Ben Harper

Infobox musical artist
Name = Ben Harper

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Img_capt = Ben Harper
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Benjamin Chase Harper
Religion = Rastafarian
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1969|10|28
Claremont, California,
USA
Died =
Origin =
Instrument = Vocals, Guitar, keyboards, Piano, Bass, Drums, percussion
Genre = Alternative rock
Folk rock
Blues
Gospel
Reggae
Occupation = Musician, Singer-songwriter, Guitarist
Years_active = 1992 — present
Label = Virgin/EMI Records
Associated_acts = Vanessa da Mata
URL = [http://www.benharper.net/ benharper.net]
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments = Fender Telecaster

Benjamin Chase "Ben" Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American musician.

Early life

Harper was born in Claremont, in California's Pomona Valley. He began playing guitar as a child. [ [http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:hlI7i2ny8TEJ:www.swer.net/english.roots1.html+%22ben+harper%22+jewish&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4] [http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/24975/edition_id/488/format/html/displaystory.html] ] His maternal grandparents' music store "The Folk Music Center and Museum" laid a foundation of folk and blues for the artist, complemented by regular patrons of Leonard Cohen, Taj Mahal and David Lindley and quotes of William Shakespeare and Robert Frost made often by his grandfather. [Appleford, Steve. "I'll Rise: The Music and Message of Ben Harper" Page 5. Essay published in the [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000030020 Ben Harper CD Box Collection] . Released April 4, 2000.] As a teen in the 80's, Harper began to play the slide guitar, mimicking the style of Robert Johnson, to contrast that of the then-popular heavy metal music. Next, Harper took up the Weissenborn to provide further distinction between his style and that of other blues musicians, including Johnson's. [ibid, page 11] Harper broke out of the Inland Empire after being offered an invitation by Taj Mahal to tour with the artist. The 20 year-old Harper and the blues legend then recorded "Follow the Drinking Ghour(d)" and toured the fiftieth state. [ibid, page 13]

Career

As a young man, Harper recorded the LP "Pleasure and Pain" with fellow Folk guitarist Tom Freund. After this limited edition record, Harper got a record deal with Virgin Records, which released his debut album, "Welcome to the Cruel World" (1994).

This was followed by "Fight For Your Mind" (1995) which became a college radio favorite and generated an abundance of songs which still fill his set list to this day.

In 1999 at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Harper met Jack Johnson, who was unknown at the time and had not recorded. Harper obtained a demo tape of 12 of Johnson's songs that he forwarded to his producer, J.P. Plunier, with whom Johnson recorded his first album. [ [http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Apr/21/en/FP604210305.html Harper takes both sides - The Honolulu Advertiser - Hawaii's Newspaper ] ]

From early on in Harper's career, his music received more attention in Europe than it did in his home country. While he was a well-known and respected figure in the United States (his musicianship put him on the lineup of featured singers covering Motown hits by Marvin Gaye on the classic 2002 documentary, "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," the story of the Funk Brothers) he was a star in countries like France, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, and The Netherlands, receiving a great deal of airplay and critical acclaim. His popularity in Europe is such that he was French "Rolling Stone" magazine's Artist of the Year ("Artiste De L'Année") in 2003, and his tour that year for "Diamonds on the Inside" played to packed arenas across the continent.

In October 2004, Harper participated in the Vote for Change concert tour organised to benefit Moveon.org and encourage people in the swing states to vote during the 2004 U.S. presidential election. Also in October, Harper contributed a live recording of the song "Oppression" to "For The Lady", a benefit album for jailed Nobel Peace Prize winner and Burmese pro-democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Over the summer of 2005, when the Zooma tour scheduled with Trey Anastasio and various side stage performers was canceled, Harper engaged in a tour of more private clubs/venues such as the Avalon Ballroom in Boston, the Tabernacle in Atlanta, and a full-band acoustic performance at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. This series of concerts saw the debut of a number of new songs, such as "Get It Like You Like It" and "Dressed In Black."

In 2006, Harper released the double album "Both Sides of the Gun" which debuted at #7 on the Billboard charts.

Harper finished a worldwide tour in support of the album in 2006, with support from Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley on the North American leg.

Though uncredited, he appears briefly in the 2006 David Lynch film "Inland Empire", alongside his wife Laura Dern.

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals recorded a new album, "Lifeline", in Paris. It was released in 2007. He also covered John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy" on the benefit CD "".

Ben has achieved great success in Brazil and Portugal, because of his collaboration "Boa Sorte/Good Luck" with Brazilian singer Vanessa da Mata, which peaked at #1 in the Portuguese charts.

Harper is part of the No Nukes group which is against the expansion of nuclear power. In 2007 the group recorded a music video of a new version of the Buffalo Springfield song "For What It's Worth". [ [http://www.nukefree.org/node/96 “For What It’s Worth,” No Nukes Reunite After Thirty Years] ] [ [http://www.nirs.org/home.htm Musicians Act to Stop New Atomic Reactors] ]

Personal life

Ben Harper is multi-ethnic. His father, Leonard, was of African-American and Cherokee Indian ancestry, and his mother, Ellen Chase-Verdries, was Jewish. [ [http://www.swer.net/english.roots1.html Ben Harper | Roots | Part one ] ] [ [http://www.onewaymagazine.com/coverstory_2-897.html Ben Harper - Every Facet Of The Diamond ] ] [ [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/fridayreview/story/0,,895525,00.html Ben Harper | Culture | The Guardian ] ] His parents divorced when he was five. Harper has two brothers, Joel and Peter Harper.

From 1996 to 2001, Harper was married to Joanna. They have two children, son Charles James and daughter Harris.

On December 23, 2005 Harper married his girlfriend of five years, actress Laura Dern. They have two children together, son Ellery Walker Harper (August 21, 2001) and daughter Jaya (November 24, 2004).

Charity

In 2008 he participated in a music album called Songs for Tibet, which is an initiative to support Tibet, Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso and to underline the human rights situation in Tibet. The album was issued on August 5 via iTunes and on August 19 in music stores around the world. [E-Online (July 22, 2008) [http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b147502_sting_matthews_mayer_gamer_tibet_beijing.html Sting, Matthews, Mayer Gamer for Tibet Than Beijing] ]

Awards and nominations

Virtual albums

* "iTunes Originals - Ben Harper"

ingles

*"Like A King / Whipping Boy" (1994)
*"Ground on Down" (1995)
*"Excuse Me Mr." (1996)
*"Faded" (1997)
*"Jah Work" (1997)
*"Glory & Consequence" (1997)
*"Burn to Shine" (1999)
*"Please Bleed" (1999)
*"Steal My Kisses" (2000)
*"With My Own Two Hands" (2003)
*"Diamonds on the Inside" (2004)
*"Better Way" (2006)
*"Morning Yearning" (2006)
*"Fight Outta You" (2007)
*"Boa Sorte/Good Luck" (2007) (with Vanessa da Mata) (#1 Portugal)
*"In the Colors" (2007)
*"Fight Outta You" (2007) (Europe)

pecial appearances

Harper played a slide guitar version of the Star-Spangled Banner prior to Game 3 of the 2007 NBA Finals on June 12 in Cleveland.

DVDs

* "Pleasure and Pain" (2002)
* "Live at the Hollywood Bowl" (2003)
* "Live at the Apollo" (2005)

References

External links

* [http://www.benharper.net/ Official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/benharper Official Myspace]
* [http://www.ben-harper.com/ Official French website]
* fr [http://benharper.fr benharper.fr - news, videos, photos...]
* [http://the1secondfilm.com/producer/336 Ben Harper Producer Profile on The 1 Second Film website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHjBo0vaLKs Video: "11th Commandment" and "Well Well Well"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaYGoKgtT5g Video: "Paris Sunrise #7" and "Lifeline"]
* [http://www.swer.net/ swer.net (a comprehensive fan site)]
* fr [http://benharperfrance.com benharperfrance.com - Forum] (French fan forum)
* [http://benharperlive.blogspot.com/ Ben Harper Live Blog rss news]
* [http://radiolibre.be/653/live-acoustique-ben-harper-part-2 Ben Harper preview his next album Lifeline (live and acoustic)]
* [http://benharperfrance.com Ben Harper French Forum]
* [http://www.orato.com/arts-entertainment/2007/11/07/ben-harper-gravitating-toward-renaissance Exclusive Interview]
* [http://www.stereowarning.com/2008/02/ben_harper_interview.html Ben Harper Interview] on Stereo Warning