When Ben Lewis first arrived at Lawrence University, he intended to focus on jazz, but an unexpected shift toward bluegrass music quickly took hold. The senior from Phoenix, Oregon, now records professionally and performs worldwide with the Litch Brothers, including a recent trip to Ireland to perform at the Your Roots Are Showing, a premier folk music conference.
“I'd never played a single bluegrass tune in my life [before Lawrence],” remarked Lewis, who is pursuing a Bachelor of Musical Arts (B.M.A.) degree. “I came here with the idea that I would only be studying jazz.”
The B.M.A. program, however, allowed him to explore a wide range of genres.
“The B.M.A. program is great because it does allow for a lot of flexibility in terms of what styles or what genres of music you want to learn,” Lewis said.
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The B.M.A., first introduced as a degree option in 2019, offers students a 50-50 split between music studies and their choice of another field in the liberal arts landscape. Lawrence now has four degree options: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Music Dual Degree, and the B.M.A.
That flexibility made it easy when, toward the end of his first year, friends in the Conservatory of Music invited Lewis to join a bluegrass group. Now known as the Litch Brothers, the band features Tashi Litch ’24, Kaj Litch, Evan Snoey ’23, and Lewis.
“I sort of fell in love with bluegrass music right away,” Lewis said. “It has this driving energy to it that really resonated with me.”
He cites guitarists Tony Rice—”one of the original pioneers”—and Alison Krauss as important influences.
Lawrence’s Conservatory nurtured the group’s development as they refined their sound.
“The Conservatory was really supportive of this,” Lewis added. “They helped foster the Litch Brothers as we expanded our repertoire. I was able to learn very quickly and develop as a bluegrass musician while I was here—it's all thanks to the Conservatory’s culture.”
Through coaching with Lawrence instructor and improvisation specialist Matt Turner, the band crafted a distinct style blending bluegrass with elements of jazz and rock.
“We bring a more progressive approach to bluegrass music incorporating styles such as rock, folk, and Romani jazz—we have a more ‘jazz-sound’ in general,” Lewis said. “Our arrangement of traditional bluegrass tunes have a more progress-quality to them. We also cover popular rock tunes.”
Ben Lewis (left) with Tashi Litch '24 on their trip to Ireland.
As they gained traction, the Litch Brothers played wherever they could—small festivals, nonprofits, and community events—anything to “get their sound out there.” A string of successful performances throughout the country culminated in their biggest milestone yet—the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) World of Bluegrass festival, the genre’s most prestigious venue.
With financial support from the Conservatory and encouragement from Dean Brian Pertl, the Litch Brothers made a triumphant debut at the IBMA festival in September 2023. Their performance was met with enthusiasm, securing a return invitation for 2024 as well as a coveted booking at the Your Roots Are Showing (YRAS) conference. The band spent more than a week in Ireland in January 2025.
“The folk tradition runs deep in Ireland, and there’s a lot of government support for it,” Lewis said. “The festival was held in Killarney, which is a really naturally beautiful place.”
The conference was preceded by an eight-day tour in Ireland.
“We just got to meet so many musically involved people,” Lewis said, “whether it be music executives and festival organizers at YRAS or talented amateur musicians in the pubs.”
Lewis’ participation in both festivals was made possible by the Conservatory’s Fred Sturm Inspiration Fund, which supports students pursuing innovative musical projects.
The band will pursue a number of opportunities during the summer of 2025: the Gray Fox Bluegrass Festival, recording their debut album, and embarking on a five-week concert tour of the West Coast.
Lewis, graduating in June, hopes to move to Nashville, Tennessee, and join the bustling bluegrass, old-time, and country music scenes. He was recently recruited by mandolin player Nick Dumas for a series of summer concerts.
“Lawrence has made me a very versatile player—I never have to put myself in a box because I've learned to play so many different styles here, and more than just jazz and bluegrass,” Lewis said. “I've played R&B music, soul, rock, punk… and so much more. Even if I don't move to Nashville, I've got all the tools I need to succeed.”
