George Benson

George Washington Benson born March 22 1943 is an American 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 RB singing and scat singing His album Breezin was certified tripleplatinum hitting no 1 on the Billboard album chart in 1976 His concerts were well attended through the 1980s and he still has a large following Benson has won ten Grammy Awards and has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Benson was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 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 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 with RCA Victor in New York although one source indicates this record was released under the name Little Georgie the 45rpm label is printed with the name George Benson The single was produced by Leroy Kirkland for RCAs rhythm and blues label Groove Records Benson attended and graduated from Schenley High School As a youth he learned how to play straightahead instrumental jazz during a relationship performing for several years with organist Jack McDuff One of his many early guitar heroes was countryjazz guitarist Hank Garland At the age of 21 he recorded his first album as leader The New Boss Guitar featuring McDuff Bensons next recording was Its Uptown with the George Benson Quartet including Lonnie Smith on organ and Ronnie Cuber on baritone saxophone Benson followed it up with The George Benson Cookbook also with Lonnie Smith and Ronnie Cuber on baritone and drummer Marion Booker Miles Davis employed Benson in the mid1960s featuring his guitar on Paraphernalia on his 1968 Columbia release Miles in the Sky before Benson went to Verve Records Benson then signed with Creed Taylors jazz label CTI Records where he recorded several albums with jazz heavyweights guesting to some success mainly in the jazz field His 1974 release Bad Benson climbed to the top spot in the Billboard jazz chart while the followups Good King Bad 51 Pop album and Benson Farrell with Joe Farrell both reached the jazz topthree sellers Benson also did a version of The Beatless 1969 album Abbey Road called The Other Side of Abbey Road also released in 1969 and a version of White Rabbit originally written and recorded by San Francisco rock group Great Society and made famous by Jefferson Airplane Benson played on numerous sessions for other CTI artists during this time including Freddie Hubbard and Stanley Turrentine notably on the latters acclaimed album Sugar Source Article George Benson from Wikipedia in English licensed under CCBYSA 30