Everybody has a dream. Whether that dream is to be President of the United States or a professional football player, everybody has one.

Ben Wells is following his dream of being a singer — not a karaoke singer, but a real country singer with a little bit of rock flare.

Like many singers before him, the 24-year-old Quitman native is traveling across Georgia and the rest of the South, singing the songs that he’s written and trying to make a name for himself in country music.

“I used to sing my little sister to sleep when she was little,” Wells said. “Then my family told me I sounded good so then I tried to sing in church. They told me I sounded good.”

From there, Wells learned to play the guitar as a high school student at Brooks County High School and began writing his own music. But music wasn’t always his dream.

In high school, Wells was kicker for the Brooks County Trojans and thought he was going to be a pharmacist. He was even offered a scholarship to Georgia Southern University to be a kicker, but turned it down.

“Singing was fun but I didn’t think I’d try to do anything with it,” he said. “But I’m trying.”

When he first decided to follow through with being a country singer, Wells worked odd jobs while singing on the side.

“I’ve done all kinds of jobs,” he said. “When nobody knew who I was and wasn’t making any money, I traveled around the entire United States, (working at) soy bean plants. It was 96 hours a week.”

Earlier this month, Wells opened up for one of country music’s hottest stars, Luke Bryan, and two of country’s hottest songwriters, Dallas Davidson and Valdosta’s Rhett Akins, at the 2011 Farm Tour on Ousley Road.

“They just called and they were in Valdosta and needed someone from here,” Wells said. “I was surprised.”

Besides Bryan, Wells has opened up for several other country stars such as Brantley Gilbert, Justin Moore and Lee Brice.

“My guitar player has opened up for all kinds of people, like Sugarland and Jason Aldean,” he said.

But being a singer who is trying to make it in the music business isn’t as easy as it looks, according to Wells.

“It’s a lot more stressful than people think it is,” Wells said. “(Last) Sunday was the only day I’ve been home since (the 19th) and that was just to come home and sleep. I just got home (Wednesday night) and went to sleep.”

All the hard work looks as if it’s paying off for Wells.

“Next week we have a South Carolina show. It’ll be my third time there,” he said. “They don’t know me that well up there.”

On Nov. 4, Wells will be at Cowboys in Milledgeville where the 2011 Georgia Country Music Awards will be taking place. He’s nominated for 2011 Georgia Male Vocalist of the Year along with several other male country singers from across the state.

And it’s some of the his fellow Georgia country artist, like Jason Aldean and Brantley Gilbert, that Wells looks up to the most.

“I knew Luke (Bryan) way back in the day and Brantley (Gilbert)’s one of my buddies,” he said. “Brantley was nothing like he is now four years ago. I still remember when Brantley played Mellow Mushroom for 100 people. I mean, it takes a while. There’s a lot of people out there to impress.”

On Friday night, Wells played Mulligan’s in Valdosta and plays locally a lot, but is wary about playing the Valdosta circuit too much.

“You don’t want to play too much or people will get tired of you,” he said.

Since July, Wells has been impressing people with his latest single, “Valdosta Rain,” that was released on iTunes.

The song, a powerful ballad with the lyrics, “Like Valdosta rain, it’s pouring down / It’s coming in like a hurricane / I’m not ready for it now,” compares thinking of a former love to a powerful South Georgia thunderstorm.

“Valdosta Rain” is the first song that Wells has released on iTunes.

He wrote the song himself and has lived it since he only writes about what he knows.

“That’s the only way to do it if you want a good song,” Wells said. “I can write a million songs a day and they’ll be lies and they won’t be as good.”

When he’s not busy traveling and performing, Wells likes to write songs and hang out with friends. He also likes to watch others on stage.

“I’m usually gone and don’t get to hang out too much,” he said. “I like to go and see other people sing.”

The first concert that he ever went to was Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s Spontaneous Combustion tour when it stopped at the VSU P.E. Complex back in 1996.

“It was a long time ago. They weren’t even married yet,” he said. “The best concert was Hinder, when I lived in Mississippi. They played at the casino. They’re super good.”

He tries his best to find someone to see in concert, whether it’s a big act or someone local, every few weeks.

While “Valdosta Rain” is the only song he’s released so far, he has others recorded and is waiting to release them.

“I’m waiting for them to stop liking ‘Valdosta Rain,’ then give them something else,” he joked.

Wells also hopes to have a record deal someday soon.

“I’m not supposed to say too much, but it’s looking good,” Wells said. “It’s a long process. I’m going in the right direction.”

On the web: http://benwellsonline.com

To purchase and listen to a sample of “Valdosta Rain,” visit:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ben-wells/id451574998

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