Ben Harper | |
|---|---|
 Harper at theEurockéennes in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Benjamin Charles Harper (1969-10-28)October 28, 1969 (age 56) Pomona, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Labels | Virgin,EMI Records,Chrysalis |
| Formerly of | Relentless7 Fistful of Mercy The Innocent Criminals |
Spouses | |
| Website | www |
Benjamin Charles Harper[1] (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.[2] Harper plays an eclectic mix ofblues,folk,soul,reggae, and rock music,[3] and he is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances, and activism.[4] He has released twelve studio albums, mostly throughVirgin Records, and has toured internationally.[5][6]
Harper is a three-timeGrammy Award winner and seven-time nominee, with awards forBest Pop Instrumental Performance andBest Traditional Soul Gospel Album in 2004 andBest Blues Album in 2013.[7]
At the 40thBlues Music Awards ceremony, Harper's joint composition withCharlie Musselwhite, "No Mercy in This Land", was named Song of the Year.[8]
Harper was born inPomona, California.[2] His late father, Leonard Harper, was of African-American ancestry, and his mother, Ellen Harper Verdries (née Chase),[9][10] is Jewish. His maternal great-grandmother was aRussian-Lithuanian Jew.[11][12][13] His parents divorced when he was five years old, and he grew up with his mother's family. Harper has two younger brothers, Joel andPeter Harper.[14]
Harper began playing guitar as a child.[15][16] His maternal grandparents' music store, the Folk Music Center and Museum (Claremont, CA), laid a foundation of folk and blues for the artist, complemented by regular patronsLeonard Cohen,Taj Mahal,John Darnielle, andDavid Lindley, and quotes ofWilliam Shakespeare andRobert Frost made often by his grandfather.[17]: 5
In 1978, at the age of 9, Harper attendedBob Marley's performance inBurbank, California, where Marley was joined by former bandmatePeter Tosh for the encore. It was, according to Harper, an important influence.[18]
At the age of twelve, Harper played his first gig.[19] During the 1980s, in his teen years, Harper began to play theslide guitar, mimicking the style ofRobert Johnson. Harper refined his style, taking up theWeissenborn slide guitar.[17]: 11 Harper was offered an invitation byTaj Mahal to tour with the artist. They recorded Taj Mahal's albumFollow the Drinking Gourd, released in November 1990, and toured Hawaii.[17]
In 1992, Harper recorded theLPPleasure and Pain withfolk multi-instrumentalistTom Freund. After this limited-edition record, Harper secured a lifetime record deal withVirgin Records.[20] In 1993, he toured venues in California and France with his band, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, and performed with Taj Majal atAustin City Limits.[21]
In 1994, Harper released his debut album,Welcome to the Cruel World and toured the US and Canada with the Innocent Criminals.[22] In November of the same year, he performed two solo shows in Spain.[22]
He released his second album,Fight For Your Mind, in 1995, with Juan Nelson on bass, which became acollege radio favorite and included several songs that Harper has played live throughout his career.[23] The same year, the band expanded their reach to Europe and performed in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Canada, and a handful of US dates.[24] His music received a great deal of airplay and critical acclaim in Europe and was widely played in Australia (first onTriple J radio).
In 1999, at theSanta Barbara Bowl, Harper metJack Johnson and sent a demo tape of Johnson's songs to his producer, J. P. Plunier, who then produced Johnson's first album,Brushfire Fairytales, in December 2000.[25] Jack Johnson became the opening act in late February 2001 for the last 23 cities of Ben Harper's "Innocent Criminals" tour of the United States.[26]
In 2002, Harper was one of the featured singers covering Motown hits byMarvin Gaye in the documentary,Standing in the Shadows of Motown (a history ofThe Funk Brothers). Harper was featured on the albumTrue Love byToots and the Maytals, which won theGrammy Award in 2004 for Best Reggae Album, and showcased many notable musicians includingWillie Nelson,Eric Clapton,Jeff Beck,Trey Anastasio,Gwen Stefani /No Doubt,Bonnie Raitt,Manu Chao,The Roots,Ryan Adams,Keith Richards,Toots Hibbert,Paul Douglas, Jackie Jackson,Ken Boothe, andThe Skatalites.[27] In 2003, Harper was FrenchRolling Stone magazine's Artist of the Year (Artiste De L'Année),[28] and his Australian tour that year forDiamonds on the Inside was highly successful with record sales. On April 3, 2004, Harper andJack Johnson performed withToots and the Maytals onSaturday Night Live (season 29, episode 16), a show hosted byDonald Trump.[29][30]
In October 2004, Harper participated in theVote for Change concert tour organized to benefitMoveon.org and encourage people in theswing states to vote during the2004 U.S. presidential election. In the same month, Harper contributed a live recording of the song "Oppression" toFor The Lady, a benefit album for jailedNobel Peace Prize winner and Burmese pro-democracy advocateAung San Suu Kyi.
In 2006, Harper released the double albumBoth Sides of the Gun which debuted at number 7 on theBillboard 200. Though uncredited, he appears briefly in the 2006David Lynch filmInland Empire, alongside his wifeLaura Dern.
Harper is part of theNo Nukes group, which is against the expansion ofnuclear power. In 2007, the group recorded a music video of a version of theBuffalo Springfield song "For What It's Worth".[31][32] Harper's collaboration "Boa Sorte/Good Luck" with Brazilian singerVanessa da Mata peaked at No. 1 in Brazil and Portugal. In Brazil it also won a highly covetedPrêmio Multishow for "Best Song" in 2008. Also in 2008, Harper participated in the benefit albumSongs for Tibet.
On August 27, 2010, it was reported that Harper had formed a band calledFistful of Mercy withDhani Harrison andJoseph Arthur.[33] Fistful of Mercy released their debut record,As I Call You Down, on October 5, 2010.[34]
On May 17, 2011, Harper's official site posted that his next album was released, entitledGive Till It's Gone. The album is a continuation of recording with Relentless7.[35]
On October 1, 2012, an album from Harper withCharlie Musselwhite was announced titledGet Up! on Stax Records / Concord Music Group. The official release date for the album was January 29, 2013.Get Up! was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Harper. It is Harper's 12th studio album and first recording since 2011'sGive Till It's Gone (Virgin).[36]
In December 2012, it was announced that Harper had co-produced lead vocalistNatalie Maines of theDixie Chicks first solo rock albumMother.[37] It was released on May 7, 2013.[38]
In early 2015, it was announced that Harper and the Innocent Criminals would perform at theBoston Calling Music Festival in May 2015.[39]Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals performed at Rock Werchter Festival 2015 on June 28, 2015.[40]
On February 12, 2016, Harper released (as a YouTube video) the single "Call It What It Is", the first track taken from his studio albumCall It What It Is, released on April 8, 2016.
On April 8, 2019, Harper performed as a guest artist on the seventeenth season ofAmerican Idol during the second night of the "Top 20 Duets" episode. Harper sang with contestantAlejandro Aranda, playing "There Will Be a Light".[citation needed]
At the 40thBlues Music Awards ceremony, Harper's joint composition withCharlie Musselwhite, "No Mercy In This Land", was named as 'Song of the Year'.[8]
On March 20, 2019,Mavis Staples announced the albumWe Get By, featuring eleven tracks written and produced by Harper.[41] The title track, which features Harper on vocals and in the music video, was released on May 15, 2019.[42]
In 2020, Harper releasedWinter Is for Lovers, an album recorded with solo Monteleone lap steel songs. "It started out as an exploration of steel guitar," Harper toldAcoustic Guitar magazine in a 2020 interview, "Winter Is for Lovers is written as one piece of music; let's define that in the way that the old classical guitarists would have, on a single guitar (the Monteleone lap steel).[43]"
On June 9, 2021, Harper's longtime bassist, collaborator, and Innocent Criminals member, Juan Nelson, died at the age 62. Harper paid tribute to him, stating on Twitter: "Beloved husband, father, musical genius, BHIC band member of 27 years, and the finest man I've ever known. It's near impossible for me to put words to this pain and loss. Rest in Glory our beloved Reverend Juan." No cause of death has been confirmed.
On July 22, 2022, Harper released the albumBloodline Maintenance.[44] The album was dedicated to the memory of Juan Nelson.
On June 2, 2023, Harper released his seventeenth album,Wide Open Light. This is Harper's first album to feature mainly stripped-back acoustic songs with only one track featuring drums.
On April 1, 2024, ex-Innocent Criminals guitarist, Michael Ward died at the age of 57 due to complications from diabetes. On May 1, 2025, Harper released new single, "Before The Rain Dried," in tribute to Ward.[45]
In 1996, Harper married his first wife, Joanna.[46] They have two children together.[46] Harper and Joanna separated in 2000, and were divorced in 2001.[46]
Harper began dating actressLaura Dern after they met at one of his concerts in Fall 2000.[46] Harper and Dern married on December 23, 2005, at their home in Los Angeles.[47] They have two children,[2] son Ellery Walker (born August 2001)[46] and daughter Jaya (born November 2004).[48] In 2006, the pair co-directed the video for his song "Better Way."[49] In October 2010, Harper filed for divorce from Dern, citing irreconcilable differences.[50] They briefly reconciled and attended the2012 Golden Globe Awards together,[50] but Dern reactivated the divorce by filing a legal response in July 2012.[50] The divorce was finalized in September 2013.[51]
Harper married social advocate Jaclyn Matfus, on January 1, 2015.[6] Their son Besso was born in June 2017.[52]
Harper is askateboarder who has trained withRodney Mullen and he also owns a warehouse for his personal skateboarding. Harper co-owns the skateboarding brand Roller Horror with professional skateboarder Mike York.[53] In September 2016, Harper appeared onThe Nine Club skateboard podcast, hosted byChris Roberts, where he discussed his relationship and history with skateboarding.[54] OnThe Nine Club, he also reveals that he went to school and began skateboarding with Chris Miller inPomona, California.
Harper's cousin is Washington State Supreme Court JusticeSteven Gonzalez.[55]
Harper supportsLittle Kids Rock, a national nonprofit organization that works to restore and revitalize music education in disadvantaged U.S. public schools. In 2013, he donated items to their San Francisco Bay Area benefit concert.
On December 11, 2016, he played an acoustic benefit concert atBimbos in San Francisco supporting New Light India's "Boys Home Project". Founded in 2000 by Urmi Basu, New Light India provides shelter, educational opportunities, recreational facilities, healthcare and legal aid for the girls and women inKalighat, notorious for its red light district.
Harper and his wife, Jaclyn, have been long-time supporters[56] ofInternational Medical Corps’ work around the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they supported the organization's work in California, and Harper recorded a song[57] to benefit International Medical Corps’ global relief efforts.
A dead-end street has been named after Ben Harper inSaint-Jean-d'Heurs, a rural commune of France.[58]
| Year | Award Show | Award/Nomination |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Rolling Stone (France) | Artist of the Year |
| 2005 | Grammy Award | Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance |
| 2005 | Grammy Award | Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album |
| 2014 | Grammy Award | Grammy Award for Best Blues Album |
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–2001 | Daria | Episode: "See Jane Run" (Song: "Faded") Episode: "Camp Fear" (Song: "Burn to Shine") |
| 2001 | I Am Sam | Song: "Strawberry Fields Forever" |
| 2002 | Standing in the Shadows of Motown | Songs: "Ain't Too Proud To Beg"/"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" |
| Searching for Debra Winger | Song: "The Three of Us" | |
| 2003 | rage | Episode: "Grinspoon Guest Program Rage" Song: "Ground on Down" |
| One Tree Hill | Episode: "Crash Into You" Song: "Empty Apartment" | |
| Joan of Arcadia | Episode: "Death Be Not Whatever" Song: "Blessed to Be a Witness" | |
| 2004 | Saturday Night Live | Episode: "Donald Trump/Toots and the Maytals" Song: "Love Gonna Walk Out on Me" |
| Sleepover | Song: "Walk Away" | |
| 2005 | Trust the Man | Song: "Everything" |
| 2006 | Akeelah and the Bee | Song: "Everything" |
| The O.C. | Episode: "The Dawn Patrol" Song: "Waiting For You" | |
| CSI: NY | Episode: "And Here's to You, Mrs. Azrael" Song: "Walk Away" | |
| Ultimate Sessions | Song: "Whipping Boy" | |
| 2007 | Arctic Tale | Song: "Happy Ever After in Your Eyes" |
| 2008 | Henry Poole Is Here | Song: "Morning Yearning" |
| Wetlands Preserved: The Story of an Activist Nightclub | Song: "People Lead" | |
| Daylight Robbery | Song: "Diamonds On The Inside" | |
| 2009 | State of Play | Song: "Please Don't Talk About Murder While I'm Eating" |
| House | Episode: "Brave Heart" Song: "Faithfully Remain" | |
| 2010 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon | Episode: 2.152 (Song: "Father's Song") Episode: 2.7 (Songs: "With a Little Help from My Friends", "Walk With You") |
| Les Petits Mouchoirs | Song: "Amen Omen" | |
| Vampire Diaries | Episode: Katerina Song: "Amen Omen" | |
| The Fighter | Song: "Glory & Consequence" | |
| Close to the Dream | Song: "Better Way" | |
| 2010–2011 | Conan | Episode: October 11, 2010 (Song: "Father's Son") Episode: May 25, 2011 (Song: "Rock n' Roll is Free") |
| 2011 | Wretches & Jabberers | Song: "More Like You" |
| 2012 | The Girl | Song: "Waiting on an Angel" |
| Redfern Now | Episode: Raymond Song: "Not Fire Not Ice" | |
| Bones Brigade: An Autobiography | ||
| 2010–2013 | Late Show with David Letterman | Episode February 2, 2012 (Song: "Lay There & Hate Me") Episode May 18, 2011 (Song: "Rock n' Roll is Free") Episode April 29, 2013 (Song: "We Can't End This Way") |
| 2011–2013 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Episode May 24, 2011 (Song: "Rock n' Roll is Free") Episode November 18, 2011 (Song: "Save the Hammer for the Man") January 22, 2013 (Song: "I Don't Believe a Word You Say") |
| 2014 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | Episode: June 13, 2014 Song: "Learn It All Again Tomorrow" |
| 2023 | Extrapolations | Episode: "2070: Ecocide" (Character: Tyrone Downs) |
English translation from an article originally in French.
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Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata