Ben Harper
Biography
Ben Harper is an American musician, songwriter and singer who plays multiple instruments and mixes blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock. Born in Pomona, California, he grew up around his maternal grandparents' folk music store, which grounded him in folk and blues. He began playing guitar as a child, took up slide guitar in his teens, and played his first gig at twelve. Taj Mahal invited him on tour, and they recorded Follow the Drinking Gourd together. In 1992 he released the limited Pleasure and Pain with Tom Freund, then secured a lifetime deal with Virgin Records. His 1994 debut, Welcome to the Cruel World, was followed by Fight For Your Mind in 1995. He has won three Grammy Awards from seven nominations, with 2004 honors for pop instrumental and traditional soul gospel recordings and a 2013 award for blues. He was a featured singer in the 2002 documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown.
57years old
Turns 58 on October 28in 350 days
- Born Pomona
- Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
- Benjamin Chase Harper (birth name)Also credited as Benjamin Charles Harper and Ben C. Harper
Movie Career
- Films
- 3
- Career span
- 23 years2002 to 2025
Every film, newest first
- 2025It's Never Over, Jeff BuckleyIMDb rating 7.6
- 2017I Am Heath LedgerIMDb rating 7.4
- 2002Standing in the Shadows of MotownIMDb rating 7.8
Genres
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Big break
Taj Mahal invited Harper to go on tour with him. Together they made Taj Mahal's album Follow the Drinking Gourd, which came out in November 1990, and they toured Hawaii.
First role
Ben Harper played his first gig when he was twelve years old, starting his career in music at that young age.
Big break
Ben Harper met Jack Johnson at the Santa Barbara Bowl in 1999. Harper sent Johnson's demo tape to producer J. P. Plunier, who produced Johnson's first album, Brushfire Fairytales, in December 2000.
Behind the camera
Ben Harper put out Winter Is for Lovers in 2020, an album of solo songs played on a Monteleone lap steel. He said the record is written as one piece of music on a single guitar.
Behind the camera
Mavis Staples announced We Get By on March 20, 2019. Harper wrote and produced the eleven tracks on the album.
Behind the camera
In December 2012, word came that Harper had co-produced Mother, the first solo rock album from Dixie Chicks lead vocalist Natalie Maines. The album arrived on May 7, 2013.
Ben Harper movies on Netflix
Worked with
Ben Harper made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Naomi Watts's page
Djimon Hounsou's page
Emile Hirsch's page
Paul McCartney's page
Ben Mendelsohn's page
Judy Garland's page
Adrian BuitenhuisDirector, 1 film, 2017
All films by Adrian Buitenhuis
Derik MurrayDirector, 1 film, 2017
All films by Derik Murray
Paul JustmanDirector, 1 film, 2002
All films by Paul Justman
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.