Benji Rountree

Benji is best known in the entertainment industry as a musician. He has played guitar mostly and bass for many bands that have toured the US, and has graced the stage opening for known artists such as Busta Rhymes, Vanilla Ice, Who's Bad (the world famous Michael Jackson tribute band), Rehab, Bad Fish(National Sublime tribute), Lit, Cypress Hill/Limp Bizkit (Napster free show at the Ritz, Raleigh, NC), Afroman, Corey Smith,and Matt O'ree to name a few, He is also known for sound and music production, event production and promotions, and has put together concerts and promoted club events working with artist such as Akon, Flo-Rida, Paul Wall, and bands such as Hinder, 311, Squeezetoy, and more. Benji has run sound for numerous live concerts as a FOH and Monitor engineer, and has also been a sound board operator for theatre shows such as dramas or musicals. He has acted in numerous plays and musicals such as 'Oklahoma' (played Ike Skidmore) and 'Fiddler on the Roof' (playing the role of Fyedka). He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a concentration in Theatre from NC State University, and also advanced certification degrees from REC School - The Recording Workshop (Ohio) where he trained independently with legendary producer, Bill Halverson (Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Hendrix, the Beach Boys, Janis Joplin). Benji has independently produced live concerts, club events, and fashion shows, including the Real ED Hardy Fashion show working with Jeremy Jackson(played Hobe from Baywatch) to bring a runway stage to Ess Lounge in Raleigh straight from Hollywood featuring the latest Designs straight from Christian Audigier. This was the real production show that toured the world, not a clothing store's fashion show that sold Ed Hardy - Benji produced the entire event. He is also know for his notorious Red Carpet Events hosted by MTV, Maxim and Playboy. These events have been showcased in NC, FL, and CA. Benji's continued relationship with MTV's Syrus (casting director, the Real World) is launching a new concert series starting this September 2015 with events in Los Angeles, Los Vegas, and San Diego - www.omrising.com . Benji has acted in several television shows, movies and commercials - notably had a brief speaking role in 'One Tree hill' along side Chad Michael Murray, was an extra for the show "Dawson's Creek", an actor for Fonville Morrisey Real Estate commercial (Fox, NC network), and has appeared in movies such as Will to Power, and 108 Stitches opposite Allen Maldonado (Allen appeared in Equalizer with Denzel Washington, and Cake with Jennifer Anniston). Benji has worked along side his brother, famous actor and director David Rountree, on the movie CUT! and produced promotional events around the country for the movies CUT!, Staunton Hill, Will To Power, and filmed and produced the legendary 'Squeezetoy' music video from the 'Will to Power' soundtrack (starring Jerry Mathers from Leave it to Beaver). Squeezetoy was selected by Beer.com and Pamela Anderson with Kid Rock as the best unsigned band in America, and are known for their band tour in Iraq during Dessert Storm for our US Military troops. Whether Benji is on stage in the lime light, participating in a small acting role, behind the scenes on set, or producing a live event or concert, he continues to push the boundaries of type casting, as he has been involved with all kinds of styles and types of entertainment being not only behind the scenes, being a part of the technical crew, but also being on stage or in front of the camera performing.