Roy Harper

Roy Harper (born 12 June 1941) is an English folk/rock singer, songwriter and guitarist who has been a professional musician since 1964. He has released a large catalogue of albums (22 studio albums and 10 live albums) most of which are available on his record label Science Friction (as CD and / or Music download). Musically, American blues musician Lead Belly and folk singer Woody Guthrie were his earliest influences, and whilst in his teens, jazz musician Miles Davis. Harper was also exposed to classical music in his childhood and has pointed to the influence of Jean Sibelius' Karelia Suite. Lyrical influences include the 19th century Romantics (especially Percy Shelley), and John Keats poem Endymion. Harper has also cited the Beat poets as being highly influential, particularly Jack Kerouac. As a musician, Harper is known for his distinctive fingerstyle playing and lengthy, lyrical, complex compositions, a result of his love of jazz and Keats.