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{{short description|American musician (born 1969)}}
:''For other uses see [[Benjamin Harper (disambiguation)]].''
{{Other people}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
{{Distinguish|text = Canadian ice hockey player [[Ben Harpur]]}}
| Name = Ben Harper
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2015}}
| Img = Be harper.jpg
{{Infobox musical artist
| Img_capt = Ben Harper
| Img_size = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
| name = Ben Harper
| Landscape =
| image = Ben Harper 003.jpg
| Background = solo_singer
| image_size = 240px
| Birth_name = Benjamin Chase Harper
| caption = Harper at the [[Eurockéennes]] in 2008
| Religion = Rastafarian
| birth_name = Benjamin Charles Harper
| Alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|10|28}}
| Born = {{birth date and age|1969|10|28}}<br />[[Claremont, California|Claremont]], [[California]],<br>[[United States]]
| birth_place = [[Pomona, California]], U.S.
| genre = {{hlist|[[Folk rock]]|[[blues rock]]|[[alternative rock]]|[[Soul music|soul]]|[[funk rock]]|[[Gospel music|gospel]]|[[reggae]]|[[jam rock]]}}
| Died =
| Origin =
| occupation = Musician
| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar|[[lap steel guitar]]|[[slide guitar]]|keyboard instruments|piano|bass|drums|percussion|[[vibraphone]]}}
| Instrument = Weissenborn, Guitar, Drums
| years_active = 1992–present
| Genre = [[Rock music|Rock]] , [[Folk music|Folk]], [[Blues]], [[Gospel music|Gospel]], [[Reggae]], [[Soul rock]], [[soul music|Soul]]
| label = [[Virgin Records|Virgin]], [[EMI|EMI Records]], [[Chrysalis Records|Chrysalis]]
| Occupation = Singer, songwriter, steel guitarist, guitarist
| current_member_of =
| Years_active = 1992 — present
| past_member_of = [[Relentless7]]<br />[[Fistful of Mercy]]<br />The Innocent Criminals
| Label = [[Virgin Records|Virgin]]
| Associated_acts =
| website = {{Official url}}
| URL = [http://www.benharper.net/ benharper.net]
| Current_members =
| Past_members =
| Notable_instruments = weissenborn guitar
}}
}}

'''Benjamin Chase "Ben" Harper''' (born [[October 28]], [[1969]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[musician]].
'''Benjamin Charles Harper'''<ref>{{Cite web|title = Ben Harper|url = https://www.anti.com/artists/ben-harper/|website = ANTI- Records|access-date = 2021-10-01}}</ref> (born October 28, 1969) is an American [[singer-songwriter]] and multi-instrumentalist.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|title = Ben Harper Biography|url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/ben-harper/biography|magazine = Rolling Stone|access-date = 2015-11-06|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171111115632/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/ben-harper/biography|archive-date = November 11, 2017|url-status = dead}}</ref> Harper plays an eclectic mix of [[blues]], [[folk music|folk]], [[Soul music|soul]], [[reggae]], and [[rock music]],<ref>{{cite news|last = Dye|first = David|url = https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103935651|title = Ben Harper Explores Rock With Relentless7 : World Cafe|publisher = World Cafe (WXPN)|date = May 8, 2009|access-date = 2015-09-07|website = npr.org}}</ref> and he is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances, and activism.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Ben Harper interview|url = http://music.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=90631|date = 2007-08-19|access-date = 2015-11-06|website = Nine MSN (music)|first = Angela|last = Pulvirenti|publisher = ninemsn Pty Ltd.|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070819041638/http://music.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=90631|archive-date=August 19, 2007 }}</ref> He has released twelve studio albums, mostly through [[Virgin Records]], and has toured internationally.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Ben Harper|url = http://www.discogs.com/artist/42599-Ben-Harper|website = Discogs|access-date = 2015-11-06}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine|title = Ben Harper is Married, Reunites The Innocent Criminals|url = http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6480360/ben-harper-married-reunites-the-innocent-criminals-tour|magazine = Billboard|access-date = 2015-11-06|date = February 23, 2015|first = Colin|last = Stutz}}</ref>

Harper is a three-time [[Grammy Award]] winner and seven-time nominee, with awards for [[Best Pop Instrumental Performance]] and [[Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album]] in 2004 and [[Best Blues Album]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/ben-harper|publisher=Grammy|title=Grammy nominations and wins - Ben Harper|access-date=29 January 2019}}</ref>

At the 40th [[Blues Music Award]]s ceremony, Harper's joint composition with [[Charlie Musselwhite]], "No Mercy in This Land", was named Song of the Year.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.antimusic.com/news/19/May/102019_Blues_Music_Awards_Winners_Announced.shtml|title=2019 Blues Music Awards Winners Announced|website=Antimusic.com|access-date=11 May 2019}}</ref>


==Early life==
==Early life==
Harper was born in [[Pomona, California]].<ref name=":0" /> His late father, Leonard Harper, was of African-American ancestry, and his mother, Ellen Harper Verdries ({{nee}} Chase),<ref>{{Cite news|title=Ben Harper And Mom Ellen Reflect On A Lifetime Immersed In A Folk Music 'Wonderland'|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/02/01/962774149/ben-harper-and-mom-ellen-reflect-on-a-lifetime-immersed-in-a-folk-music-wonderla|access-date=2021-02-02|website=NPR.org|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-07-31|title=Folk matriarch Ellen Harper now striking a chord with her music|url=https://www.dailybulletin.com/folk-matriarch-ellen-harper-now-striking-a-chord-with-her-music|access-date=2021-02-02|website=Daily Bulletin|language=en-US}}</ref> is [[Jew]]ish. His maternal great-grandmother was a [[Russian Jewish|Russian]]-[[Lithuanian Jew]].<ref>{{Cite web |title = Ben Harper {{!}} Roots {{!}} Part one |url = http://www.swer.net/english.roots1.html |date = February 3, 2008 |last = Plunier |first = JP|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080203090640/http://www.swer.net/english.roots1.html|archive-date = February 3, 2008|publisher = Les Inrockuptibles (no. 58)|orig-year = 1994|quote = English translation from an article originally in French.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.onewaymagazine.com/coverstory_2-897.html |title=Ben Harper - Every Facet Of The Diamond |publisher=Onewaymagazine.com |access-date=2015-09-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517124614/http://www.onewaymagazine.com/coverstory_2-897.html |archive-date=May 17, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/fridayreview/story/0,,895525,00.html | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Blood in the tracks | first=Will | last=Hodgkinson | date=February 14, 2003 | access-date=April 26, 2010}}</ref> His parents divorced when he was five years old, and he grew up with his mother's family. Harper has two brothers, Joel and [[Peter Harper (American artist)|Peter Harper]].
Harper was born in [[Claremont, California]], in [[California]]'s [[Pomona Valley]]. He began playing [[guitar]] as a child in Claremont.<ref>[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]</ref> He eventually specialized in the acoustic [[lap steel guitar]].

Harper began playing guitar as a child.<ref>[http://www.swer.net/english.roots1.html Roots_ Part one] ''www.swer.net'' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219123120/http://www.swer.net/english.roots1.html|date=December 19, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/24975/edition_id/488/format/html/displaystory.html |title=Celebrity Jews &#124; j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California |publisher=Jewishsf.com |date=February 11, 2005 |access-date=December 31, 2011}}</ref> 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 patrons [[Leonard Cohen]], [[Taj Mahal (musician)|Taj Mahal]], [[John Darnielle]], and [[David Lindley (musician)|David Lindley]] and quotes of [[William Shakespeare]] and [[Robert Frost]] made often by his grandfather.<ref name=Appleford>Appleford, Steve. "I'll Rise: The Music and Message of Ben Harper" Page 5. Essay published in the [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000030020 Ben Harper CD Box Collection]. Released April 6
, 2000.</ref>{{rp|5}}

In 1978, at the age of 9, Harper attended [[Bob Marley]]'s performance in [[Burbank, California]], where Marley was joined by former bandmate [[Peter Tosh]] for the encore. It was, according to Harper, an important influence.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohPKqiEfLpI | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211103/ohPKqiEfLpI| archive-date=2021-11-03 | url-status=live|title=BobMarley.com &#124; Ben Harper Discusses Bob Marley |publisher=YouTube |date=2012-05-17 |access-date=2015-09-07}}{{cbignore}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
At the age of twelve, Harper played his first gig.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment_100/135_ben_harper.html|title=Ben Harper Celebrity Profile, News, Gossip & Photos|publisher=AskMen|access-date=2015-09-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100124215144/http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment_100/135_ben_harper.html|archive-date=January 24, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> During the 1980s, in his teen years, Harper began to play the [[slide guitar]], mimicking the style of [[Robert Johnson (musician)|Robert Johnson]]. Harper refined his style, taking up the [[Weissenborn]] slide guitar.<ref name="Appleford" />{{rp|11}} Harper left the [[Inland Empire]] after being offered an invitation by [[Taj Mahal (musician)|Taj Mahal]] to tour with the artist. They recorded Taj Mahal's album ''[[Follow the Drinkin' Gourd|Follow the Drinking Gourd]]'', released in November 1990, and toured Hawaii.<ref name="Appleford" />[[File:Ben Harper FIJM 2003.jpg|thumb|242px|Harper on stage in 2003|left]]
In 1992, Harper recorded the [[Gramophone record|LP]] ''Pleasure and Pain'' with [[Traditional folk music|folk]] multi-instrumentalist [[Tom Freund]]. After this limited-edition record, Harper secured a lifetime record deal with [[Virgin Records]],<ref>Randy Bachman, ''VinylTap'', CBC Radio, July 7, 2012</ref> which released his debut album, ''[[Welcome to the Cruel World]]'', in 1994. This allowed him to be invited to the [[Rencontres Trans Musicales]] of [[Rennes]] in France in December 1993 where he went up on a large stage for the first time. His first album was followed by ''[[Fight For Your Mind]]'' in 1995, with Juan Nelson on bass, which became a [[college radio]] favorite and included several songs that Harper still plays live regularly.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/281195/ben+harper/biography |title=Ben Harper - Biography |magazine=Billboard |access-date=2015-09-07 |archive-date=October 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016204716/http://www.billboard.com/artist/281195/ben+harper/biography |url-status=dead }}</ref>


In 1999, at the [[Santa Barbara Bowl]], Harper met [[Jack Johnson (musician)|Jack 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Apr/21/en/FP604210305.html |title=Harper takes both sides &#124; The Honolulu Advertiser &#124; Hawaii's Newspaper |newspaper=The Honolulu Advertiser |date=2006-04-21 |access-date=2015-09-07}}</ref> 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.<ref name="interviews">{{cite web|url= http://geocities.com/jackjohnsononline/interviews.htm|title=Jack Johnson Interviews|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091026224929/http://geocities.com/jackjohnsononline/interviews.htm|archive-date=October 26, 2009|url-status=dead|access-date=June 15, 2017}}</ref>
As a young man, Harper recorded the [[Gramophone record|LP]] ''[[Pleasure and Pain]]'' with fellow [[folk music|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).


Early in Harper's career, his music received more attention in Europe and was widely played in Australia (first on [[Triple J]] radio). Harper has made comments on a number of occasions that his career was kicked off in Australia. While he was a well-known and respected figure in the United States, he was also a star in countries like Australia, New Zealand, France, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, receiving a great deal of airplay and critical acclaim. His popularity in Europe became wide enough that he was French [[Rolling Stone (magazine)|''Rolling Stone'' magazine]]'s Artist of the Year (''Artiste De L'Année'') in 2003,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Harper,_Ben/Biography/ |title=Ben Harper Biography |publisher=Starpulse.com |date=1969-10-28 |access-date=2015-09-07}}</ref> and his Australian tour that year for ''[[Diamonds on the Inside]]'' was highly successful with record sales.
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 2002, Harper was one of the featured singers covering Motown hits by [[Marvin Gaye]] in the documentary, ''[[Standing in the Shadows of Motown]]'' (a history of [[The Funk Brothers]]). Harper was featured on the album [[True Love (Toots & the Maytals album)|''True Love'']] by [[Toots and the Maytals]], which won the [[Grammy Award]] in 2004 for Best Reggae Album, and showcased many notable musicians including [[Willie 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 (musician)|Paul Douglas]], Jackie Jackson, [[Ken Boothe]], and [[The Skatalites]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tootsandthemaytals.net/linear-cd-notes/ |title = Linear CD Notes |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161110054527/http://www.tootsandthemaytals.net/linear-cd-notes/ |archive-date=10 November 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 1999 at the [[Santa Barbara Bowl]], Harper met [[Jack Johnson (musician)|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.<ref>http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Apr/21/en/FP604210305.html</ref>


On April 3, 2004, Harper and [[Jack Johnson (musician)|Jack Johnson]] performed with [[Toots and the Maytals]] on [[Saturday Night Live (season 29)|''Saturday Night Live'' (season 29, episode 16)]], a show hosted by [[Donald Trump]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0694854/plotsummary|title="Saturday Night Live" Donald Trump/Toots and the Maytals (TV Episode 2004) - IMDb|access-date=May 11, 2019|website=IMDb.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/saturday-night-live/episode-16-season-29/donald-trump-toots-and-the-maytals/100385|title=Saturday Night Live - TV Guide|website=Tvguide.com|access-date=May 11, 2019}}</ref>
[[Image:BenHarper.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Ben Harper, Massey Hall, Toronto, ON]]


[[File:Ben-harper-toots-and-the-maytals-jack-johnson.jpg|thumb|Ben Harper backstage with [[Toots and the Maytals]] and [[Jack Johnson (musician)|Jack Johnson]].]]
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]], 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)|''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 [[U.S. presidential election, 2004|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 [[Burma|Burmese]] pro-[[democracy]] advocate [[Aung San Suu Kyi]].
In October 2004, Harper participated in the [[Vote for Change]] concert tour organized to benefit [[Moveon.org]] and encourage people in the [[swing states]] to vote during the [[U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004 U.S. presidential election]]. In the same month, 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]]. [[Image:BenHarper.jpg|thumb|220px|Harper playing a [[Weissenborn]] in [[Massey Hall]], Toronto, Ontario, 2008]]In 2006, Harper released the double album ''[[Both Sides of the Gun]]'' which debuted at number 7 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]. Though uncredited, he appears briefly in the 2006 [[David Lynch]] film ''[[Inland Empire (film)|Inland Empire]]'', alongside his wife [[Laura Dern]].


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 version of the [[Buffalo Springfield]] song "[[For What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield song)|For What It's Worth]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nukefree.org/node/96 |title="For What It's Worth," No Nukes Reunite After Thirty Years |publisher=NukeFree.org |access-date=2015-09-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719202100/http://www.nukefree.org/node/96 |archive-date=July 19, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nirs.org/home.htm |title=Nuclear Information and Resource Service |publisher=NIRS |access-date=2015-09-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609064533/http://www.nirs.org/home.htm |archive-date=June 9, 2015 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Harper's collaboration "Boa Sorte/Good Luck" with [[Brazilian people|Brazilian]] singer [[Vanessa da Mata]] peaked at #1 in Brazil and Portugal. In Brazil it also won a highly coveted [[Prêmio Multishow de Música Brasileira|Prêmio Multishow]] for "Best Song" in 2008. Also in 2008, Harper participated in the benefit album ''[[Songs for Tibet]]''.
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, Georgia|Atlanta]], and a full-band acoustic performance at the historic [[Ryman Auditorium]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee|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."


On August 27, 2010, it was reported that Harper had formed a band called [[Fistful of Mercy]] with [[Dhani Harrison]] and [[Joseph Arthur]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/27/george.harrison.ben.harper.roll/index.html | work=CNN | title=George Harrison's son, Ben Harper form a band | date=August 27, 2010}}</ref> Fistful of Mercy released their debut record, ''As I Call You Down'', on October 5, 2010.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://consequence.net/2010/08/27/fistful-of-mercy-make-live-debut-recorded-debut-to-soon-follow/ |title=Consequence of Sound |magazine=Consequence of Sound |access-date=December 31, 2011 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In 2006, Harper released the double album ''[[Both Sides of the Gun]]'' which debuted at #7 on the [[Billboard charts]].


On May 17, 2011, Harper's official site posted that his next album was released, titled ''[[Give Till It's Gone]]''. The album is a continuation of recording with Relentless7.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.benharper.com/music/albums/give-till-its-gone |title=Give Till It's Gone &#124; The Official Ben Harper Website |publisher=Benharper.com |date=May 17, 2011 |access-date=December 31, 2011}}</ref>
Harper has just finished his worldwide tour, with support from [[Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley]] on the [[North America]]n leg.


On October 1, 2012, an album from Harper with [[Charlie Musselwhite]] was announced titled ''[[Get Up! (Ben Harper album)|Get 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's ''Give Till It's Gone'' (Virgin).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.benharper.com/news/2012/get-up-for-the-new-album-from-ben-harper-with-charlie-musselwhite |title=Get Up! &#124; The Official Ben Harper Website |publisher=Benharper.com |date=October 1, 2012 |access-date=October 1, 2012}}</ref>
Though uncredited, he appears briefly in the 2006 [[David Lynch]] film ''[[Inland Empire]]'', alongside his wife [[Laura Dern]].


In December 2012, it was announced that Harper had co-produced lead vocalist [[Natalie Maines]] of the [[Dixie Chicks]] first solo rock album ''[[Mother (Natalie Maines album)|Mother]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nataliemainesmusic.com/post/42519391270/natalie-maines-new-album-mother |title=The Official Natalie Maines Music Site |url-status=dead |access-date=July 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130716024014/http://nataliemainesmusic.com/post/42519391270/natalie-maines-new-album-mother |archive-date=July 16, 2013 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> It was released on May 7, 2013.<ref name="Twitter Mother 5-7-13">{{cite tweet |user=1NatalieMaines|last=Maines|first=Natalie|author-link=Natalie Maines|number=281650524351254529|title=Good news!I made some calls and had them push the end of the world to sometime after the release of my album, #Mother 5/7/13.You're welcome.|date=December 19, 2012|access-date=December 21, 2012}}</ref>
Harper recorded a new album in [[Paris]], ''[[Lifeline (Ben Harper album)|Lifeline]]''. It was released in 2007 and he has also [[cover version|covered]] [[John Lennon]]'s "[[Beautiful Boy]]" on the benefit CD ''[[Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur]]''.


In early 2015, it was announced that Harper and the Innocent Criminals would perform at the [[Boston Calling Music Festival]] in May 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ollman|first1=Jonah|title=Boston Calling Announces May 2015 Lineup|url=http://soundofboston.com/boston-calling-announces-may-2015-lineup/|website=Sound of Boston|date=January 13, 2015|access-date=January 15, 2015}}</ref>
He has become a big success in [[Brazil]], because of his collaboration "Boa Sorte/Good Luck" with [[Brazilian people|Brazilian]] singer [[Vanessa da Mata]], which peaked at #1 in the Brazilian top 100.
Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals performed at Rock Werchter Festival 2015 on June 28, 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rockwerchter.be/en/line-up/wiki/ben-harper-the-innocent-criminals |title=Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals - Artist - Rock Werchter 2015 |publisher=Rockwerchter.be |access-date=2015-09-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822174130/http://www.rockwerchter.be/en/line-up/wiki/ben-harper-the-innocent-criminals |archive-date=August 22, 2015 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>


On February 12, 2016, Harper released (as a YouTube video) the single "Call It What It Is", the first track taken from his studio album ''[[Call It What It Is]]'', released on April 8, 2016.
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]]".<ref>[http://www.nukefree.org/node/96 “For What It’s Worth,” No Nukes Reunite After Thirty Years]</ref><ref>[http://www.nirs.org/home.htm Musicians Act to Stop New Atomic Reactors]</ref>

On April 8, 2019, Harper performed as a guest artist on the seventeenth season of ''[[American Idol]]'' during the second night of the “Top 20 Duets” episode. Harper sang with contestant [[Alejandro Aranda]], playing "[[There Will Be a Light]]".{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}

At the 40th [[Blues Music Award]]s ceremony, Harper's joint composition with [[Charlie Musselwhite]], "No Mercy In This Land", was named as 'Song of the Year'.<ref name="auto"/>

On March 20, 2019, [[Mavis Staples]] announced the album ''[[We Get By]]'', featuring eleven tracks written and produced by Harper.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Blais-Billie|first1=Braudie|title=Mavis Staples Announces New Album We Get By, Shares New Song "Change"|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=March 20, 2019|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/mavis-staples-announces-new-album-we-get-by-shares-new-song-change-listen|access-date=May 19, 2019}}</ref> The title track, which features Harper on vocals and in the music video, was released on May 15, 2019.<ref name="youtube1">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Ks9w3PNxM | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211103/Z4Ks9w3PNxM| archive-date=2021-11-03 | url-status=live|title=Mavis Staples - "We Get By" (Feat. Ben Harper) |publisher=YouTube |date=2019-05-15 |access-date=2019-05-19}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 2020 Harper released ''[[Winter Is for Lovers]]'', an album recorded with solo Monteleone lap steel songs. "It started out as an exploration of steel guitar," Harper told ''Acoustic 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).<ref>{{Cite web|title=How a New Lap Steel Guitar Sparked Ben Harper's First Instrumental Album {{!}} Acoustic Guitar|date=November 30, 2020 |url=https://acousticguitar.com/how-a-new-lap-steel-guitar-sparked-ben-harpers-first-instrumental-album/|access-date=2021-03-26|language=en-US}}</ref>"

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 album ''[[Bloodline Maintenance]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=ALBUM REVIEW: Ben Harper follows the roots of pain on ''Bloodline Maintenance'' |url=https://riffmagazine.com/album-reviews/ben-harper-bloodline-maintenance/ |website=riffmagazine.com |date=July 18, 2022 |access-date=July 22, 2022}}</ref> The album is dedicated to the memory of Juan Nelson.


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
[[File:BenHarperLauraDernDec09.jpg|thumb|Harper with his second wife, [[Laura Dern]], in December 2009|left|201x201px]]
===Family===
Ben Harper's father, Leonard, was [[African-American]] and his mother was of [[Jew]]ish descent. His parents [[divorce]]d when he was a child.


In 1996, Harper married his first wife, Joanna.<ref name="people2002">{{Cite news|last=Miller|first=Samantha|date=February 4, 2002|title=Dern Happy|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20136353,00.html|url-status=dead|work=People|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130922160702/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20136353,00.html|archive-date=September 22, 2013|access-date=September 21, 2013}}</ref> They have two children together, son Charles (born circa 1997) and daughter Harris (born circa 2000).<ref name="people2002"/> Harper and Joanna separated in 2000, and were divorced in 2001.<ref name="people2002"/>
Harper has two brothers, Joel and Peter Harper. Harper was also close friends with recently deceased [[Australian]] actor [[Heath Ledger]].<ref>http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23101255-2902,00.html</ref>


Harper began dating actress [[Laura Dern]] after they met at one of his concerts in fall 2000.<ref name="people2002"/> Harper and Dern married on December 23, 2005, at their home in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite news|date=December 23, 2005|access-date=September 21, 2013|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1144019,00.html|title=Actress Laura Dern Marries Ben Harper |work=People}}</ref> They have two children,<ref name=":0" /> son Ellery Walker (born August 2001)<ref name="people2002"/> and daughter Jaya (born November 2004).<ref>{{Cite news|date=November 2004|access-date=September 21, 2013|url=http://www.today.com/id/6646069/ns/today-entertainment/#.Uj5mBySxNSY|title=Laura Dern gives birth to a daughter |work=Today}}</ref>
===Marriage===
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. The Rev. Paul B. Raushenbush [[baptism|baptized]] his children. Harper also has two children from a previous marriage, son Charles and daughter Harris.


In October 2010, Harper filed for divorce from Dern, citing irreconcilable differences.<ref name="us2012">{{Cite news|date=July 9, 2012|access-date=September 21, 2013|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/laura-dern-reactivates-dormant-divorce-from-ben-harper-201297|title=Laura Dern Reactivates Dormant Divorce From Ben Harper|work=Us Weekly|first=Zach|last=Johnson}}</ref> They briefly reconciled and attended the [[2012 Golden Globe Awards]] together,<ref name="us2012" /> but Dern reactivated the divorce by filing a legal response in July 2012.<ref name="us2012" /> The divorce was finalized in September 2013.<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 11, 2013|access-date=September 11, 2013|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/11/laura-dern-ben-harper_n_3908989.html|title=Laura Dern, Ben Harper Divorce Is Finalized |work=Huffington Post}}</ref>
==Awards and nominations==


Harper married his third wife, social advocate Jaclyn Matfus, on January 1, 2015.<ref name=":1" /> Their son Besso was born in June 2017.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Ben Harper and Wife Jaclyn Matfus Welcomed a Baby Boy in June: Details|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/ben-harper-jaclyn-matfus-welcome-a-son-w504222/|magazine=US Magazine|access-date=March 10, 2017|date=March 9, 2017}}</ref>

Harper is a [[skateboarding|skateboarder]] who has trained with [[Rodney Mullen]] and he also owns a warehouse for his personal skateboarding. Harper co-owns the skateboarding brand Roller Horror with professional skateboarder Mike York.<ref>{{cite episode|author1=Chris Roberts|author2=Roger Bagley|name-list-style=amp|series=The Nine Club With Chris Roberts|title=16 - Ben Harper|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FhkimD1YLY| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211103/9FhkimD1YLY| archive-date=2021-11-03 | url-status=live|website=YouTube|publisher=Google Inc.|access-date=28 September 2016|type=Video}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In September 2016, Harper appeared on ''The Nine Club'' skateboard podcast, hosted by [[Chris Roberts (skateboarder)|Chris Roberts]], where he discussed his relationship and history with skateboarding.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thenineclub.com/the-nine-club-show-podcast/16-ben-harper/9/26/2016|title=#16 - Ben Harper|work=THE NINE CLUB WITH CHRIS ROBERTS|access-date=2017-06-26|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011182438/http://www.thenineclub.com/the-nine-club-show-podcast/16-ben-harper/9/26/2016|archive-date=October 11, 2017|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> On ''The Nine Club'', he also reveals that he went to school and began skateboarding with Chris Miller in [[Pomona, California]].

Harper's cousin is Washington State Supreme Court Justice [[Steven Gonzalez]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}

==Philanthropy==
Harper supports [[Little 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 at [[Bimbo's 365 Club|Bimbos]] 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 in [[Kalighat]], notorious for its red light district.

Harper and his wife, Jaclyn, have been long-time supporters<ref>{{cite news |title=Ben Harper marries third wife Jaclyn Matfus |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/hook-ups-break-ups/ben-harper-marries-third-wife-jaclyn-matfus/news-story/e77d5197fff9f711ad93707fa9577223 |work=news.com.AU |date=25 February 2015}}</ref> of [[International Medical Corps]]’ work around the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they supported the organization's work in California, and Harper recorded a song<ref>{{cite news |title=Ben Harper—International Medical Corps' Supporter |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfrsN6_Uac4&list=PLjXJ52z-MHwcKx9vQHWAuBfqcmBQczE4j&index=23 |work=YouTube.com |date=10 November 2020}}</ref> to benefit International Medical Corps’ global relief efforts.

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! [[Year]]
! Year
! [[Award]] [[Show]]
! [[Award ceremony|Award Show]]
! [[Award]]/[[Nomination]]
! Award/Nomination
|-
|-
|[[2003]]
|2003
|''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]'' (France)
|''[[Rolling Stone]]'' (France)
|''Artist of the Year''
|Artist of the Year
|-
|-
|[[2005]]
|2005
|[[Grammy Award]]
|[[Grammy Award]]
|[[Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance#2000s|Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance]]
|[[Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance#2000s|Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance]]
|-
|-
|[[2005]]
|2005
|Grammy Award
|Grammy Award
|[[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album#2000s|Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album]]
|[[Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album#2000s|Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album]]
|-
|2014
|Grammy Award
|[[Grammy Award for Best Blues Album#2010s|Grammy Award for Best Blues Album]]
|}
|}


==Certifications==
==Discography==
{{Main|Ben Harper discography}}
{| class="wikitable"

'''Studio albums'''
<!-- This is a summary list of studio albums ONLY, not EPs, demos, live albums, or compilations. The full list of releases can be found at the separate discography article. -->
* ''[[Welcome to the Cruel World]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Fight for Your Mind]]'' (1995)
* ''[[The Will to Live]]'' (1997)
* ''[[Burn to Shine (album)|Burn to Shine]]'' <small>(with The Innocent Criminals)</small> (1999)
* ''[[Diamonds on the Inside]]'' (2003)
* ''[[There Will Be a Light]]'' <small>(with The Blind Boys of Alabama)</small> (2004)
* ''[[Both Sides of the Gun]]'' (2006)
* ''[[Lifeline (Ben Harper album)|Lifeline]]'' <small>(with The Innocent Criminals)</small> (2007)
* ''[[White Lies for Dark Times]]'' <small>(with Relentless7)</small> (2009)
* ''[[Give Till It's Gone]]'' (2011)
* ''[[Get Up! (Ben Harper album)|Get Up!]]'' <small>(with Charlie Musselwhite)</small> (2013)
* ''[[Childhood Home]]'' <small>(with Ellen Harper)</small> (2014)
* ''[[Call It What It Is]]'' <small>(with The Innocent Criminals)</small> (2016)
* ''[[No Mercy in This Land]]'' <small>(with Charlie Musselwhite)</small> (2018)
* ''[[Winter Is for Lovers]]'' (2020)
* ''[[Bloodline Maintenance]]'' (2022)
* ''[[Wide Open Light]]'' (2023)

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
!Year
! Year
! Title
!Album
! class="unsortable" | Notes
![[RIAA certification|Certification]]
|-
|-
| 1998–2001
|[[1995]]
| ''[[Daria]]''
|[[Fight for Your Mind]]
| Episode: "See Jane Run" (Song: "Faded")<br />Episode: "Camp Fear" (Song: "Burn to Shine")
|[[RIAA certification|RIAA Gold-US]]
|-
|-
| 2001
|[[1999]]
| ''[[I Am Sam]]''
|[[Burn to Shine (album)|Burn to Shine]]
| Song: "Strawberry Fields Forever"
|[[RIAA certification|RIAA Gold-US #67]]
|-
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2002
|[[2001]]
| ''[[Standing in the Shadows of Motown]]''
|[[Live from Mars]]
| Songs: "[[Ain't Too Proud To Beg]]"/"[[I Heard It Through the Grapevine]]"
|[[RIAA certification|RIAA Gold-US #70]]
|}

== Discography ==
===Albums===
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
!align="left"|Album information
|-
|-
|align="left"|'''''[[Pleasure and Pain]]'''''
| ''[[Searching for Debra Winger]]''
| Song: "The Three of Us"
*Released: [[1992]]
|-
|-
|rowspan="3"| 2003
|align="left"|'''''[[Welcome to the Cruel World]]'''''
| ''[[rage (TV program)|rage]]''
*Released: [[February 8]], [[1994]]
| Episode: "Grinspoon Guest Program Rage"<br />Song: "Ground on Down"
|-
|-
| ''[[One Tree Hill (TV series)|One Tree Hill]]''
|align="left"|'''''[[Fight for Your Mind]]'''''
| Episode: "Crash Into You"<br />Song: "Empty Apartment"
*Released: [[1995]]
* '''RIAA Certification: Gold'''
|-
|-
|align="left"|'''''[[The Will to Live]]'''''
| ''[[Joan of Arcadia]]''
| Episode: "Death Be Not Whatever"<br />Song: "Blessed to Be a Witness"
*Released: [[June 17]], [[1997]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #89, [[1997]]
|-
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2004
|align="left"|'''''[[Burn to Shine (album)|Burn to Shine]]'''''
| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
*Released: [[September 21]], [[1999]]
| Episode: "Donald Trump/[[Toots and the Maytals]]"<br />Song: "Love Gonna Walk Out on Me"
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #67, [[1999]]
* '''RIAA Certification: Gold''' #67 U.S.
|-
|-
| ''[[Sleepover (film)|Sleepover]]''
|align="left"|'''''[[Live From Mars]]'''''
| Song: "Walk Away"
*Released: [[2001]]
*'''RIAA Certification: Gold''' #70 U.S
|-
|-
| 2005
|align="left"|'''''[[Diamonds on the Inside]]'''''
| ''[[Trust the Man]]''
*Released: [[March 11]], [[2003]]
| Song: "Everything"
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #19, [[2003]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|Top Canadian Albums]] #8, [[2003]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|Top Internet Albums]] #19, [[2003]]
|-
|-
|rowspan="4"| 2006
|align="left"|'''''[[There Will Be a Light]]'''''
| ''[[Akeelah and the Bee]]''
*Released: [[September 21]], [[2004]]
| Song: "Everything"
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #81, [[2004]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|Top Gospel Albums]] #1, [[2004]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|Top Internet Albums]] #113, [[2004]]
|-
|-
| ''[[The O.C.]]''
|align="left"|'''''[[Live at the Apollo (Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama)|Live at the Apollo]]'''''
| Episode: "The Dawn Patrol"<br />Song: "Waiting For You"
*Released: [[March 14]], [[2005]]
*'''RIAA Certification: Gold''' #70 U.S
|-
|-
|align="left"|'''''[[Both Sides of the Gun]]'''''
| ''[[CSI: NY]]''
| Episode: "And Here's to You, Mrs. Azrael"<br />Song: "Walk Away"
*Released: [[March 21]], [[2006]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #7, [[2006]]
*[[Australian Recording Industry Association|ARIA Weekly Top 100 ]] #1. [[2006]]
|-
|-
| ''Ultimate Sessions''
|align="left"|'''''[[Lifeline (Ben Harper album)|Lifeline]]'''''
| Song: "Whipping Boy"
*Released:[[August 28]][[2007]]
*[[Billboard Magazine|The Billboard 200]] #9, [[2007]]
* European Top Albums #6, September 6, [[2007]]
|-
|-
| 2007
|align="left"|'''''[[Live At Twist & Shout]]'''''
| ''[[Arctic Tale]]''
*Released: [[December 4]], [[2007]]
| Song: "Happy Ever After in Your Eyes"
|-
|rowspan="3"| 2008
| ''[[Henry Poole Is Here]]''
| Song: "Morning Yearning"
|-
| ''[[Wetlands Preserve|Wetlands Preserved: The Story of an Activist Nightclub]]''
| Song: "People Lead"
|-
| ''[[Daylight Robbery (2008 film)|Daylight Robbery]]''
| Song: "Diamonds On The Inside"
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2009
| ''[[State of Play (film)|State of Play]]''
| Song: "Please Don't Talk About Murder While I'm Eating"
|-
| ''[[House (TV series)|House]]''
| Episode: "Brave Heart"<br />Song: "Faithfully Remain"
|-
|rowspan="5"| 2010
| ''[[Late Night with Jimmy Fallon]]''
| Episode: 2.152 (Song: "Father's Song")<br />Episode: 2.7 (Songs: "With a Little Help from My Friends", "Walk With You")
|-
| ''Les Petits Mouchoirs''
| Song: "Amen Omen"
|-
| ''[[Vampire Diaries]]''
| Episode: Katerina<br />Song: "Amen Omen"
|-
| ''[[The Fighter]]''
| Song: "Glory & Consequence"
|-
| ''Close to the Dream''
| Song: "Better Way"
|-
| 2010–2011
| ''[[Conan (talk show)|Conan]]''
| Episode: October 11, 2010 (Song: "Father's Son")<br />Episode: May 25, 2011 (Song: "Rock n' Roll is Free")
|-
| 2011
| ''[[Wretches & Jabberers]]''
| Song: "More Like You"
|-
|rowspan="3"| 2012
| ''[[The Girl (2012 HBO film)|The Girl]]''
| Song: "Waiting on an Angel"
|-
| ''[[Redfern Now]]''
| Episode: Raymond<br />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")<br />Episode May 18, 2011 (Song: "Rock n' Roll is Free")<br />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")<br />Episode November 18, 2011 (Song: "Save the Hammer for the Man")<br />January 22, 2013 (Song: "I Don't Believe a Word You Say")
|-
| 2014
| ''[[The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson]]''
| Episode: June 13, 2014<br />Song: "Learn It All Again Tomorrow"
|-
| 2023
| ''[[Extrapolations (TV series)|Extrapolations]]''
| Episode: "2070: Ecocide" (Character: Tyrone Downs)
|}
|}

===Virtual albums===
* ''[[iTunes Originals - Ben Harper]]''

===Singles===
*"Ground on Down" (1995)
*"Faded" (1997)
*"Jah Work" (1997)
*"Glory & Consequence"
*"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 Brazil, #1 Portugal)
*"In the Colors" (2007)
*"Fight Outta You" (2007) (Europe)

== Recent concerts ==
'''Voodoo Music Experience''' (October 26-28, 2007)

'''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]] 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]] for a performance of an original protest song, "No More", penned by Vedder, and [[Neil Young]]'s "[[Rockin' in the Free World]]".

'''Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival''' (June 14–17, 2007) - Harper and The Innocent Criminals played 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 [[John Paul Jones (musician)|John Paul Jones]] (from [[Led Zeppelin]]) to perform "[[Dazed and Confused (song)|Dazed and Confused]]" alongside Harper. Ziggy Marley also made an appearance to join Harper in singing [[Bob Marley]]'s "Get Up, Stand Up". 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." Selections from this performance are featured on the program '''''[[The Artists Den|Live from the Artists Den]]'''''. The episode will air [[March 6]], [[2008]] at 8 PM ET/PT on [[Ovation TV]].

'''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 Faccini]] and Jack Johnson made guest appearances throughout the set to perform songs with Harper and the band.

'''Brisbane River Stage''' ([[May 20]], [[2006]]) - Harper recently completed his final leg of the [[Australia]]n 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 Marley]]. He subsequently toured Europe, including France, the nation that was one of the first to embrace his earliest musical offerings.

'''Greek Theatre''', [[Berkeley, California]] - On [[August 18]], [[2006]], Harper played for a sold-out crowd. During the height of the show, Harper brought out [[Carlos Santana]] and did a guitar solo of "Serve Your Soul". Santana stayed on stage for two more songs.

'''[[Austin City Limits Music Festival]]''' (September 15–17, 2006) - On [[September 17]], [[2006]], Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals played in front of an estimated 70,000 in [[Austin, Texas]] at the music festival in a late afternoon show following Damian Marley's performance on the same stage an hour earlier. Harper opened his show with a rendition of [[Jimi Hendrix]]'s "[[Voodoo Child (Slight Return)]]", a nod to [[Stevie Ray Vaughan]]'s adopted hometown and a favorite local song, and Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" in a set list that also included "Burn One Down", "Steal My Kisses", "Diamonds On The Inside", and "Better Way". [[Hip-hop]] artist [[G. Love]] made a special guest appearance playing the [[harmonica]], and the set concluded with Damian Marley and Harper playing Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up".

'''[[Live at the Garden]]''' ([[July 8]], [[2003]]). He sang two songs ("Daughter" and "Indifference") with Pearl Jam.

==Special 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)
* ''[[Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama-Live at the Apollo|Live at the Apollo]]'' (2005)

==Sound samples==
*[[Media:BenHarperRedemptionSong.ogg|Download sample]] of a live performance of [[Bob Marley]]'s "[[Redemption Song]]"


==References==
==References==
Line 221: Line 279:


==External links==
==External links==
{{sisterlinks|d=Q380849|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|s=no|wikt=no|c=category:Ben Harper|m=no|mw=no|species=no}}
* [http://www.benharper.net/ Official website]
* {{official website}}
* [http://www.myspace.com/benharper Official Myspace]
* [http://the1secondfilm.com/producer/336 Ben Harper Producer Profile on The 1 Second Film website]
* [http://www.benharper.biz Official Ben Harper shop]
* [http://www.ben-harper.com/ Official French website]
* [http://www.innocentcriminals.net Ben Harper International Forum]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090423054047/http://www.natgeochannel.co.uk/earthday/ben-harper-live Ben Harper Live for Earth Day on National Geographic]
* [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"]
* [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/ben-harper Ben Harper at RollingStone.com]
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000792733}}
* [http://www.swer.net/ swer.net (a comprehensive fan site)]
* {{Discogs artist|Ben Harper}}
* {{en}} {{fr}} [http://benharperfrance.com benharperfrance.com - Forum] (French fan forum)
* {{IMDb name|0363816}}
* {{en}} {{fr}} [http://benharper.fr benharper.fr - news, videos, photos...] (French fan site)

* [http://benharperlive.blogspot.com/ Ben Harper Live Blog rss news]
{{Ben Harper}}
* [http://radiolibre.be/653/live-acoustique-ben-harper-part-2 Ben Harper preview his next album Lifeline (live and acoustic)]
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Artist}}
* [http://benharperfrance.com Ben Harper French Forum]

* [http://www.orato.com/arts-entertainment/2007/11/07/ben-harper-gravitating-toward-renaissance Exclusive Interview]
{{Authority control}}
* [http://www.stereowarning.com/2008/02/ben_harper_interview.html Ben Harper Interview] on Stereo Warning


{{DEFAULTSORT:Harper, Ben}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harper, Ben}}
[[Category:Ben Harper| ]]
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:African American musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:Black rock musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:African-American guitarists]]
[[Category:African-American Jews]]
[[Category:African-American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:African-American record producers]]
[[Category:African-American rock musicians]]
[[Category:American blues guitarists]]
[[Category:American blues singers]]
[[Category:American blues singers]]
[[Category:American folk guitarists]]
[[Category:American folk guitarists]]
[[Category:American folk singers]]
[[Category:American folk singers]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]
[[Category:American multi-instrumentalists]]
[[Category:American people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American rock guitarists]]
[[Category:American rock guitarists]]
[[Category:American rock singers]]
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[[Category:American rock singer-songwriters]]
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[[Category:Dern family]]
[[Category:Black Jews]]
[[Category:American fingerstyle guitarists]]
[[Category:Fistful of Mercy members]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Guitarists from California]]
[[Category:Jewish American musicians]]
[[Category:Jewish American musicians]]
[[Category:Real World artists]]
[[Category:Real World Records artists]]
[[Category:Slide guitarists]]
[[Category:Record producers from California]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from California]]
[[Category:American slide guitarists]]

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[[Category:Steel guitarists]]
[[Category:Virgin Records artists]]
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Latest revision as of 04:09, 12 April 2024

For other people named Ben Harper, see Ben Harper (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Canadian ice hockey player Ben Harpur.

Ben Harper
Harper at the Eurockéennes in 2008
Harper at the Eurockéennes in 2008
Background information
Birth nameBenjamin Charles Harper
Born (1969-10-28) October 28, 1969 (age 54)
Pomona, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)
Years active1992–present
LabelsVirgin, EMI Records, Chrysalis
Formerly ofRelentless7
Fistful of Mercy
The Innocent Criminals
Websitewww.benharper.com Edit this at Wikidata

Benjamin Charles Harper[1] (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.[2] Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, 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 through Virgin Records, and has toured internationally.[5][6]

Harper is a three-time Grammy Award winner and seven-time nominee, with awards for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album in 2004 and Best Blues Album in 2013.[7]

At the 40th Blues Music Awards ceremony, Harper's joint composition with Charlie Musselwhite, "No Mercy in This Land", was named Song of the Year.[8]

Early life[edit]

Harper was born in Pomona, 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 a Russian-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 brothers, Joel and Peter Harper.

Harper began playing guitar as a child.[14][15] 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 patrons Leonard Cohen, Taj Mahal, John Darnielle, and David Lindley and quotes of William Shakespeare and Robert Frost made often by his grandfather.[16]: 5 

In 1978, at the age of 9, Harper attended Bob Marley's performance in Burbank, California, where Marley was joined by former bandmate Peter Tosh for the encore. It was, according to Harper, an important influence.[17]

Career[edit]

At the age of twelve, Harper played his first gig.[18] During the 1980s, in his teen years, Harper began to play the slide guitar, mimicking the style of Robert Johnson. Harper refined his style, taking up the Weissenborn slide guitar.[16]: 11  Harper left the Inland Empire after being offered an invitation by Taj Mahal to tour with the artist. They recorded Taj Mahal's album Follow the Drinking Gourd, released in November 1990, and toured Hawaii.[16]

Harper on stage in 2003

In 1992, Harper recorded the LP Pleasure and Pain with folk multi-instrumentalist Tom Freund. After this limited-edition record, Harper secured a lifetime record deal with Virgin Records,[19] which released his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World, in 1994. This allowed him to be invited to the Rencontres Trans Musicales of Rennes in France in December 1993 where he went up on a large stage for the first time. His first album was followed by Fight For Your Mind in 1995, with Juan Nelson on bass, which became a college radio favorite and included several songs that Harper still plays live regularly.[20]

In 1999, at the Santa Barbara Bowl, Harper met Jack 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.[21] 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.[22]

Early in Harper's career, his music received more attention in Europe and was widely played in Australia (first on Triple J radio). Harper has made comments on a number of occasions that his career was kicked off in Australia. While he was a well-known and respected figure in the United States, he was also a star in countries like Australia, New Zealand, France, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, receiving a great deal of airplay and critical acclaim. His popularity in Europe became wide enough that he was French Rolling Stone magazine's Artist of the Year (Artiste De L'Année) in 2003,[23] and his Australian tour that year for Diamonds on the Inside was highly successful with record sales.

In 2002, Harper was one of the featured singers covering Motown hits by Marvin Gaye in the documentary, Standing in the Shadows of Motown (a history of The Funk Brothers). Harper was featured on the album True Love by Toots and the Maytals, which won the Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Reggae Album, and showcased many notable musicians including Willie 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, and The Skatalites.[24]

On April 3, 2004, Harper and Jack Johnson performed with Toots and the Maytals on Saturday Night Live (season 29, episode 16), a show hosted by Donald Trump.[25][26]

Ben Harper backstage with Toots and the Maytals and Jack Johnson.

In October 2004, Harper participated in the Vote for Change concert tour organized to benefit Moveon.org and encourage people in the swing states to vote during the 2004 U.S. presidential election. In the same month, 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.

Harper playing a Weissenborn in Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, 2008

In 2006, Harper released the double album Both Sides of the Gun which debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200. Though uncredited, he appears briefly in the 2006 David Lynch film Inland Empire, alongside his wife Laura Dern.

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 version of the Buffalo Springfield song "For What It's Worth".[27][28] Harper's collaboration "Boa Sorte/Good Luck" with Brazilian singer Vanessa da Mata peaked at #1 in Brazil and Portugal. In Brazil it also won a highly coveted Prêmio Multishow for "Best Song" in 2008. Also in 2008, Harper participated in the benefit album Songs for Tibet.

On August 27, 2010, it was reported that Harper had formed a band called Fistful of Mercy with Dhani Harrison and Joseph Arthur.[29] Fistful of Mercy released their debut record, As I Call You Down, on October 5, 2010.[30]

On May 17, 2011, Harper's official site posted that his next album was released, titled Give Till It's Gone. The album is a continuation of recording with Relentless7.[31]

On October 1, 2012, an album from Harper with Charlie Musselwhite was announced titled Get 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's Give Till It's Gone (Virgin).[32]

In December 2012, it was announced that Harper had co-produced lead vocalist Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks first solo rock album Mother.[33] It was released on May 7, 2013.[34]

In early 2015, it was announced that Harper and the Innocent Criminals would perform at the Boston Calling Music Festival in May 2015.[35] Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals performed at Rock Werchter Festival 2015 on June 28, 2015.[36]

On February 12, 2016, Harper released (as a YouTube video) the single "Call It What It Is", the first track taken from his studio album Call It What It Is, released on April 8, 2016.

On April 8, 2019, Harper performed as a guest artist on the seventeenth season of American Idol during the second night of the “Top 20 Duets” episode. Harper sang with contestant Alejandro Aranda, playing "There Will Be a Light".[citation needed]

At the 40th Blues Music Awards ceremony, Harper's joint composition with Charlie Musselwhite, "No Mercy In This Land", was named as 'Song of the Year'.[8]

On March 20, 2019, Mavis Staples announced the album We Get By, featuring eleven tracks written and produced by Harper.[37] The title track, which features Harper on vocals and in the music video, was released on May 15, 2019.[38]

In 2020 Harper released Winter Is for Lovers, an album recorded with solo Monteleone lap steel songs. "It started out as an exploration of steel guitar," Harper told Acoustic 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).[39]"

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 album Bloodline Maintenance.[40] The album is dedicated to the memory of Juan Nelson.

Personal life[edit]

Harper with his second wife, Laura Dern, in December 2009

In 1996, Harper married his first wife, Joanna.[41] They have two children together, son Charles (born circa 1997) and daughter Harris (born circa 2000).[41] Harper and Joanna separated in 2000, and were divorced in 2001.[41]

Harper began dating actress Laura Dern after they met at one of his concerts in fall 2000.[41] Harper and Dern married on December 23, 2005, at their home in Los Angeles.[42] They have two children,[2] son Ellery Walker (born August 2001)[41] and daughter Jaya (born November 2004).[43]

In October 2010, Harper filed for divorce from Dern, citing irreconcilable differences.[44] They briefly reconciled and attended the 2012 Golden Globe Awards together,[44] but Dern reactivated the divorce by filing a legal response in July 2012.[44] The divorce was finalized in September 2013.[45]

Harper married his third wife, social advocate Jaclyn Matfus, on January 1, 2015.[6] Their son Besso was born in June 2017.[46]

Harper is a skateboarder who has trained with Rodney Mullen and he also owns a warehouse for his personal skateboarding. Harper co-owns the skateboarding brand Roller Horror with professional skateboarder Mike York.[47] In September 2016, Harper appeared on The Nine Club skateboard podcast, hosted by Chris Roberts, where he discussed his relationship and history with skateboarding.[48] On The Nine Club, he also reveals that he went to school and began skateboarding with Chris Miller in Pomona, California.

Harper's cousin is Washington State Supreme Court Justice Steven Gonzalez.[citation needed]

Philanthropy[edit]

Harper supports Little 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 at Bimbos 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 in Kalighat, notorious for its red light district.

Harper and his wife, Jaclyn, have been long-time supporters[49] of International Medical Corps’ work around the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they supported the organization's work in California, and Harper recorded a song[50] to benefit International Medical Corps’ global relief efforts.

Awards and nominations[edit]

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

Discography[edit]

Main article: Ben Harper discography

Studio albums

Filmography[edit]

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)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Ben Harper". ANTI- Records. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Ben Harper Biography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  3. ^ Dye, David (May 8, 2009). "Ben Harper Explores Rock With Relentless7 : World Cafe". npr.org. World Cafe (WXPN). Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  4. ^ Pulvirenti, Angela (August 19, 2007). "Ben Harper interview". Nine MSN (music). ninemsn Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on August 19, 2007. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  5. ^ "Ben Harper". Discogs. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  6. ^ a b Stutz, Colin (February 23, 2015). "Ben Harper is Married, Reunites The Innocent Criminals". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  7. ^ "Grammy nominations and wins - Ben Harper". Grammy. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  8. ^ a b "2019 Blues Music Awards Winners Announced". Antimusic.com. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  9. ^ "Ben Harper And Mom Ellen Reflect On A Lifetime Immersed In A Folk Music 'Wonderland'". NPR.org. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  10. ^ "Folk matriarch Ellen Harper now striking a chord with her music". Daily Bulletin. July 31, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  11. ^ Plunier, JP (February 3, 2008) [1994]. "Ben Harper | Roots | Part one". Les Inrockuptibles (no. 58). Archived from the original on February 3, 2008. English translation from an article originally in French.
  12. ^ "Ben Harper - Every Facet Of The Diamond". Onewaymagazine.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  13. ^ Hodgkinson, Will (February 14, 2003). "Blood in the tracks". The Guardian. London. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
  14. ^ Roots_ Part one www.swer.net Archived December 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ "Celebrity Jews | j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California". Jewishsf.com. February 11, 2005. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  16. ^ a b c Appleford, Steve. "I'll Rise: The Music and Message of Ben Harper" Page 5. Essay published in the Ben Harper CD Box Collection. Released April 6 , 2000.
  17. ^ "BobMarley.com | Ben Harper Discusses Bob Marley". YouTube. May 17, 2012. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  18. ^ "Ben Harper Celebrity Profile, News, Gossip & Photos". AskMen. Archived from the original on January 24, 2010. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  19. ^ Randy Bachman, VinylTap, CBC Radio, July 7, 2012
  20. ^ "Ben Harper - Biography". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 16, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  21. ^ "Harper takes both sides | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper". The Honolulu Advertiser. April 21, 2006. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  22. ^ "Jack Johnson Interviews". Archived from the original on October 26, 2009. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  23. ^ "Ben Harper Biography". Starpulse.com. October 28, 1969. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  24. ^ "Linear CD Notes". Archived from the original on November 10, 2016.
  25. ^ ""Saturday Night Live" Donald Trump/Toots and the Maytals (TV Episode 2004) - IMDb". IMDb.com. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  26. ^ "Saturday Night Live - TV Guide". Tvguide.com. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  27. ^ ""For What It's Worth," No Nukes Reunite After Thirty Years". NukeFree.org. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  28. ^ "Nuclear Information and Resource Service". NIRS. Archived from the original on June 9, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  29. ^ "George Harrison's son, Ben Harper form a band". CNN. August 27, 2010.
  30. ^ "Consequence of Sound". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved December 31, 2011.[permanent dead link]
  31. ^ "Give Till It's Gone | The Official Ben Harper Website". Benharper.com. May 17, 2011. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  32. ^ "Get Up! | The Official Ben Harper Website". Benharper.com. October 1, 2012. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  33. ^ "The Official Natalie Maines Music Site". Archived from the original on July 16, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  34. ^ Maines, Natalie [@1NatalieMaines] (December 20, 2012). "Good news!I made some calls and had them push the end of the world to sometime after the release of my album, #Mother 5/7/13.You're welcome" (Tweet). Retrieved December 21, 2012 – via Twitter.
  35. ^ Ollman, Jonah (January 13, 2015). "Boston Calling Announces May 2015 Lineup". Sound of Boston. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  36. ^ "Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals - Artist - Rock Werchter 2015". Rockwerchter.be. Archived from the original on August 22, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  37. ^ Blais-Billie, Braudie (March 20, 2019). "Mavis Staples Announces New Album We Get By, Shares New Song "Change"". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  38. ^ "Mavis Staples - "We Get By" (Feat. Ben Harper)". YouTube. May 15, 2019. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  39. ^ "How a New Lap Steel Guitar Sparked Ben Harper's First Instrumental Album | Acoustic Guitar". November 30, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  40. ^ "ALBUM REVIEW: Ben Harper follows the roots of pain on Bloodline Maintenance". riffmagazine.com. July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  41. ^ a b c d e Miller, Samantha (February 4, 2002). "Dern Happy". People. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  42. ^ "Actress Laura Dern Marries Ben Harper". People. December 23, 2005. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  43. ^ "Laura Dern gives birth to a daughter". Today. November 2004. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  44. ^ a b c Johnson, Zach (July 9, 2012). "Laura Dern Reactivates Dormant Divorce From Ben Harper". Us Weekly. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  45. ^ "Laura Dern, Ben Harper Divorce Is Finalized". Huffington Post. September 11, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  46. ^ "Ben Harper and Wife Jaclyn Matfus Welcomed a Baby Boy in June: Details". US Magazine. March 9, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  47. ^ Chris Roberts & Roger Bagley. "16 - Ben Harper". The Nine Club With Chris Roberts (Video). Google Inc. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  48. ^ "#16 - Ben Harper". THE NINE CLUB WITH CHRIS ROBERTS. Archived from the original on October 11, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  49. ^ "Ben Harper marries third wife Jaclyn Matfus". news.com.AU. February 25, 2015.
  50. ^ "Ben Harper—International Medical Corps' Supporter". YouTube.com. November 10, 2020.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Harper&oldid=1218511040"