4: Ben "Smiley" Silverstein (The Main Squeeze, Smile High)

Whether you know him from the live circuit with The Main Squeeze, or from his many collaborations, or even from his own budding and blossoming solo musical career, Ben Silverstein, known more commonly as "Smiley," is one of the most exciting, innovative, and inspiring keyboardists in the world today. From humble beginnings as a jazz musician in high school, to later going to business school, to finding musical success with both his band, The Main Squeeze, in addition to pushing the boundaries of genre with his solo music project called Smile High, Ben "Smiley" Silverstein is a musician who always stays busy, always stays engaged, and always stays positive. We got to know each other virtually through the pandemic with weekly keyboard and music production lessons, and now have stayed connected as friends. In our time together for Unlocking the Keys, Smiley and I had a lovely chat about his history with music, his ever-growing list of projects and collaborations, and discussed exactly how he came upon the name "Smiley." ...I can comfortably say that it's not what you might initially expect!