Ben Harper
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Ben Harper is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who began his career on 1994 by launching his debut album Welcome to the Cruel World.
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About
Born Benjamin Chase Harper on October 28, 1969 in Claremont, California he is known professionally as Ben Harper. He was born to an African-American father while his mother is of Russian Jewish descent.
At a young age Harper started playing the guitar in his hometown where he eventually specialized in Weissenborn guitars. At this young age, opportunity came when he met a fellow folk guitarist Tom Freund where they recorded an LP. After this record, his break came when he was discovered by a Virgin Record executive that led to released her debut studio album Welcome to the Cruel World on 1994.
This led him to be known and became a huge star in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Netherlands receiving heavy airplay. His popularity reach throughout Europe that in such he was awarded as the French Rolling Stone Magazine's "Artist of the Year" for 2003.
In this coming 2007, he is scheduled to set a series of concerts in Brazil and Australia.
Awards & Certifications
Awards
| Year | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Grammy Award | Best Pop Instrumental Performance for "11th Commandment" |
| 2005 | Grammy Award | Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album for "There Will Be a Light" |
| 2003 | French Rolling Stone Magazine | Artist of the Year |
Certifications
| Year | Album | Certification | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Fight for Your Mind | Certified Gold | United States - RIAA |
| 1999 | Burn to Shine | Certified Gold | United States - RIAA |
| 2001 | Live From Mars | Certified Gold | United States - RIAA |
Chart Toppers
| Year | Title | Adult Top 40 | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Steal My Kisses | 15 | Burn to Shine |
| 2004 | Diamonds on the Inside | 31 | Diamonds on the Inside |
News
Tours & Concerts
January 18, 2007 Porto Alegre, Brazil
January 20, 2007 Florianopolis, Brazil
January 22, 2007 Sao Paulo, Brazil
January 25, 2007 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
January 27, 2007 Salvador, Bahia Festival de Verao, Brazil
April 1, 2007 West Coast Blues N' Roots Festival, Australia
April 9, 2007 East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival, Australia
Announcements
- Ben Harper will return to Brazil after an eight year hiatus on January 2007 with special guest opener Donavon Frankenreiter.
- His latest album "Both Sides of the Gun" in stores now! Grab a Copy!
Discography
Comprehensive list of the recordings made.
Albums
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Singles
| Year Released | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Ground On Down | Fight for Your Mind |
| 1997 | Faded | The Will to Live |
| 1997 | Jah Work | The Will to Live |
| 1999 | Burn to Shine | Burn to Shine |
| 2000 | Steal My Kisses | Burn to Shine |
| 2003 | With My Own Two Hands | Diamonds on the Inside |
| 2004 | Diamonds on the Inside | Diamonds on the Inside |
| 2006 | Better Way | Both Sides of the Gun |
| 2007 | Fight Outta You |
Other artists
Similar artists
Influences
Contemporaries
Trivia
- Harper's parents were very supportive of his goals and allowed him to express freely. "I could paint the sun blue and grass purple, nobody would tell me that it was wrong" he said in a statement.
- Harper never did well in school because he noticed flaws in the public education system - preferrential treatment to the affluent students. He described the kids in the back rows as less favored students mostly Blacks and Mexicans where they formed gangs. But stayed away and found his niche in music.
