Ben Rouse

Ben Rouse was born in Cornwall but grew up in Hampshire, UK. At the age of eight, he began playing the drums, turning to the guitar at age 11. At 23, Rouse formed the rock band Purple Monkey, which became a popular band along the south coast of England. At 25, he decided to learn the violin and mandolin and formed the folk duo Teapot Junkies, releasing two albums of original material. He went on to teach himself the saxophone, flute, trumpet, and banjo.

At 30, Rouse decided that a “proper” job might be necessary and earned himself an Higher National Diploma in electronics, but in 2007, he was drawn back to music when he saw the Ukulele Orchestra perform on the Jools Holland Hootenanny. The next day, he bought a ukulele. Rouse was soon performing and teaching workshops at festivals around the UK, and in 2014, he was invited to join the orchestra. He has since toured America, China, Europe, Scandinavia, and the UK with the group.