Ben Harper is a Grammy winning folk-rock singer and songwriter from Claremont, California. Harper is the grandson of the founders of the Folk Music Center, a Claremont institution that functions both as a musical instrument shop and a sort of museum of exotic international instruments.

Harper has maintained a unique career of low-key success as a favorite live act at colleges and music festivals. Harper and his band Relentless7 performed at the Lollapalooza festival on August 8, 2009. They also played the Bonnaroo festival on June 13, 2009.

Harper has been heavily influenced by a range of folk music, soul, funk, reggae, blues and rock. Artists to whom he has been compared include Taj Mahal and Bob Marley.

Harper was named 2003 Artist of the Year by the French edition of Rolling Stone magazine. In 2005, he won two Grammy awards for There Will Be a Light, his collaborative album with The Blind Boys of Alabama: Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album.