Our story of how all this started:
The Chris Benton Show is an entertainment video interview series that brings audiences closer to the artists, actors, athletes, authors, and CEOs shaping the entertainment industry. While the name has changed, the heart of the show remains the same – a platform where stories of passion, perseverance, and success are shared in a personal, authentic way.
Our journey wasn’t born overnight. It’s the result of over 10 years of dreaming, building, and stepping out in faith. The vision started as a desire to create something together, rooted in our shared passions. While I, Chris, pursued my dreams, Sandy was always by my side, making those dreams her own. In 2014, we began writing songs – embracing her childhood passion for songwriting. Though neither of us played instruments, we wrote over 300 songs together, blending our creativity in unexpected ways.
That same year, our love for music led us to seek out country artists, believing collaboration could open new doors. I threw myself into networking, building friendships in the industry. This sparked the idea to create a platform supporting up-and-coming artists. New Country Buzz was born.
Launched in 2014, New Country Buzz quickly gained traction. One of our proudest moments was interviewing Kelsea Ballerini as her first single hit the top 30. Life’s circumstances led to the site’s closure in 2015, but the dream never faded. I kept checking the domain, and when it stayed available, I knew we were meant to return.
The Relaunch
In 2019, I felt that pull to revive the dream. Sandy and I jumped back in, and the connections we’d made welcomed us with open arms. Their encouragement reminded us this was the right path. We relaunched New Country Buzz, expanding it to include artist profiles and partnerships with PR companies.
As we evolved, The Chris & Sandy Show was born, allowing us to engage directly with entertainment figures across music, film, and more. We transitioned from New Country Buzz to The Chris & Sandy Show on January 3, 2020 – my late mom’s birthday – as a dedication to her. Our son, now almost 13, often joins us to ask a few questions, which many guests say is their favorite part.
Where We Are Today
Now, as The Chris Benton Show, we continue to build on that foundation, with over 600 interviews and counting. Sandy has stepped back from the spotlight to focus on homeschooling our kids, among other things, but she still plays a vital role behind the scenes. Her support and fingerprints are on every part of what we do. She also joins me at the start of the show for a few minutes, keeping that personal connection alive. We still bring Lil Chris on somewhere in the show to ask his questions, adding a fun and unique dynamic that guests love.
Our journey reflects God’s guidance at every turn – from Nashville connections to expanding our reach into LA and NY. This show represents more than just interviews – it’s a testament to faith, perseverance, and the power of community.
As we embrace this next chapter, we invite you to continue celebrating the stories that inspire, the dreams that persist, and the connections that make it all possible.
Chris & Sandy Benton
The story of how my wife and I met:
Here’s the story of how Sandy and I met. As you read this, you’ll realize we have anything but an average love story that began on 2/2/02.
At the start of 2001, I (Chris) was navigating a tough chapter in life. Everything felt off—money was tight, love was elusive, and friendships seemed distant. I’ve always had a passion for motivational quotes, so I started searching for some inspirational sites. Honestly, I didn’t find much that resonated with me. That’s when I thought, “I could probably build a better site than 95% of what I’ve seen.”
On April 15, 2001, I launched Inspiration 4 Everyone. Initially, I planned it to be a simple 10-page site filled with quotes. But as visitors began to trickle in, I started receiving requests to add more content. The site grew faster than I could have imagined.
By September 2001, I stumbled upon a Christian singles site offering a free 14-day trial. Since I was feeling a bit frugal, I thought, “Why not?” After the trial, I realized I genuinely liked the platform but didn’t want to pay for it. So, I started brainstorming ways to keep the membership free. I noticed they had an affiliate program and decided to email them. I asked if they’d consider granting me a free membership in exchange for joining their affiliate program. The worst they could say was no, right?
They got back to me, saying they’d never done that before but would consider it based on my site’s traffic. I proudly informed them that my site, just under six months old, had attracted over 35,000 visitors. They agreed, and I set up my account.
Fast forward to February 2, 2002—I was on the lookout for someone to chat with. That’s when I found Sandy. Here are two funny quirks about our meeting: first, I only chatted with profiles that had pictures, and guess what? She didn’t have one. Second, she was only on that site because she received an email saying she had a message. She was about to log off and delete the message when I messaged her. Thank God I caught her just in time!
We talked on the phone two days later, on February 4th, and set a wedding date on February 18th (a few people thought we were a bit crazy). We finally met in person on March 4, 2002. Yes, it sounds a little wild—we set the wedding date before even meeting face-to-face! But you know what? We actually tied the knot on the day we planned: October 5, 2002. And here we are, still together today!
So, throughout our entire journey together, the internet has played a significant role in our love story!
