At the wide-eyed age of two, Benjy Ferree received a Peter Pan Golden Book from his grandmother, never knowing the fantasy figure would remain a permanent fixture in his imagination. “The Darling children, and Peter on top of the cloud looking at Never Never Land— that’s the first imagery I remember,” he expresses nostalgically. Subsequently, he spent his childhood days chasing after neighbors he believed were Captain Hook, and jumping off garage roofs in attempts to fly. While the now-32-year-old, DC-based artist may have given up his aerial pursuits, he now puts his effort into making a rousing blend of Americana and blues-infused folk music.

His debut record Leaving the Next first offered a nod at his childhood hero— featuring cover portraiture of Ferree donning the iconic Peter Pan feathered cap. But more recently, Ferree’s sophomore album Come Back to the Five and Dime, Bobby Dee, Bobby Dee crafts itself as a poignant eulogy to the original Peter Pan, actor Bobby Driscoll, who provided the voice for the character in the classic Disney film. After discovering Driscoll’s tragic story— a child actor dropped from Hollywood’s radar once he grew older, who eventually died alone without a dime due to considerable drug use— Ferree explains, “I just had a feeling in my soul that I was going to make a tribute.”

In tow with the release of his newest album, dropping February 3 on Domino Records, and an upcoming tour with fellow folk-crooner Tim Fite, psychoPEDIA spoke with Ferree to find out more about the imaginative artist:

What moves you most about the life of Bobby Driscoll?
I didn’t know that he died the way he did until less than a year ago. It really puts things in perspective about your own life. It’s a little too close to home, and you realize you’re lucky to be alive.

Are there similar figures you've been intrigued by?
I can’t deny that when River Phoenix passed away, it had a huge foundational effect on my life. I used to study acting when I was young, and I believed of all the boys on the cover of Tiger Beat, he was the one with the most soul. And Heath Ledger— that was a tragic accident. He didn’t want to leave this world. There’s a song on the record called “Pisstopher Christopher” about a friend of mine who died of cancer. The record has a lot to do with life and how we could be gone tomorrow.

Do you feel that the music industry is as hard on young hopefuls as Hollywood?
I don’t really know much about the music industry or much about Hollywood. I just know about people. I moved to Los Angeles to try to be a movie star. It has a serious place in my soul, because it beat me to death— beat the nonsense out of me. But it’s ironic with the economy, there are many artists being dropped from labels, and I’m not. So, the music industry has been good to me.

How do you feel about the phenomenon of child actors?
What if a four-year-old bartended? You’d be dealing with adults swearing or farting, or doing whatever is weird to kids. You have to deal with very selfish adults. For kids like Macaulay Culkin— they have something special, and have a lot of soul. That soul moves people on film, and adults want a piece of them. Don’t get me wrong— if you’re touched by something, maybe you’re supposed to be a star at four. For kids that become celebrities, it’s like they’re destined by the movie gods. But I have no idea what it’s like to be a breadwinner at the age of 10 or 15.

Can you personally identify with Bobby's story?
I’ve never been a movie star before, but the one thing I can relate to is that we were both Peter Pan at one point in our lives.

Do you ever hope to achieve a similar level of fame in your music career, or would you steer clear knowing the trouble that comes with it?
I just want to take this show on the road if I can travel and have enough money to put gas in the car. I can’t afford bio-diesel right now, but as long as I can pay for the shows and make a living at it, I’m not going to turn anything down just to be “indie rock” or “punk.” You can’t be exclusive about who listens to your music. You’ve made it, so you either give it or share it. Otherwise, why are you on stage in the first place? I don’t know how people could get snobby to an audience, because you wouldn’t have a show without them. If people drive a few miles or even walk half a block to see you, you better give them a show. It could be your last day on earth, or theirs, so you might as well make it good.

~Leann Peterson


Last photo by joelogon via Flickr