A worth not found in fame

Most musicians seek bright lights and applause. That is not the case with Kyle Benson, who worked as a professional musician in Nashville, Tennessee, before coming to American Family Association (AFA) in 2013, where he eventually transitioned into a role with American Family Studios (AFS) in 2015.

“I learned to play guitar growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi, and I had various local opportunities,” Benson recalled. “When I moved to the Nashville area, I got involved in music publishing. I toured, did studio work, and played and performed professionally.”

The skills Benson gained from his experience in Nashville are crucial for his job as an audio engineer, encompassing the full range of production elements for the videos released by AFS. This includes preparing sets, capturing interviews, sound mixing, and editing.

Benson also collaborates with composers to create musical scores for productions, at times lending his own music to them.

Ministry

“I’m particularly excited about Culture Warrior,” Benson said. “That was the first feature film to which I contributed the bulk of the audio work. I coordinated with BJ Davis, who composed the musical score, and I even ended up playing guitar parts for it.”

While Benson feels that Culture Warrior is the culmination of what he has learned working at AFS for the past 10 years, as well as his prior experience as a musician, seeking the spotlight is never his goal.

“If my work is not being noticed – if it’s not a distraction from the content of the film – I’m doing my job right,” he told The Stand. “It’s my responsibility to make all the dialogue, music, and sound effects blend together in a way that is convincing and compelling to the audience. I want people to immerse themselves in the story and not be distracted by anything they’re hearing.”

Church and community

The same is true of Benson’s role in his local church. Whether playing music or managing the sound for worship and other gatherings, his goal is to amplify the message, not to draw attention to his talent. His expertise as an audio engineer has been in even greater demand ever since his church began livestreaming services during the COVID-19 shutdown.

“There’s quite a bit of overlap between what I do at the office and what I do at church, and that has been very fulfilling,” he said.

Additionally, Benson offers his audio engineering skills to the local community, where he builds and repairs music and audio equipment, using it as an opportunity to meet and make connections with fellow musicians.

“It gives me a chance to meet other like-minded folks and see if there’s anything else I might be able to do for them,” he said.

Family

Working at AFA has impacted the core element of his life – his family: Gabby, his wife of 23 years, and his three children, ages 7, 14, and 17. While they find unity as a family in pursuing mutual interests, such as watching Major League Baseball, Benson points out the profound influence his work at AFA has on his family, as his marriage and parenting benefit from what he learns on the front line of the culture war.

“I can go home and immediately find ways to apply that information,” he said. “The encouragement I receive personally from my connections at AFA nurture and equip me to raise my children and pursue a healthy marriage. That is something I am very thankful for, and I believe is of great benefit to me and my family.”

Editor’s Note: Soon after this article was written, Kyle Benson was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer and, as of press time, was undergoing treatment. Please pray for the Benson family.