Last night renowned singer and songwriter Ben Harper performed "There Will Be A Light" on American Idol with Top 20 contestant Alejandro Aranda; watch it HERE. "There Will Be A Light" is the title track from Harper's 2004 album with The Blind Boys of Alabama which won a Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album that year.
"Alejandro Aranda was born and raised in Pomona," Harper said of his duet partner. "I was born in Pomona Valley Hospital blocks away from his house, and grew up one town over. I used to hear him play in my family's music store."
Harper recently produced and wrote the songs for We Get By, the 12th studio album by living legend Mavis Staples, which will be released on May 10. Harper will also embark on Australian and European tour dates with Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals later this month, beginning on April 20 at the Byron Bay Bluesfest. They will then begin a select run of US dates with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue beginning on August 11 in Park City, Utah. All upcoming Ben Harper dates are listed below.
4/20 - Byron Bay, Australia - Byron Bay Bluesfest #
5/18 - Dana Point, CA - Doheny Blues Festival #
5/24 - Monterey, CA - California Roots Music and Art Festival #
5/24 - 5/26 - Chillicothe, IL - Summer Camp Music Festival #
6/1 - Durban, South Africa - Zakifo Music Festival
6/4 - Cape Town, South Africa - GrandWest Grand Arena
6/6 - Pretoria, South Africa - Sun Arena at Time Square
6/8 - Quatre Bornes, Mauritius - Trianon Convention Centre
6/9 - Saint-Pierre, Reunion - Safiko Musik Festival
6/12 - Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg - Rockhal #
6/13 - Neuchatel, Switzerland - Festi'neuch #
6/15 - Vizcaya, Spain - BBK Music Legends Festival #
6/28 - Marmande, France - Garorock Festival #
7/1 - Vienne, France - Jazz á Vienne #
7/2 - Turin, Italy - GruVillage Festival #
7/4 - Albi, France - Festival Pause Guitare Sud de France #
7/6 - Arras, France - Main Square Festival #
7/9 - Ravenna, Italy - Ravenna Festival #
7/10 - Pistoia, Italy - Pistoia Blues Festival #
7/12 - Chieti, Italy - Chieti Summer Festival #
7/13 - Rome, Italy - Auditorium Parco della Musica #
7/15 - Juan-les-Pins, France - Jazz á Juan #
7/16 - Mantua, Italy - Piazza Sordello #
7/17 - Milan, Italy - Milano Summer Festival #
7/20 - Carhaix-Plouguer, France - Festival Des Vieilles Charrues #
7/21 - Paris, France - Lollapalooza Paris #
7/23 - Lucerne, Switzerland - Blue Balls Festival #
7/26 - Calella de Palafrugell, Spain - Festival de Cap Roig #
7/28 - Marbella, Spain - Starlite Festival #
7/29 - Madrid, Spain - Noches del Botánico #
8/11 - Park City, UT - Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater at Deer Valley Resort %
8/12 - Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom %
8/14 - Prior Lake, MN - Mystic Showroom at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel %
8/15 - Council Bluffs, IA - Harrah's Stir Cove %
8/16 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater %
8/17 - Chicago, IL - Huntington Back Pavilion at Northerly Island %
8/18 - Columbus, OH - WonderBus %
8/20 - Baltimore, MD - MECU Pavilion %
8/21 - Lynchburg, VA - Lockn' Fam Pre-Party at Riverfront Park %
8/22 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap %
8/24 - Raleigh, NC - Red Hat Amphitheater %
8/25 - Bensalem, PA - Xcite Center at Parx Casino %
8/26 - New York, NY - The Rooftop at Pier 17 %
8/27 - New York, NY - The Rooftop at Pier 17 %
8/29 - Boston, MA - Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion %
8/30 - Portland, ME - Thompson's Point %
8/31 - Lenox, MA - Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood %
9/11 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl w/ Neneh Cherry
9/13 - Santa Barbara, CA - The Arlington Theatre #
9/25 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom #
# - Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
% - Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals w/ Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
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