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Ben Kessler | photo by Howard Pitkow | via https://www.facebook.com/benkesslermusic

Philly singer/songwriter Ben Kessler has accomplished what most budding musicians would want to accomplish by their mid-20s. At just 16 years old, he already has a full-length LP, numerous live shows under his belt, and now a headlining spot at the Tin Angel.

Kessler’s debut full-length, So It Goes, is a masterful showcase of his vocal capability and guitar playing. His passionate playing is backed by a full band that polishes his music to a shining finish. Kessler is known to cover various singer/songwriters like John Mayer, Tom Petty,Tommy Emmanuel and John Butler. Hints of these influences can be seen in the smooth, effortless flow of Kessler’s songs, as well as his expressive voice.

This past January, Kessler stripped down his set for Kettle Pot Tracks to just his voice and guitar. KPT captured the pure soul of Kessler’s music, especially in this cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”:

Listen to the rest of the KPT session here:

The best thing about Kessler’s music is its ability to sound so familiar, yet just different enough to sound inviting.

Kessler surely has a promising career ahead of him, producing music that displays maturity far beyond his age. His return to the Tin Angel on June 12 is his first headlining set ever, so be sure to come support him and his amazing work. He’ll be playing with Philadelphia pop trio Religion and Rocketry. Tickets are available here.