A MUSIC composer from Powys, who has toured with the Arctic Monkeys, is headed to America after a Netflix documentary about pets he contributed to was nominated for an Emmy.

Ben Parsons, who grew up in Llandrindod Wells and Llanyre, will be going to Los Angeles before Christmas, hoping to win an award for his work on the Netflix series ‘The Hidden Life of Pets’.

Ben wrote the music for the series, and it has now been nominated for several awards at the 50th Daytime Emmy Awards, including in the ‘Outstanding Music Direction and Composition’ category.

The Hidden Life of Pets is up against US soap opera juggernaut ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ and singer Kelly Clarkson’s ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ daytime talk show.

County Times: Ben Parsons, who grew up in Llandrindod Wells and Llanyre, will be going to the 50th Daytime Emmy Awards for his musical work on the Netflix series ‘The Hidden Life of Pets’. Ben Parsons, who grew up in Llandrindod Wells and Llanyre, will be going to the 50th Daytime Emmy Awards for his musical work on the Netflix series ‘The Hidden Life of Pets’. (Image: Ben Parsons)

“I wrote the music for the show last year, it took us about six months to a year to make it, and then it was commissioned by ITV and Netflix,” said Ben, a former Llandrindod High School pupil who now lives with his wife and two sons in Manchester.

“The show is nominated in about five different categories, so I’m off to LA with the Netflix directors for a few days later this month.

“Hopefully, we’ll come away with something. It would be wonderful to win the music composition category, although there will be a lot of competition. I’m really excited about it.”

The programme featured on Gogglebox and is streamed on Netflix UK and USA.

Though he’ll be rubbing shoulders with some true stars of daytime American TV, the 47-year-old isn’t exactly a stranger to fame.

An established composer who has built a career in musical composition, Ben’s impressive list of work includes TV programmes for the BBC, Channel 4, Sky, ITV and the Discovery Channel. He has delivered innovative music across a wide range of genres. He has scored several feature and short films and worked with a range of directors, producers and musicians.

He started writing music while in high school and was in a number of bands – but it’s hard to top his brief stint with indie rock giants Arctic Monkeys, whom he played keyboards for on a couple of tours.

“After a bit of TV composing I joined a band called Cherry Ghost and was with them for about four or five years,” said Ben.

“I then toured with the Miles Kane Band around the world, which actually led to playing keyboards on a few tunes with the Arctic Monkeys.

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“They did have a temporary keyboard player and when we were in Australia touring, they said their keyboard player wasn’t touring this time and they asked would I like to do it. I said: ‘Yes please’ and it was utterly amazing. I did an Australian and European tour after that.”

Now life on the road is over, Ben concentrates on TV composing. He has worked on a series of Grand Designs as well as on Wild Weekend with Stephen Fry, in addition to many documentaries and some small films.

Ben met wife Katy at the South Powys Youth Orchestra and the couple now live in Manchester with sons Henry and Ted.

His parents moved away from Powys several years ago but he still returns home to visit friends, and admits he is very fond of the place.

The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognised outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974. The 50th awards take place at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles on December 15.