His latest album, Lifelife, sold 41,000 copies and topped the Billboard 200 at #9! There is no doubt the world is in love with Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals' awe-inspiring music.

And Austin is no exception.
Its very likely that you were at the 2006 Austin City Limits Festival singing along to Harper's rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child" alongside 70,000 fans. But what else do you know about Ben Harper?

Here's some scoop that will hopefully satisfy your Ben Harper craving until the Nike+ Human Race in Austin on 8.31.08.

The Man:

• Born: Benjamin Chase Harper on October 28, 1969 in Claremont, CA.
• Harper and actress Laura Dern have been married since December 2005 after dating for five years
• Harper has 4 children, son Ellery and daughter Jaya with Dern, and son Charles and daughter Harris from a previous marriage.
• Harper has a very athletic side and can be found surfing in his free time
• Harper is an active advocate for the world's oceans

The Icon:

• Harper's early musical inspiration came from hanging out in his grandparents' music store, The Folk Music Center and Museum, as a child, looking up to celebrity regulars like the musician, Taj Mahal.
• Known for producing an eclectic array of tunes, Harper's music has been classified in multiple genres including Alternative Rock, Folk Rock, Blues, Gospel, Reggae and Pop.
• Extremely popular in Europe, Harper was French Rolling Stone magazine's Artist of the Year in 2003.
• Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals' album, Both Sides of the Gun debuted at #7 on the Billboard charts in 2006
• Harper's song "Boa Sorte" with Vanessa de Mata, reached the #1 spot on the Brazilian Top 100 in 2007.
• Harper was the recipient of two Grammy awards in 2005 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album