Musicians and artists often describe how their influences find them. In Benny Grunch’s case, his divine inspiration came from a handheld radio, and took the form of humor, deft storytelling, and a love for his hometown. Benny “Grunch” Antin is the founding member of Benny Grunch & The Bunch, a group that for decades has performed songs of satirical nostalgia for New Orleans. In this edition of NOLA Life Stories, Benny takes us on a highly musical memoir, from childhood to the origins of his band.
This NOLA Life Stories interview was conducted by Mark Cave for The Historic New Orleans Collection and produced for WWNO by Sarah Holtz.