George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943)[3] is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist.
A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, playing soul jazz with Jack McDuff and others. He then launched a successful solo career, alternating between jazz, pop, R&B singing, and scat singing. His album Breezin' was certified triple-platinum, hitting no. 1 on the Billboard album chart in 1976.[4] His concerts were well attended through the 1980s, and he still has a large following.[4] Benson has won ten Grammy Awards and has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Biography
Early career
Benson was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[5][6] At the age of seven, he first played the ukulele in a corner drug store, for which he was paid a few dollars. At age eight, he played guitar[5] in an unlicensed nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights, but the police soon closed the club down. At age nine, he started to record. Out of the four sides he cut, two were released: "She Makes Me Mad" backed with "It Should Have Been Me",[1] with RCA Victor in New York. Although one source indicates this record was released under the name "Little Georgie",[5] the 45rpm label is printed with the name George Benson. The single was produced by Leroy Kirkland for RCA's rhythm and blues label, Groove Records.[7]
Benson attended Connelley Vocational High School on Bedford Avenue in the Hill District. However, he dropped out, choosing to focus on music.[8][9] In 1987, Benson received an honorary degree from Pittsburgh Public Schools.[9]
As a youth, Benson learned how to play straight-ahead instrumental jazz during a relationship performing for several years with organist Jack McDuff. One of his many early guitar heroes was country-jazz guitarist Hank Garland.[10][11]
Benson then signed with Creed Taylor's jazz label CTI Records, where he recorded several albums, with jazz heavyweights guesting, to some success, mainly in the jazz field. In addition to his own albums and performances, during this time Benson was a core member of the CTI All-Stars collective both touring and recording.[12] As well as the collective's live albums, he also played and recorded on a number of the collective's members' individual albums. Benson played on Freddie Hubbard15th Annual Grammy Awards winning "Best Jazz Performance by a Group" album First Light[13] as well as five other Hubbard studio albums.[14]
In 1976, Benson embarked on a tour called George & Minnie Live! with soul singer Minnie Riperton; she had recently been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer and would die in 1979. In addition, Benson appeared as a guitarist and backup vocalist on Stevie Wonder's song "Another Star" from Wonder's album Songs in the Key of Life.
The Qwest record label (a subsidiary of Warner Bros., run by Quincy Jones) released Benson's breakthrough pop album Give Me The Night, produced by Jones.[16] Benson made it into the pop and R&B top ten with the song "Give Me the Night" (written by former Heatwave keyboardist Rod Temperton). He had many hit singles such as "Love All the Hurt Away," "Turn Your Love Around," "Inside Love," "Lady Love Me," "20/20," "Shiver," "Kisses in the Moonlight." More importantly, Quincy Jones encouraged Benson to search his roots for further vocal inspiration, and he rediscovered his love for Nat King Cole, Ray Charles and Donny Hathaway in the process, influencing a string of further vocal albums into the 1990s. Despite returning to his jazz and guitar playing most recently, this theme was reflected again much later in Benson's 2000 release Absolute Benson, featuring a cover of one of Hathaway's most notable songs, "The Ghetto." Benson accumulated three other platinum LPs and two gold albums.[17]
To commemorate the long relationship between Benson and Ibanez and to celebrate 30 years of collaboration on the GB Signature Models, Ibanez created the GB30TH, a limited-edition model with a gold-foil finish inspired by the traditional Japanese Garahaku art form.[20]
A 1978 Ibanez George Benson signature guitar played by Joni Mitchell from at least 1979 to 1983[21]
In the fall of 2009, Benson finished recording an album entitled Songs and Stories with Marcus Miller, producer John Burk,[23] and session musicians David Paich and Steve Lukather.[24] As a part of the promotion for his album Songs and Stories, Benson has appeared or performed on The Tavis Smiley Show,[25]Jimmy Kimmel Live![26] and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.[27]
He performed at the Java Jazz Festival March 4–6, 2011. In 2011, Benson released the album Guitar Man, revisiting his 1960s/early-1970s guitar-playing roots with a 12-song collection of covers of both jazz and pop standards produced by John Burk.[28]
Benson stopped touring internationally at the start of 2024 due to ill health - cancelling a series of UK concerts that summer.[33]
Benson released a new album, Dreams Do Come True: When George Benson Meets Robert Farnon on July 19, 2024.[34][35] The album was an abandoned project based on recordings with arranger and conductor Robert Farnon backed by the London Symphony Orchestra from 1989 that were thought to have been lost. Upon location of the masters, Benson played them for his current label, Rhino Entertainment, who encouraged Benson to complete the project.[34] Were the album released when it was recorded it would have predated most of the wave of Great American Songbook albums released by popular artists at the end of the 20th century and well into the 21st century. Benson also announced plans for a four-night festival called Breezin' With the Stars planned for January 2025.[34]
Personal life
Benson has been married to Johnnie Lee since 1965 and has seven children. Benson describes his music as focusing more on love and romance, due to his commitment to his family and religious practices, with Benson being a Jehovah's Witness.[36] Benson has been a resident of Englewood, New Jersey.[37]
^ abSeebacher, Noreen (September 30, 1987). "Schools honor dropout George Benson"(JPEG). The Pittsburgh Press (This 1987 Pittsburgh Press article was scanned into the online blog post of the radio station WZUM, which is owned by Pittsburgh Public Media.). p. A2. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
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