For Starters...

I've never written a blog before, so I figured I would start with an artist I know really well. That artist is Ben Harper. His first album came out in 1994 and has gained popularity mostly by word of mouth from his very loyal fans.

He has a very eclectic sound, one of the reasons I like him so much. Some songs remind me of Bob Marley, while others have a Stevie Wonder vibe. His albums always seem to have a great blend of rock, funk, reggae, blues, and folk. There are songs to rock out to, and songs that can tear your heart out if listened to after a bad breakup. In short, he has a little something for everyone :)

He has played with 2 main bands during his career. The first being the Innocent Criminals which he has made several records with. He is currently touring with a group of Austin based musicians called the Relentless 7. They are featured on his latest album, White Lies For Dark Times.

Ben is also well known for collaborating with Jack Johnson. They co-headlined an arena tour in 2003. He also recorded a gospel album with The Blind Boys of Alabama--a group I highly recommend checking out.

Ben Harper plays the electric guitar, but his specialty is the lap guitar called a weissenborn. I've had the privilege of seeing Ben Harper live three times (and am jonesing for a fourth). If you're looking for someone who absolutely plays the hell out of every song-Ben Harper is one of those musicians.
No matter how tired he and the band may be from touring, they bring so much energy and passion to every song.
And let's be honest, it certainly doesn't hurt that he's really hot too...

Here are a few of my personal favorites:

One to rip your heart out ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVXFP89EeqU

And one to rock out a bit (with The Innocent Criminals)--features the weissenborn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZa7IiYkJyM


With The Blind Boys of Alabama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkKOnS8J5GM

With The Relentless 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTMqPTIbvzI