Welcome to State Of The Union, appearing each month in bluegrass now magazine! This column provides the spouses of professional bluegrass musicians with a forum in which they can share their insights, observations, and experience with fans and other bluegrass spouses.

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May 2003: Ben Surratt on LIFE WITH MISSY

Their lives are bound together by a long thread of shared musical history. They've known each other since they were young teenagers. Recording engineer Ben Surratt and his wife, award-winning bassist Missy Raines, celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary in December 2002.

Ben's interest in music began when he was a child. “My mom's two brothers played bluegrass, and Dad would hang microphones from the chandelier and tape jams for hours.” An uncle with a band took Ben on the road to handle audio chores, and Ben was hooked. At 15, he got a job with a Virginia recording studio that also worked sound for bluegrass festivals, and that's how he met 14-year-old Missy, already a regular on the festival circuit. After a decade of casual friendship, Missy joined Cloud Valley, a band in which Ben's close buddy was also a member. In 1983, they began dating, and were married several years later.

They now live just north of Nashville, convenient for Ben's work as a recording engineer. He's done projects for Missy, and for clients like Claire Lynch, the Larry Stephenson Band, Continental Divide, Jim & Jesse, and the Osborne Brothers. Ben's role is critical, but he's very much behind the scenes. Has that ever been an issue? “No, I prefer it!” he says emphatically. “I don't mind recognition, but I don't mind being behind the scenes at all.”

Ben says his time with Missy is precious. “We don't take each other for granted, because there's always a span of time where she's gone and I really miss her. When she's gone, I try to work or play golf as much as I can!” Missy makes it a point to spend the first day back with her husband, reconnecting. “We go out for dinner, or we stay home and just catch up and talk. Then she's got to get back into the cycle-clothes to wash, packing for the next trip. In the busiest part of the year, she may only be home two days a week. We talk every day, at least once. I don't know what we did before cell phones!”

Though his schedule doesn't often allow it, Ben goes on the road with Missy whenever he can. “I wish I could have my career as a recording engineer, and go to every gig with her,” he says wistfully. “That would be the best! I don't mind traveling. It can be a lot of fun out there. Lots of times you go to a motel room, sleep for three hours, jump in the van in the middle of the night and drive for another 12 hours. But there's also lots of times you're at a festival, and all the other bands there are your friends. Like Lynn Morris said, it's a good hang.”

Ben's currently working on several new projects: one with Missy and Jim Hurst; one with the new band White House (consisting of Missy, Larry Stephenson, David Parmley, Charlie Cushman, and Jason Carter); another with Continental Divide; and still another with the Larry Stephenson Band. He's also busy with a new recording called Moody Bluegrass- -Moody Blues tunes done with bluegrass instrumentation, and vocals by John Cowan, Sam Bush, and Tim O'Brien, among others!

Visit Missy Raines online at www.missyraines.com.