Benny Benack III continues a family tradition of jazz musicians playing trumpet, piano, and singing. His grandfather was a Dixieland trumpeter and music educator; his father plays sax and clarinet. Benny received full scholarships to Carnegie-Mellon and Duquesne University Pre-College Summer Jazz Camps. At 17, he is Best Soloist two years’ running at Slippery Rock University Jazz Adjudication. He is a 2008 participant in the Pennsylvania Governor’s School and received a scholarship to the Skidmore Jazz Institute. He has had the lead in three of his high school musicals and plays solo cornet in the school’s chamber orchestra. Benny has sung and played trumpet in his father's bands and combos since age five. He performs solo piano gigs in Philadelphia cocktail lounges and has played alongside jazz legends Warren Vache, Bucky Pizzarelli, Joe Negri, Sean Jones, and McCoy Tyner. Benny wants to learn everything he can about practice methods and small jazz group performing at the Vail Workshop.