Ben Harper

The Profile

Ben Harper is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist known for blending blues, rock, folk, reggae, soul, and gospel, and for prominent slide guitar work (including Weissenborn lap slide).

Publicly known as a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from California; widely associated with roots rock and blues-influenced songwriting, and with the backing band The Innocent Criminals. Reviews here also stress his hoarse/intimate vocal style, minimalist/"direct" production tendencies, and collaborations (The Blind Boys of Alabama; Charlie Musselwhite).

Across 12 reviews, Ben Harper comes off as a versatile singer-songwriter and guitarist, praised for slide work, heartfelt vocals, and genre-hopping (blues/rock/folk/reggae/gospel). Highlights include early authenticity (Welcome to the Cruel World), reflective warmth (The Will to Live), gospel collaboration (There Will Be a Light), and a well-regarded 2018 blues duo record. Live reports describe an intense, emotional concert experience. One dissenting take calls Both Sides of the Gun repetitive and dispensable, but other reviewers hail it as a multifaceted “two-faced jewel.”