BenSimon

"Smuggling Contraband"

"A cinematic borderlands tale set along the back roads of California's border towns lost highways & desert frontier."

GOING FOR ADDS — Tuesday July 21st 2026
THE SINGLE:

"Smuggling Contraband" is a gritty Americana narrative inspired by the rugged landscape and folklore of California's borderlands.

Set along the lonely lost highways stretching from the Pacific coast through San Diego County, Tecate, and the Imperial Valley, the song follows a weary traveler navigating darkness, distance, temptation, and the ever-present tension that exists where two nations meet.

Driven by desert-soaked fiddles & guitars, rolling rhythms, and vivid storytelling, BenSimon paints a cinematic portrait of life along the frontier—where mariachi music drifts through crackling AM radios, border lights flicker in the distance, and every bend in the road carries uncertainty.

"There's a sign up ahead, familiar as the back of this hand
I got seven more miles till I round Tecate Bend..."

Blending Americana roots and outlaw country attitude, "Smuggling Contraband" captures the unique culture, history, and mystique of the American Southwest.

ABOUT BenSimon:

BenSimon is a producer and singer-songwriter embarking on a sustained 2026 release campaign rooted in American music, infused with rock-and-roll muscle and hook-driven power pop sensibilities.

BenSimon went on to form Whiskey Tango, The Hideaways, & Tornado Magnet.

A multi-year San Diego Music Awards nominee and winner for Best Americana, BenSimon continues to create story-driven American music inspired by the people, places, and landscapes of the Southwest.

FOR FANS OF
Tom Petty
Steve Earle
The Rolling Stones
Son Volt
Drive-By Truckers
Calexico
Dwight Yoakam
New Riders Of The Purple Sage

Format: Americana / Alt Country / Outlaw Country / AAA
ISRC ushm22682097
Label: BCS
FCC Clean

You can stream and download this new release, as well as all the musical works on the BenSimon web page. Check 'em out, and give' em a spin on your radio shows/stations, and share/spread the good word. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to reach out and give us a holler and send us a smoke-signal.

Contact BenSimon:
Email: phillipbensimon@gmail.com
Web: phillipbensimon.com

FROM THE ARTIST:
"Having grown up and spent my life along the Southern California border region, I've watched this landscape evolve for decades. 'Smuggling Contraband' is a snapshot of a place, a culture, and a stretch of highway filled with stories that most people never see. It's part folklore, part reality, and entirely rooted in the desert Southwest."

Adios Amigos & Via Con Dios, until our paths cross again, way out here on the western frontier & somewhere near the Mexican border!!
Muchos Gracias From Your Compadre,
BenSimon
200% One Stop!
Contact Phillip Bensimon
phillipbensimon@gmail.com
phillipbensimon.com


AAA, Americana, Rock, Alt Country, Outlaw, Renegade, Red Dirt, And for fans of : Rolling Stones, Wilco, Son Volt, Beat Farmers, Johnny Cash, Whiskey Town, Tom Petty, Traveling Wilburys, Jeff Lynn, Gram Parsons, Byrds, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Townes Van Zandt, Jayhawks, Golden Smog, Reckless Kelly, Steve Earle

A White Freight Liner, Wind blowing in the breeze, a train rolling down the track, Rain a common down on a tin roof, my old truck with Primer on the fender and duct tape peeling off the seat out on the front gravel driveway, Whisky, & Wine!