NASHVILLE, Tennessee- Country duo Chris Ramos and Ben Chism who make up BoomTown Saints are an unlikely pair. Until a few years ago, they didn’t know the other existed. I wanted to find out how they ended up together, especially since being a professional country music artist was never on either of their radars.
Ramos is from southwest Florida but has been in Nashville for 25 years, where he started his career being an IT guy and then became a pharmaceutical representative. Eventually, Ramos became an independent consultant helping pharmaceutical companies commercialize their products.
“It was a cool job, but you traveled for everybody else and not for yourself or your family. When I had the opportunity to chase my dream again, I took it,” he said.
Ramos grew up listening to pop, R&B, and smooth jazz. He listened to artists like Boyz to Men and Bryan McKnight. His mom listened to country music, but he didn’t really like it. It wasn’t until he got older that he learned to appreciate the lyricism of country music.
Ramos dreamed of being a musician since he was a child. He tried at one point, but it didn’t work out. He had always been a writer and eventually realized that the best stories were in county music.
“It’s all I listen to now. I appreciate the other genres, but country is my spot these days,” he said.
Chism hails from Mississippi and has been in Nashville for 12 years. He grew up listening to classic rock like Eagles, Beatles, and Rod Stuart. His dad always listened to rock, but Chism’s older brother brought country music into the house. And just like with Ramos, the stories spoke to him.
Chism went to college on a baseball scholarship, where he quickly discovered that he would not become a professional baseball player. However, with his degree in biology and good grades, he was anticipating going to medical school. While Chism was studying for the MCAT, he participated in the Top Ten Texaco Showdown, a country music singing contest that he won. He met various industry people.
“It snowballed, and I signed an independent record deal and moved to Nashville,” Chism recalled.
He thought, “I can always go back to medical school. This is the dream I want to chase.”
A few years back, Ramos started attending the gym that Chism’s wife attended. He knew Chism was a musician, and they talked and became friends. Since nearly everyone in Nashville is a musician, they didn’t think much of it.
About five months later, in August 2018, Chism made the ultimate musical faux pas. He agreed to do an out-of-town show 10 days before it was to occur.
Ramos said, “You just don’t do that ever because you are not going to be able to find a good band to go with you on the road, especially in the summer.”
However, at that point in Chism’s career, he was about to throw in the towel and pursue med school again.
Chism was about to head out, but he still didn’t have a bass player. He knew Ramos played guitar and piano and thought he could wing it on bass.
Chism asked Ramos, “Do you have enough to get up there and hold a stick and make it sound good?”
Since he had dabbled in music performance, Ramos thought he could learn 8 – 10 songs in two days.
Chism was more of a cover band, and they learned 45 songs in just two days.
Surprisingly, the gig went very well, and they were invited to return repeatedly.
It was always Ramos’s desire to get back into music on some level, and the two artists gelled. They performed for two years as a cover band and began writing and performing original music in the past three years. They were exceptionally good and got noticed. They realized that this could become a career.
In 2022, the pair released their debut single with 8 Track Entertainment, “All Trucks Go To Heaven,” it climbed to 46 on the Mediabase indicator chart. The video currently has more than 78,000 views on YouTube alone.
BoomTown Saints recently released the rockin’ summer anthem, “Blacktop Don’t,” a fiery track they are excited to share with their fans. The song talks about going where there are no paved roads with that special someone. It makes you feel like you are 16, even if you are 60. It’s just plain fun, — the way summer ought to be.
Their debut EP is out on Friday and was recorded in Muscles Shoals, Alabama. Those who know recognize that any music recorded in Muscles Shoals has a different vibe and energy than any recorded anywhere else.
“You’re walking on hallowed ground,” Ramos said.
Chism explained, “We’ve gotten to write with several awesome writers and that feeling of being there and catching all that energy is amazing.”
BoomTown Saints made their CMA Music Fest Debut on The Hardrock Stage on June 10 and were listed amongst a handful of new artists in Billboard’s 2023 feature, “What’s New in the New Year.
BoomTown Saints EP release show was Thursday night at the famed 3rd and Lindsley. As good as their music videos are, they are even more electric in person. The six-piece “Dad Band” nearly closed the venue down. Their dual lead guitarists are as good as anybody in the business and were a bonus.
The field is wide open for country duos now, and the BoomTown Saints anticipate releasing a 12-song full-length album in the fall. In the meantime, try to catch them in concert. You will not be disappointed.
You can follow BoomTown Saints on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and all streaming platforms.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and Twitter.
