Roy Harper, Influential Folk Artist, Charged With Sexual Assault of Young Girl

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Influential folk artist Roy Harper is facing sexual abuse charges, the BBC reports. He'll appear in court in the UK on Monday, having been charged with nine counts of sexual assault that occurred between 1975 and 1977. The charges involve a single victim, who was 12 years old at the time the alleged assaults began. Harper is now 72; his summons was issued on October 16. 

Harper has been cited as an influence by everyone from Jimmy Page to Johnny Marr to Fleet Foxes and Joanna Newsom (with whom he has toured). He's put out dozens of solo albums and sang lead vocals on Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar" from Wish You Were Here. He was the inspiration for Led Zeppelin's "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" from Led Zeppelin III and has worked with Paul McCartney and Kate Bush. His most recent album was Man and Myth, released this fall. It was his first album in 13 years.

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