S.O.D. "Diamonds on the Inside" by Ben Harper

3/3/2015     Here's a talented man as a multi-instrumentalist with genres of blues, reggae, soul, folk and rock.  His maternal grandparents owned "The Folk Music Center and Museum" which helped Ben get started playing guitar as a child.  At the age of 9, a significant influence for Ben was the performance in Burbank California by Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.  Three years later, just 12, he played his first gig.  His fan base reaches around the world and though respected in the United States, he is more of a star in Europe.  

     His awards include French Rolling Stone Magazine's Artist of the Year in 2003, 2 Grammys in 2005 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album and in 2014 he took the  Grammy for Best Blues Album of the Year.  Ben uses a Shakespeare reference now and then as in "Diamonds":  "and a candle throws it's light into the darkness in a nasty world so shines a good deed".  The tune ranked #18 on the Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2003.  

     Harper supports a national nonprofit organization called Little Kids Rock, which works to restore and revitalize musical education in disadvantaged U.S. public schools.