We were very fortunate to have hosted Benton twice at the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention (one of a very few to have made a return appearance). He sure was tapped into some deep thing -- the first time I heard him play, it made me cry for some unknown reason, and I had exactly the same reaction the first time I heard Dewey Balfa play.
He also was very self-effacing and shy, didn't say much but let the fiddle say it all. HIs original tunes like Benton's Dream will live forever! I wish he could have too but 91 is a good long life and I know he really missed his wife. Many many thanks to Paul Brown for bringing Benton to Berkeley - that was a dream come true for all of us who were there.