel like it's working" -- but his football background and angelic voice have combined to make Utecht a major draw. Well, that and the Super Bowl ring.

Click Here to read the full article from ESPN.com

 (New York, NY – December 21, 2011) – As they say, some people are dealt all the aces. Benjamin Utecht has easily made the leap from one national stage to another – claiming victory in Super Bowl XLI as a tight end for the Indianapolis Colts and now landing on the cover of USA Today’s Sports section as a musician touring the country with Romantic Piano Sensation Jim Brickman. After injury forced his retirement from the NFL, it seemed only right for Utecht to pursue his passion for music – one he has nurtured for his entire life.

“This tour with Jim Brickman has been a dream come true for me! Two of my major passions in life are sports and music, both of which I have been blessed to pursue. Now this amazing opportunity to be in USA Today happens! I am so excited for this because it gives me the chance to show people that anything is possible and that contrary to the common belief, athletics and the arts do not have to be mutually exclusive.”

“I have loved having Benjamin on tour this year. He has embraced this new chapter with the same determined spirit from his NFL career, and has brought a powerful and polished vocal presence that will amaze. I'm excited that USA Today has given Benjamin a platform to share his story and look forward to all of his future success.”

Ben Utecht played college football in his hometown for the Gophers, caught touchdown passes from Peyton Manning in the NFL and won a Super Bowl championship. He understands what it's like to perform on a big stage.

Now he's getting a taste of it in a more literal sense.

"Jim Brickman jokes that the brightest object on stage during his Christmas show won't involves lights atop his piano or stars on a tree.

It will be Ben Utecht's Super Bowl ring."

CLICK HERE to read on.

Article Courtesy of Dave Richards, Erie Times-News

Ben joined Jim Brickman and Anne Cochran in the studio at 100.5 WRCH.  Check out the slide show to get a behind-the-scenes look on the road. 

CLICK HERE

Photos Courtesy of Joe Hann & 100.5 WRCH 

Ben will join Jim Brickman & Friends in Springfield Missouri for the Christmas Celebration Tour.  Other guests will include Anne Cochran and Tracy Silverman performing holiday classics and heart-felt love songs.  There will be a chance to meet Ben after the show too!

Tickets are still available!

To read the entire article CLICK HERE.

Article Courtesy of Karen Bliss, The News Leader

On Sunday November 20th Ben joined Jim Brickman & Friends to celebrate Jim's 50th Birthday in his hometown Cleveland, Ohio.  The Birthday Bash included a special concert event, followed by a very special VIP meet and greet with fans, cupcakes and champagne.  

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE!

Article courtesy of Ed Wittenburg, Sun News

INDIANAPOLIS - A mark of a successful person can be measured by one's ability for having achievements chronologically throughout life.

Success also can be displayed by having unique talents in more than one area and using them to entertain others.

Former Colts tight end Ben Utecht is such a success on both accounts. Utecht was a multi-sport star who made the NFL. He also started as a musical performer very young in life, and that career now spans past athletics. Those talents soon will bring him back to Indianapolis.

To Read More Click HERE!

Articl Courtesy of Craig Kelley www.colts.com

Cheryl had a chance to talk with former Indianapolis Colts tight end Ben Utecht about his upcoming appearance with Jim Brickman and the Minnesota Orchestra.

Ben will be performing with Jim Brickman at Orchestra Hall for a holiday concert on December 14th at 7:30 PM.  Tickets are on sale now at:

http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/

CLICK HERE TO WATCH!

Article & Video Interview Courtesy of Cheryl Kaye at 102.9 Lite FM


 

Hank Gola speaks with "Glee Guy" Benjamin Utecht about leaving his professional football career behind, the start of his musical journey and being one of the lead Guest Vocalists on Jim Brickman's Christmas Celebration Tour this Holiday season.  Read the entire article from New York Daily News to hear more about Benjamin!

Article Courtesy of New York Daily News
Written by Hank Gola

Catch Ben on The Insightful Player Tuesday October 11th at 7 p.m. EST!   Ben joins host and author Chrissy Carew as they share stories and obstacles overcome in their lives.  Click the link below to watch the Live TV Broadcast.

As the October 11th release date for "Christmas Hope" and the Jim Brickman A Christmas Celebration Tour gets closer more people are starting to weigh on Ben's debut holiday CD.  Take a minute to read what PopMusic @ Suite 101 and Markos Papadatos have to say about "Christmas Hope."  If you haven't preordered your own SIGNED copy yet CLICK HERE!

To read Markos Papadatos' full review!

In case you missed you it… Ben made quite a few appearances last week including The NYC Birdland. Of course not everyone was able to attend but the good news is there is footage available! Catch up with Ben by clicking on the video link below.

NYC Birdland
BEN UTECHT WITH STEVE REINEKE

On September 24th Benjamin will take part in the "Walk For Thought". The purpose of the walk is to raise funds and awareness about "The Brain Injury Association of Minnesota". Benjamin is serving as spokesperson on behalf of the organization for the walk. Below Benjamin shares why he chose to partner with "The Brain Injury Association of Minnesota".

United Way of Hastings Campaign Kickoff September 2 with Special Appearances by Ben Utecht and Goldy Gopher

(HASTINGS, MN)  The United Way of Hastings (UWH) annual campaign kickoff will be held on Friday, September 2.  The kickoff coincides with the Hastings Raiders first home football game.  The entire community comes out for this fun tradition of kicking off the UWH annual giving campaign and kicking off the Raiders football season at Historic Todd Field located in the center of Hastings.

To help kickoff the fun, there will be a special appearance by 2006 Super Bowl Champion, recording artist, and Hastings native – Ben Utecht.  Ben will be on hand for autographs and promotion of his new album.

"We are so excited to once again kickoff our annual giving campaign at the Raiders first home football game,” said Tara Donohue Weiss, Executive Director.  “Some of our excitement is due to our very own Hastings native, Ben Utecht, coming back to join us in the festivities as well as sing the National Anthem," said Donohue Weiss.

Ben Utecht was a three-sport athlete as well as excelled in music while at Hastings High School.  After high school, Ben pursued college football and played at the University of Minnesota prior to being drafted by the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.  During his time with the Colts, he won a Super Bowl ring.

Ben’s priorities have now changed to music – his first album debuted a couple years ago and now a new CD release is scheduled for October.  Ben intends to have advance copies of his new CD available on September 2 at the kickoff.  In addition, Goldy Gopher from the University of Minnesota will help kickoff the UWH campaign and be on hand for pictures.  Local businesses joined efforts and sponsored Goldy Gopher’s visit to Hastings: Green Mill, Gordy’s Premier Auto Glass, James Langenfeld Constr., Mike Slavik Keystone Realty, Power Within Chiropractic, Premium Electrical Services, Schommer Insurance.

Event highlights:

Historic Todd Field at McNamara Stadium – September 2, 2011
      Fun Begins @ 5:30 pm     Tailgate Party – Food & Beverages Available
      Autographs and Pictures with Ben Utecht and Goldy Gopher
      United Way of Hastings On-Field Presentation
      National Anthem by Ben Utecht
      Game Kickoff @ 7 pm
                                          
The UWH is an independent United Way that has worked for nearly 50 years serving Hastings and the surrounding rural communities within School District 200.   Its mission is to build partnerships to improve the lives of people in our community.  Donations are accepted year-round.  For more information about the UWH, the agencies and programs it funds, and special events, visit www.unitedwayofhastings.org.

Article Courtesy: United Way of Hastings
By:  Tara Donohue Weiss  

 
Benjamin Utecht will be singing the National Anthem at the Minnesota Vikings game THIS Saturday, August 27th! Visit the following link for game time and more details!

http://www.vikings.com/schedule/game/2011/preseason3/

Can't make it to the game? Watch it or tune in to listen on the following stations:

* TV: KARE 11
* Radio: KFAN / KTLK
* Sirius: 131

Game time is 7PM - don't be late!

Hastings graduate Ben Utecht shifts focus to music

A close friend, a chance meeting and an impromptu audition may have given Hastings native Ben Utecht the big break he needed. Now, this fall, Utecht will be the lead male vocalist for some 35 nationwide shows staged by well-known pianist Jim Brickman.
 
Utecht is well-known for his athletic prowess in Hastings. He was a three-sport athlete, eventually going to the University of Minnesota on a football scholarship. He was drafted by the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and won a Super Bowl ring with them, even catching a touchdown in the big game.

Now that his playing days are over, Utecht has focused full-time on his other passion: music.

Since an early age, it was a passion that rivaled his interest in athletics. It’s taking the back seat no longer.

Utecht has a new CD coming out this fall with inspirational holiday songs, and then there’s the tour with Brickman.

While Utecht was playing with the Cincinnati Bengals, he got to know the maestro of the Cincinnati Pops, Steven Reineke. Utecht sang with him at a concert and the two hit it off. Reineke eventually moved on to become the maestro of the New York Pops Orchestra.

Utecht ended up in New York one week, meeting with his public relations firm. He planned a visit with Reineke over dinner, but his friend called and told Utecht to arrive earlier than originally planned. He had someone who he wanted Utecht to meet.

It was Brickman.

“It was a little intimidating,” Utecht said. “I had a chance to share my story with him, and some of my music on a demo CD. All of a sudden, Jim asked if I would sing right there on the spot with him.”

Reineke had a piano in his apartment, so Brickman sat behind it. They both learned they had recently learned an Italian song, Caruso.

“Right there, on the spot, it was like him giving me an audition,” Utecht said. “I sang this song in Italian and since then it has been very exciting.”

Brickman was intrigued by Utecht’s story – that of the singing, 6-foot, 6-inch 240-pound football player.

“He just really kind of fell in love with the story, and with what I stood for and the music,” Utecht said. “He’s become a huge champion for me.”

Brickman invited Utecht to Grand Rapids, Mich., to sing at a performance there. When that went well, Brickman ended up hiring Utecht to travel on his holiday tour, which begins in November and runs through Dec. 31.

“Pretty much every day, except for Christmas, has a show,” Utecht said. “It’s a huge opportunity for me. I get to give this career a full go. I’m really excited about that. It’s kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Jim’s audience is the right demographic for me. I’m trying to break into this classical pop world.”

The fact that the music industry is a hard one to break into Utecht understands.

“That’s why this tour is such a big opportunity,” he said. “Exposure is such a rare entity in that world. For me to have this exposure is a big deal, then you just have to leave it up to the fans.

“People have to like your stuff in order for it to continue. I think the thing I’ve got going for me is the story – I just don’t think people expect a 6-6, 240-pound guy who used to be a football player to walk out on stage and be able to sing. That gives me a little bit of an avenue to surprise people. That’s an exciting thing for me.”

The CD

The new holiday recording comes out the first week of October, but Utecht hopes to have advance copies available when he helps out the Hastings Area United Way at its campaign kickoff, set for the first Hastings High School home football game of the season on Friday, Sept. 2. Utecht will sing the national anthem and will have his Super Bowl ring on hand, too.

About 75 percent of the songs on the album are classics everyone knows, and the rest are originals.

Pre-orders of the CD are also available on Utecht’s website at www.benjaminutecht.com.

Brickman is the executive producer on the Christmas album and plays on about half the songs.

The real-life Glee guy

The television show Glee features a character resembling Utecht in many ways – a big, tall athletic high schooler who can sing.

“I’ve had more than a couple people say to me, ‘You’re the real-life Glee guy,” Utecht said. “I’ve kind of chuckled at that. As I’ve thought about it, that really was my life. I was a three-sport athlete. I was in five choirs. Band. Show choir.

“My life was more music and music theater in high school than it was sports. That was real life for me. They’re playing fictional characters on the show, but that was non-fiction for me.”

While Utecht excelled in music in high school, athletics appeared to be the smoothest career path.

“Sports always seemed a little bit more feasible,” he said. “You grow up in a small river town in Minnesota and you don’t really know about how to become a professional singer. I didn’t know what a talent agency was. I didn’t know how to pursue anything like that. Sports was a huge part of the culture in Hastings. The paths just kind of led in that direction.”

Life

Utecht and his wife Karin (Stordahl) live in Lakeville with their three girls. They moved back to the Twin Cities earlier this year.

“That was eight-and-a-half years in the waiting,” Utecht said of the move. “Our families are here. Our hearts are here. We’ve always wanted to come back. It just seemed like this was the time to do it.”

His parents Jeff and Lori live in Rochester.

Getting involved

Utecht is hoping to get involved in Hastings again, hoping to bridge the gap, he said, between athletics and arts.

He’s proof, he said, that you don’t have to be involved in either athletics or in music – you can be involved in both.

“I’ve got a passion to help overcome the stereotypes,” he said. “There’s a lot of truth to what some of these shows have put to light – which is that kids struggle with finding their identities because of bullying and how people treat them. When kids discover what they are passionate about, they are discouraged from following that because it might not fit with this clique or that clique.

“That’s something that has to be confronted.”

Article By: Chad Richardson
Courtesy of The Hastings Star-Gazette

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Ben Utecht’s life has been a journey worthy of a book. Or in his case — a song.

Benjamin has had a busy couple of months recording his new holiday album Christmas Hope in the Music City.  Christmas Hope is a compilation of the warm sounds of classic carols with the addition of powerful new songs guaranteed to be quick favorites.  Christmas Hope will be available for pre-order on July 5th and when you purchase early, you will receive an AUTOGRAPHED copy as well as three sneak peek downloads.

In addition to his CD release, Benjamin has been working closely with his good friend and Piano Sensation Jim Brickman to finalize the 2011 Holiday Tour details. Benjamin will be a guest star on Jim Brickman’s A Christmas Celebration tour that kicks off in November!  Be sure to come back and see if they will be visiting your city.  Tour dates and locations will be announced on Tuesday, July 5th.

Benjamin was also invited to record a feature on Jim Brickman’s Nashville Sessions. On this digital album, Benjamin is included in a line-up of other terrific performers with his track “O Holy Night”! Click here to purchase “O Holy Night” and to learn more about Jim’s “Nashville Session’s” promotion. 

Visit www.BenjaminUtecht.com to get access to exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the making of Christmas Hope all summer long.