Roy Harper

Roy Harper (born June 12, 1941), is a British singer-songwriter who specialises in uncompromising introspective lyrics and folk influenced compositions.

Early life

Harper was born in the Manchester suburb of Rusholme, England. After the death of his mother during childbirth, he was raised by his father and his step-mother, whom he did not get along with because of her Jehovah's Witness beliefs. Harper's anti-religious views would later become a familiar theme in his music. At the age of 10, he began playing skiffle music with his older brother, David Harper, as well as being influenced by blues music. Leaving school when he was 15, he joined the Royal Air Force only to reject its rigid discipline, and then managed to feign madness—and receive ECT—in order to get a discharge. Harper then busked around Europe until 1964 when he returned to England and gained residency at London's famous Les Cousins folk club in Soho.

Related Topics:
Manchester - Rusholme - England - Jehovah's Witness - Skiffle - Blues - Royal Air Force - ECT - Busked - 1964 - London - Les Cousins - Folk - Soho

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