Ben Harper facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ben Harper
Harper at the Eurockéennes in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Benjamin Charles Harper
Born	(1969-10-28) October 28, 1969 (age 55) Pomona, California, U.S.
Genres	Folk rock blues rock alternative rock soul funk rock gospel reggae jam rock
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Vocals guitar lap steel guitar slide guitar keyboard instruments piano bass drums percussion vibraphone
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Virgin, EMI Records, Chrysalis

Benjamin Charles Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He plays many instruments. Ben Harper mixes different music styles like blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music. He is famous for his amazing guitar playing, his singing, and his live shows. He also cares a lot about important causes.

Harper has released many studio albums and has toured all over the world. He has won three Grammy Awards and been nominated seven times. His awards include Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album in 2004. He also won Best Blues Album in 2013. In 2019, his song "No Mercy in This Land," which he wrote with Charlie Musselwhite, was named Song of the Year at the Blues Music Awards.

Early Life and Musical Roots

Ben Harper was born in Pomona, California. His mother is Jewish, and his father was of African-American ancestry. His parents divorced when he was five. He grew up with his mother's family.

Harper started playing guitar when he was a child. His grandparents owned a music store called the Folk Music Center and Museum. This store was a big part of his early musical learning. Many famous musicians visited the store, like Leonard Cohen and Taj Mahal.

When he was nine years old, Harper went to a Bob Marley concert. Marley was joined by his former bandmate Peter Tosh for an encore. Harper says this concert was a very important influence on him.

Music Career Highlights

Ben Harper played his first show when he was just twelve years old. In his teenage years during the 1980s, he started playing the slide guitar. He copied the style of blues legend Robert Johnson. Harper became very good at playing the Weissenborn slide guitar.

Later, the famous musician Taj Mahal invited Harper to tour with him. They also recorded an album together called Follow the Drinking Gourd in 1990.

In 1992, Harper recorded an album called Pleasure and Pain with folk musician Tom Freund. After this, Harper signed a record deal with Virgin Records. In 1993, he toured California and France with his band, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. They also performed with Taj Mahal at Austin City Limits.

Harper on stage in 2003

Harper released his first album, Welcome to the Cruel World, in 1994. He then toured the US and Canada with the Innocent Criminals. His second album, Fight For Your Mind, came out in 1995. This album became very popular on college radio. The band started touring in Europe, playing in countries like the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Italy. His music became very popular in Europe and Australia.

In 1999, Harper met musician Jack Johnson. Harper sent Johnson's demo tape to his producer, J. P. Plunier. This led to Johnson's first album, Brushfire Fairytales. Jack Johnson later opened for Ben Harper's tour in 2001.

In 2002, Harper sang on the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown. He covered Motown hits by Marvin Gaye. Harper was also featured on the album True Love by Toots and the Maytals. This album won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2004. Many famous musicians were on this album, including Willie Nelson and Eric Clapton. In 2003, the French Rolling Stone magazine named Harper their Artist of the Year.

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

In 2004, Harper performed with Toots and the Maytals and Jack Johnson on Saturday Night Live. He also took part in the Vote for Change concert tour. This tour encouraged people to vote in the 2004 U.S. presidential election. Harper also contributed a song to For The Lady, an album to help Aung San Suu Kyi. She is a Nobel Peace Prize winner who was jailed in Burma.

In 2006, Harper released a double album called Both Sides of the Gun. It reached number 7 on the Billboard 200 music chart. Harper also briefly appeared in the 2006 film Inland Empire.

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

Harper is part of the No Nukes group. This group is against building more nuclear power plants. In 2007, they made a music video for a song called "For What It's Worth". Harper's song "Boa Sorte/Good Luck" with Brazilian singer Vanessa da Mata was a number one hit in Brazil and Portugal. In 2008, Harper also helped with the album Songs for Tibet.

In 2010, Harper formed a band called Fistful of Mercy. He was joined by Dhani Harrison and Joseph Arthur. Their first album, As I Call You Down, came out in October 2010. Harper's next album, Give Till It's Gone, was released in 2011.

In 2012, Harper announced a new album with Charlie Musselwhite called Get Up!. It was released in 2013. Harper also helped produce the first solo rock album for Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks.

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals performed at the Boston Calling Music Festival in 2015. In 2016, Harper released the single "Call It What It Is." This was the first song from his album Call It What It Is.

In 2019, Harper performed on American Idol. He sang with contestant Alejandro Aranda. His song "No Mercy In This Land" with Charlie Musselwhite was named 'Song of the Year' at the Blues Music Awards. Also in 2019, Mavis Staples released an album called We Get By. Ben Harper wrote and produced all eleven songs on it. He also sang on the title track.

In 2020, Harper released Winter Is for Lovers. This album features only solo lap steel guitar songs. He described it as one long piece of music.

Sadly, in 2021, Juan Nelson, Harper's longtime bassist and band member, passed away. Harper paid tribute to him, calling him a "musical genius" and "the finest man I've ever known." Harper's 2022 album, Bloodline Maintenance, is dedicated to Juan Nelson.

Personal Life

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

Ben Harper has been married three times. In 1996, he married Joanna. They had two children, Charles and Harris. They divorced in 2001.

Harper then started dating actress Laura Dern. They married in 2005 and had two children, Ellery Walker and Jaya. They later divorced in 2013.

On January 1, 2015, Harper married Jaclyn Matfus. Their son Besso was born in June 2017.

Harper is also a big skateboarder. He has even trained with famous skateboarders like Rodney Mullen. He owns a warehouse just for his personal skateboarding. Harper also co-owns a skateboarding brand called Roller Horror.

Helping Others

Ben Harper supports Little Kids Rock. This group helps bring music education back to public schools in the U.S. In 2013, he donated items to a benefit concert for them.

Harper and his wife, Jaclyn, also support International Medical Corps. This group helps people around the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they helped the group's work in California. Harper even recorded a song to help their global efforts.

Awards and Nominations

Discography

Ben Harper has released many studio albums. Here are some of them:

• Welcome to the Cruel World (1994)
• Fight for Your Mind (1995)
• The Will to Live (1997)
• Burn to Shine (with The Innocent Criminals) (1999)
• Diamonds on the Inside (2003)
• There Will Be a Light (with The Blind Boys of Alabama) (2004)
• Both Sides of the Gun (2006)
• Lifeline (with The Innocent Criminals) (2007)
• White Lies for Dark Times (with Relentless7) (2009)
• Give Till It's Gone (2011)
• Get Up! (with Charlie Musselwhite) (2013)
• Childhood Home (with Ellen Harper) (2014)
• Call It What It Is (with The Innocent Criminals) (2016)
• No Mercy in This Land (with Charlie Musselwhite) (2018)
• Winter Is for Lovers (2020)
• Bloodline Maintenance (2022)
• Wide Open Light (2023)

Film and TV Appearances

Ben Harper's music has been featured in many movies and TV shows. He has also appeared in some. Here are a few examples:

See also

In Spanish: Ben Harper para niños