“It’s what people want…insight inside of me,” said legend Jazz Gospel keyboardist Ben Tankard, a Stellar Award Hall of Famer, about his newest album “Tall, Dark and Jazzy” (Ben Tankard Music).
Tankard said the title comes from the many nick-names his wife has given him over the years.
“We’ve been married for 26 years,” he said sincerely.
Ben is also celebrating 25 years of his ministry and launch of The Destiny Center.
“We got married and started Bible study,” Tankard said when I asked about the 26 years of marriage and the 25 years of the launch of his church. “I never wanted to be a pastor. My parents were pastors and we were poor! The Bible study grew to 40 people…my wife said 40 people are using my bathroom! That’s when we launched the Center.”
Scroll to continue reading
However, this was after Ben Tankard became a multi-millionaire.
“I wanted to be a basketball player, but I got hurt. I played for five minutes…I was so depressed,” he told me when I asked how he made his millions. “I went back to my roots…the church. Then….the minister prayed over my hands.”
Tankard said his minister said that the piano was his gift and to go play it.
“I didn’t know anything about Jazz…I never played piano,” Ben continued. “I sat down and started playing Jazz…what you hear from me now.”
Since then, his music has made him millions in revenue and has garnered him 16 Stellar Awards, three Grammy Award nominations, and eight Dove Awards. He is considered the Godfather of Gospel Jazz and has released 18 albums. “Tall, Dark and Jazzy” is his 19th. Ben debuted in 1989
“When I first made it, the first thing I brought was a mansion and an airplane,” he said as if he still cannot believe the results to the miracle that happen to his hands that day.
Ben said that at his Bible studies he would tell them about how God did this for him.
“Part of my teachings is that you don’t need a mega church to get rich,” he stressed.
The Destiny Center, in celebration of 25 years, has moved into a new facility at Murfreesboro Airport where Ben has a fleet of aircraft and where his international headquarters for Ben Tankard Music is located.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, you have to learn patience,” he said.
“Though I was kind of questioning Him (God),” Ben said with a slight laugh.
He was questioning God because of his career change turn from basketball playing to playing Gospel Jazz on the keyboard.
Aside from the new “Tall, Dark and Jazzy” album, Ben Tankard has relaunched his “Thicker Than Water” reality show as “Thicker Than Water: Empty Nest,” and season two of his Podcast, “The Full Tank” which has had such guests as Dorinda Clark-Cole, hitmaker Mr. Talkbox and industry executive Benita Bellamy Kelley (The Bellamy Group).
“My door is a swinging door,” Ben laughed when we talked about the meaning to the new name of his reality show, indicating the children are no longer living at home. “We had to assemble them for twelve weeks!”
So, they are not in the nest, but you might just see them on the Ben Tankard reality show.
Not only did God give Ben Tankard the ability to play piano, but he plays the drums (as a child), tuba (in high school), trumpet and guitar! www.BenTankard.me www.DestinyCenterTN.com
SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million for her column The Pulse of Entertainment. She is the publisher of the digital magazine www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com, which has an estimated 160,000 visitors a month. An entrepreneur, Dr. Moseley’s company, Freelance Associates, is a business management/public relations strategic planning and consulting firm that is celebrating 32 years in 2025. Dr. Eunice also serves as professor for the School of Business at Stanton University in Anaheim, California and serves as promotions director (at-large), journalist and business consultant for The Baltimore Times. Dr. Moseley founded the Uplifting Minds II Foundation (www.UpliftingMinds.com) in 2023, a 501 C3 with a mission to empower the underserved through three major programs – One Stop Business Shop, the ULMII Professional Conference and the ULMII Academy (business management and public relations).EVENTS: “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference (ULMII), was launched by Dr. Eunice in 1999, to educate aspiring artists/musicians about the business of entertainment – www.UpliftingMinds2.com. Next ULMII Entertainment Conferences for Baltimore on Saturday April 18, 2026, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and for Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7, 2026, presented by The Pulse of Entertainment and the ULMII Foundation. The ULMII conferences are free with virtual access via Zoom. ULMII entertainment conference offers a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and International Talent Competition where the top three scored acts receive the ULMII Best Act Award and over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services and cash!
(If You Like/Appreciate This EURweb Story, Please SHARE it!)
RELATED NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: The Pulse of Entertainment: Ben Tankard’s ‘Rise’ Inspires, Garners NAACP Image Award Nomination
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
