(September 20, 2022) - "It's a chance to record what we want," said six-time platinum selling Gospel/Smooth Jazz pianist Ben Tankard about executive producing his reality show "Thicker Than Water: The Tankards" (Amazon/Tubi/CJC) and its airing on his24-hour Smooth Life Network launching October 1, 2022.

The "Thicker Than Water: The Tankards" reality show premiered its 4th season on the CJC Network August 28, 2022, which had been launched on the Bravo Network in 2013. Aside from the realty show and new network, Ben is a pilot, author, musician, music and film producer, label owner, and Pastor at Destiny Center.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm so grateful for the three million eyeballs we gained being on Bravo and it took my music up a notch to the level with...Mary Mary and Kirk Franklin," said Grammy nominated Tankard sincerely. "But the producer said...we had to turn the heat it up...said, ‘We need you to throw water on your wife.' That meant turn the heat up or you're fired. The Kardashians' show can be so boring, and yet they have 20 seasons!"

So, just as Ben had to launch a record label for his music, he had to do the same for his reality show - start his own network. His music went on to garner multiple #1 Billboard hits, 17 Stellar Awards and a Stellar Music Hall of Fame induction, along with the Grammy, Dove, Soul Train and NAACP Image Award nominations. Ben Tankard discovered Yolanda Adams, now the bestselling Gospel artist of all times with 10 million albums sold, when she was a school teacher, and he signed her to his label at the time named Tribute. He produced and released her first four albums. I anticipate Tankard's "Smooth Life Network" doing history-book achievements as well.

"We're going wide open with content beyond what's on YouTube. Anybody can get on YouTube," Ben said about his network breaking uncharted grounds. "I don't mind being a pioneer. Same thing with aviation. I wanted to go where I wanted to go when I wanted to go. So, I started flying - piloting myself. I was the first to start a record label for Gospel Jazz because the Jazz industry said it (his music) was Gospel and Gospel said it was Jazz."

Available on Demand and live-tv the Smooth Life Network is on ROKU, Firestick, Apple, and iPhone/Android apps. Aside from the Tankards' reality show, which currently airs on the CJC Network, program airing on the 24-hour Smooth Life Network also includes "Monica's Pot" cooking show; "Elite Ballers" sports show; "Kingdom Kribz," "Lush Decor" reality show; "The Zone" teen empowerment show; "The Destiny Center Sunday Service" motivational show, and "Smooth Sundays with Tank" a line-up of music concerts all available at www.SmoothLifeTV.com

Still riding high on the success of his 2018 "Rise!" and his 2021 "Shine" (Ben-Jamin') albums Ben Tankard recently garnered a Jazz Music Award nomination by Jazz 91.9 WCLK (Clark Atlanta University). His latest single is titled "Shudda-Sed-Sompid-Din" featuring Brandon Marceal ("Sunday Best") and Tracey Phipps with vocal assistance. Always the entrepreneur Ben Tankard has collaborating partnerships with Shell Aviation, Walmart, Joel Osteen Ministries and CJC Network. www.BanTankard.me www.SmoothLifeTV.com www.DestinyCenterTN.com