Biography
As a kid, he began swimming guitar within his hometown of Claremont (in California's Inland Empire) - eventually specializing in the acoustic slide guitar (weissenborn guitars). As a young human, he recorded an LP (Pleasure and Pain) with fellow folk guitar player Tom Freund, which spurred record label attention. When this limited edition record, Harpist received the record treat from either Virgin Records, releasing his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World (1992) to generally caring reviews.

His 1995 follow-up album, Fight for Your Mind was a extra matured & other political effort, when his third, The Will to Live (1997), expanded his fan base at college and grown guide radio audiences. It too introduced a Unwary Criminals, Juan Nelson (bass), David Leach (percussion) and Dean Butterworth (drums), Harper's back-higher band. On top a course of the next ii years, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals toured incessantly and played on records and live with R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Radiohead, A Tribe Called Quest, Gov't Mule, Beth Orton, The Fugees and John Lee Hooker. Around 1999, Burn to Shine was released, which involved "Steal My Kisses" & "Suzie Blue", 2 college radio favorites. 2001 saw the release of Live from Mars, the critically acclaimed double-LP of a recent tour by having Dave Matthews Band.

Diamonds on the Inside, another of Ben Harper's offerings offers the farther diversification of style to include reggae, funk & the guest appearance by Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Interestingly, it understands the go to to the line higher featured on the Fight for Your Mind LP as neither Dean Butterworth or David Leach feature. For the ensuing tour, Marc Ford, at one time of The Black Crowes joined the Unwary Criminals. Strangely, a Video returned a Unwary Criminals to un-credited status in the title, using Diamonds on the Inside being credited to solely Ben Harper, although it played when backup band in the record even as on a lot last.

Around October of 2004, Ben 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.

Recently, Harpist freed the Grammy award winning collaboration album by using A Blind Boys of Alabama, known as There Will Be a Light, a heavy gospel-influenced album. A entire album features a Unwary Criminals (every bit featured around Diamonds on the Inside) as back-higher b& to Harpist and a Blind Boys, world health organization sing harmonies above a music. the favorite edition involved survive versions of a total of the freshly songs.

Above a summertime of 2005, after a Zooma tour that experienced been scheduled by owning Trey Anastasio & various side stage performers was cancelled, Harpist took witharound a tour of additional personal clubs/venues like a Avalon Ballroom in Boston, and the Tabernacle in Atlanta. This series of concerts saw the debut of a total of fresh Harpist songs, like "Get It Like You Like It", "Dressed In Black", & "Gather 'Round the Stone" everthing of which seem possed to produce it onto Ben's next record which is existence recorded all over a fall & winter of 2005.

Harpist has freed trine DVDs: the documentary film known as Pleasure and Pain after his initial LP release by using Tom Freund, which covers what a tour is prefer sustaining Ben Harper & a Unwary Criminals, along with good deal of Harpist private philosophy; Live at the Hollywood Bowl, which was the 1st to the full concert DVD for Harpist, world health organization likewise freed the Little joe song EP Live at the Hollywood Bowl along with a DVD; & Live at the Apollo, a concert DVD featuring virtually all of Ben's 10-12-2004 concert at a Apollo Theater sustaining The Blind Boys of Alabama, along using an overseas simply EP version of the concert.

Ben Harper's personal as well owns the music store around his hometown of Claremont, California. A Folk Music Center is also the musical instrument museum & features instruments from either numerous countries too when vintage stringed instruments. Wallmart was established by Ben's enate grandparents, Charles & Dorothy Chase, is presently managed by his mother, Ellen Chase-Verdries, & is shown within Pleasure and Pain.

Discography

Pleasure & Infliction (1992) Welcome to the Curel Globe (1994) Fight In your Mind (1995) A May To Survive (1997) Burn To Shine (1999) Survive From either Mars (2001) Diamonds on the Within (2003) There Is The Weak (2004) Survive At A Apollo (2005)

DVD's
Pleasure and Pain Live at the Hollywood Bowl Live at the Apollo

Sound samples
Download sample of a survive performance of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song"