Ben Peters, born Benjamin James Peters on June 20, 1933, in Greenville, Mississippi, was a prolific American country music songwriter. Raised in Hollandale, Mississippi, Peters spent his early years picking cotton and singing gospel songs. He developed a passion for music, playing saxophone in high school and later in a local swing band. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, he served in the U.S. Navy while continuing to hone his songwriting skills.

In 1966, Peters moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he became the general manager of Shelby Singleton's Fingerlake Music. His breakthrough came when Eddy Arnold's rendition of his song "Turn the World Around" topped the country charts in 1967. Peters became renowned for his songwriting, particularly his work with Charley Pride, who recorded 68 of his songs, including six that reached #1 on the country charts. Notably, "Kiss an Angel Good Morning" won Peters a Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1973.

Peters also achieved success with Freddy Fender's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls," which became a crossover hit, reaching #1 on both the country and pop charts in 1975. His songwriting prowess earned him the title of Billboard's "Best Male Country Writer" in 1973 and the Nashville Songwriters Association's Songwriter of the Year in 1975. In 1980, Peters was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Throughout his career, Peters wrote hits for numerous artists, including Kenny Rogers, Brenda Lee, and John Conlee. Despite his brief stint as a recording artist, with "San Francisco is a Lonely Town" being his only charting hit, Peters' legacy endures through his extensive catalog of songs. He passed away on May 25, 2005, in Nashville, Tennessee, leaving behind a rich legacy in country music.