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| Birth Name(s) : Benjamin Chase Harper |
Date of Birth: N/A |
| Status:
Single
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Partner:
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| Profession:
Singer, songwriter, slide guitarist, guitarist |
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Full Ben Harper Biography
Harper was born in Claremont, California, U.S. (in California's Pomona Valley). He began playing guitar as a child in Claremont. He eventually specialized in the acoustic slide guitar (Weissenborn guitars). As a young man, he recorded an LP (Pleasure and Pain) with fellow folk guitarist Tom Freund. After this limited edition record, Harper got a record deal with Virgin Records, who released his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World (1994).
This was followed by the incendiary 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.
From early on in his 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 States, in countries like France, Germany, Switzerland, and The Netherlands, he was a star, 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 the For The Lady benefit album for jailed Nobel 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 Harper 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 has just finished his worldwide tour, 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.
He has become a big success in Brazil, because of his collaboration "Boa Sorte/Good Luck" with Brazilian singer Vanessa da Mata, which peaked at #1 in the Brazilian top 100.
Harper's father, Leonard, was African-American with some Cherokee Indian ancestry, while his mother, Ellen Chase, is of Russian Jewish descent. His parents divorced when he was a child.
On December 23, 2005 Harper married his girlfriend of five years, actress Laura Dern. They have two children together, son Ellery Walker and daughter Jaya.
Lollapalooza Music Festival (August 3–5, 2007) - Harper and The Innocent Criminals performed as a co-headliner on August 3, at the Bud Light stage. Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam joined them on-stage for a cover of Bob Dylan's "Masters of War". Other songs in the set included "Burn One Down" and "With My Own Two Hands". Harper would later join Pearl Jam on Sunday for a performance of an original protest song, "No More" penned by Eddie Vedder and "Rockin' in the Free World".
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival (June 14–17, 2007) - Harper and The Innocent Criminals played in front a huge crowd on the main stage at the biggest music festival in the United States. Harper played on the same stage as Ziggy Marley, whose set ended an hour before he came on. A guest appearance was made by legendary bass player John Paul Jones (from Led Zeppelin) to perform "Dazed and Confused", a Zeppelin hit, alongside Harper. Ziggy Marley also made an appearance to join Harper in singing "Get Up, Stand Up," one of Marley's father's biggest hits. Other songs from the set included "Burn One Down," "Steal My Kisses," "Diamonds On The Inside," "Ground On Down," and "With My Own Two Hands" and "Gold To Me."
Byron Bay Blues and Roots Festival Easter 2007 - Harper and the Innocent Criminals played a two hour spot to close the Annual Bluesfest. The huge crowd in and around the massive tent were treated to an awesome set featuring songs from old and new albums as well as some covers. Bonnie Raitt, John Butler, Piers Facinni and Jack Johnson made guest appearances throughout the set to perform songs with Ben and the band.
Brisbane River Stage (May 20, 2006) - Harper recently completed his final leg of the Australian tour for Both Sides Of The Gun. The concert sold out and received rave reviews. The crowd of 20,000 were treated by an appearance from Jack Johnson to perform, with Harper, a cover of Bob Marley's "High Tide or Low Tide".
In July 2006 Harper supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their Stadium Arcadium tour, playing dates at venues including the Madejski Stadium in Reading and Pride Park stadium, home of Derby County Football Club, Derby. He then commenced upon a Stateside tour, along with supporting artist Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley. Subsequent to this, he toured Europe, including France, the nation that was one of the first to embrace his earliest musical offerings.
Live at the Garden (July 8, 2003). He sang two songs with Pearl Jam band. Songs called "Daughter" and "Indifference". He told that Pearl Jam is the best band in the world. He sang with Eddie Vedder. |
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