Grant Harp

Grant Harp is a singer/songwriter who plays his acoustic guitar with a percussive ferocity. An accomplished guitarist and harmonica player who's songs grow from the roots of folk, blues, rock, and world. Grant has played many shows at coffee houses, bars, festivals, parties, benefits, and art openings throughout the Midwest and beyond for over four years. He has some fast flat pickin’ riffs, and at times beats and slaps on his guitar as he plays. Some listeners have compared him to Neil Young, Blind Melon and Steven Stills. Grant calls his music “acoustic roots, soul folk, psycho folk, and funk harp.” Others have called him acoustic rock, Americana, & folk. Live shows feature a nice variety of material, including originals and a diverse mix of covers. The covers are often new interpretations of familiar tunes, such as acoustic Hendrix, or folked-up versions of Ben Harper and Rush complete with country harp. He also does fine renditions of Bob Dylan, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, John Prine, and others. Lately Grant's adding more traditional country blues and folk, like Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie and Big Bill Broonzy.

In 2005, one of Grant’s song’s “Someone Else’s Eyes” was released on a compilation CD called “Roam Home to a Dome.” This was recorded inside Buckminster Fuller’s own geodesic dome home and also includes songs by Vince Herman, Randy Crouch, Mike Dillion, Skerik, Stace England, Jason Ringenberg, and the Bourbon Knights.

GH spent some time playing in Oregon and Northern California in 2005. He played in Portland, and out in the high desert of Eastern Oregon, at Lake Chinook. Then he headed down to Crater Lake and on to California to live among the redwoods. After some inspirational time with the ancient ones, he went back up the Oregon coast where he jammed with the whales at Cape Perpetua and Yachat's Bay, and the sea lions at Newport and South Beach. Then hurricane Katrina hit. Grant returned to Carbondale and held a relief benefit with the Rum Runners. Over $1,300 was raised at the show and donated to the American Red Cross.

GH opened for Bela Fleck at the Wakarusa music festival in 2006, at the Porch. Performing later that same day was Tea Leaf Green and Warren Haynes . Michael Franti also played the Porch that weekend.

Now in 2007, Grant has joined up with old friend Wade "Tater" Ralls on his 1947 army model bass. They are calling themselves the "Boondock Billies" and have already played a handful of shows in Southern Illinois and St Louis, plus Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming. Boondock Billies played at the legendary Winfield Folk Arts festival in Kansas this summer, and shared the stage with Truckstop Honeymoon, and Split Lip Rayfield. The brand new Boondock Billies website is up so come by and check us out. www.boondockbillies.com
*New BdB music is up at boondockbillies.com.