Ben Harper (born in Pomona, CA, on 28 October 1969) is an American Grammy-winning singer and songwriter. As well as solo albums, he has recorded as Ben Harper and Tom Freund, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Ben Harper And The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite, and Ben & Ellen Harper. Harper grew up listening to blues, folk, soul, RnB, and reggae. Harper's blend of groove-laden funky soul and folky handcrafted acoustics helped him to gain cult status during the course of the 1990s and widespread attention toward the end of the decade.