George Benson - singer, musician, composer. The peak of the artist's popularity came in the 70s of the last century. George's work organically combines elements of jazz, soft rock and rhythm and blues. There are 10 Grammy statuettes on his awards shelf. He received a star on the Walk of Fame.
Childhood and youth
The musician's date of birth is March 22, 1943. He was born in the small town of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). As a child, he was imbued with life in the African-American neighborhood of Hill.
George has been interested in music since childhood. He won a vocal competition, and later, with the sacrifice of his stepfather, he mastered playing the guitar and ukulele. The first performance brought the young man a few dollars and a standing ovation from the audience.
He started working early. From the age of eight, the guy worked in a nightclub. Parents were against early labor, but they did not go against the will of their son. By then, he was self-supporting.
At one of the speeches, George Benson was noticed by local managers. After the performance, they approached the musician to offer to record a demo compilation. The composition of the disc includes the works of She Makes Me Mad and It Should Have Been Me.
At the end of the 50s, George assembled a vocal and instrumental ensemble. His brainchild was called The Altairs. The guys who joined the team were on the same musical wave. At first they studied the basics of composing songs, and then began to try their hand at the then popular genre of rhythm and blues.
Benson always strove for independence, so after graduating from high school, he began to study music closely. His teacher was the organist Jack McDuff.
The creative path and music of George Benson
The presentation of the singer's debut LP took place when he was just over 20 years old. He recorded the record as the leader of an instrumental group. The collection was called The New Boss Guitar. The LP included 8 tracks, it was mixed by talented virtuoso Jack McDuff.
On the wave of popularity, the release of the second studio album took place. It's about the It's Uptown compilation. The musicians Lonnie Smith and Ronnie Kuber took part in the creation of the disc. Due to several successful covers and tracks, thousands of music lovers learned about the existence of The George Benson Quartet, led by George Benson.
At the sunset of the 60s, the presentation of the disc took place, which at times will increase the popularity of Benson and his team. The George Benson Cookbook is still considered the pinnacle of George's work. The band's frontman invited new drummers to the line-up, who gave the tracks an even more colorful and rich sound.
After the release of the tracks All of Me, Big Fat Lady and Ready and Able, George received a tempting offer. He was invited to take part in the Miles Davis track Paraphernalia. Then he signed a contract with the Verve Label Group.
On the wave of popularity, George Benson presents another "juicy" longplay The Other Side of Abbey Road. The album was topped by covers of tracks by The Beatles, as well as several original works.
In the mid-70s, the singer's discography was replenished with the LP Bad Benson. The collection managed to take the top line of the prestigious American Billboard chart. It was a real breakthrough.
He did not forget about collaborations. A solo career did not prevent George from collaborating with Creed Taylor Incorporated artists. After the premiere of the Benson & Farrell project, he moved under the "wing" of Warner Bros. records.
Getting a Grammy
Recording studio Warner Bros. Records did everything to ensure that George's work "grew". With their help, the artist received the first Grammy award. At the award ceremony, Benson presented the new Breezin' LP and its lead single, This Masquerade.
Interestingly, up to this point, he rarely acted as the main vocalist. Recognition in European countries and in America has radically changed the position of the artist. His voice data is admired by millions of fans around the world.
The beginning of the 80s brought with it musical experiments. In the wake of trendy musical genres, the singer records the album Give Me The Night. Note that with the presented collection, George also made his debut as a producer. The album's title track topped the R&B chart.
In the 90s, George's contribution to the development of culture was really appreciated at the highest level. Boston College awarded the artist an honorary Doctor of Music status. In 2009 he was awarded the Jazz Master Award. In the new status, he performed at various prestigious festivals.
In subsequent years, he practically did not release studio albums. George toured extensively and also appeared on television shows and festivals. During this time, three full-length LPs were released.
Details of the personal life of George Benson
Johnny Lee managed to win the hearts of a musician once, and for life. Almost immediately after they legalized the relationship, the first-born was born in the family. The couple did not stop at one child. They are raising seven children.
In one of the latest interviews, George said that he is still kind to his wife. She often accompanies him on tour. He said that it was thanks to Johnny Lee's love and support that the Grammys flaunted on his shelf of awards.
George Benson at present
In 2020, the artist's discography was replenished with the live album Weekend in London. The collection was advertised in popular social networks. The album was warmly received by the fans.
The tour schedule for 2021 has already been posted on the artist's official website. Upcoming concerts are scheduled in Australia and the UK.
