George Benson Bio (Biography)
Real name:
George Benson
Date of birth:
January 11. 1911
Place of birth:
Cardiff, Wales, UK
Astrology Sign:
Capricorn
Tags:
Biography
George Benson may have started his musical career a little later in life than most well-known celebrities but he never suffered for the loss of time.
Considered an outstanding jazz guitarist and pop and rhythm and blues singer, Benson made his way into the music world at the age of 21 when he recorded his first album The New Boss Guitar with his organist colleague Jack McDuff.
Benson followed this recording with It's Uptown, a selection of songs demonstrating the talents of the George Benson Quartet.
By the mid 1960s, Miles Davis was showcasing Benson when he asked him to play guitar on Paraphernalia. This was followed by Creed Taylor who signed him up for his CTI label in 1970 where he recorded numerous albums and worked with many of the jazz greats such as Stanley Turrentine, Ron Carter and Freddie Hubbard.
During the mid to late 1970s, Benson started gaining new recognition with Warner Bros. Records. His 1976 release Breezin' featured his vocals on songs like This Masquerade which hit number one on the billboard pop and R&B charts. The following decade Benson wasn't quite as popular in this genre so he went back to recording jazz albums that highlighted his guitarist ability.
In 1992, he returned to his roots and appeared on a Jack McDuff album called Color Me Blue.
Four years later, he was working again with LiPuma, The Warner Bros' icon who worked with him two decades prior, and the two produced That's Right, a contemporary jazz piece that Benson said reminded him of days gone by.
Today, Benson still tours and records. In 2006, he went on an international tour to promote the album he made with Al Jarreau Givin' It Up. The pair also has plans to extend their tour to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand in the summer of 2007.
Considered an outstanding jazz guitarist and pop and rhythm and blues singer, Benson made his way into the music world at the age of 21 when he recorded his first album The New Boss Guitar with his organist colleague Jack McDuff.
Benson followed this recording with It's Uptown, a selection of songs demonstrating the talents of the George Benson Quartet.
By the mid 1960s, Miles Davis was showcasing Benson when he asked him to play guitar on Paraphernalia. This was followed by Creed Taylor who signed him up for his CTI label in 1970 where he recorded numerous albums and worked with many of the jazz greats such as Stanley Turrentine, Ron Carter and Freddie Hubbard.
During the mid to late 1970s, Benson started gaining new recognition with Warner Bros. Records. His 1976 release Breezin' featured his vocals on songs like This Masquerade which hit number one on the billboard pop and R&B charts. The following decade Benson wasn't quite as popular in this genre so he went back to recording jazz albums that highlighted his guitarist ability.
In 1992, he returned to his roots and appeared on a Jack McDuff album called Color Me Blue.
Four years later, he was working again with LiPuma, The Warner Bros' icon who worked with him two decades prior, and the two produced That's Right, a contemporary jazz piece that Benson said reminded him of days gone by.
Today, Benson still tours and records. In 2006, he went on an international tour to promote the album he made with Al Jarreau Givin' It Up. The pair also has plans to extend their tour to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand in the summer of 2007.