George Washington Benson was born on March 22,1943 and is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter.
21 Facts About George Benson
2.
George Benson began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist.
3.
George Benson's concerts were well attended through the 1980s, and he still has a large following.
4.
George Benson has won ten Grammy Awards and has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
5.
George Benson was born and raised in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
6.
Benson's next recording was It's Uptown with the George Benson Quartet, including Lonnie Smith on organ and Ronnie Cuber on baritone saxophone.
7.
George 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.
8.
George Benson did a version of The Beatles's 1969 album Abbey Road called The Other Side of Abbey Road, 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.
9.
George Benson played on numerous sessions for other CTI artists during this time, including Freddie Hubbard and Stanley Turrentine, notably on the latter's acclaimed album Sugar.
10.
George Benson's version, became a huge pop hit and won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
11.
In 1976, George Benson toured with soul singer Minnie Riperton, who had been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer earlier that year and, in addition, appeared as a guitarist and backup vocalist on Stevie Wonder's song "Another Star" from Wonder's album Songs in the Key of Life.
12.
George Benson has worked with Freddie Hubbard on a number of his albums throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
13.
In 1990, George Benson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the Berklee College of Music.
14.
In 2009, George Benson was recognized by the National Endowment of the Arts as a Jazz Master, the United States highest honor in jazz.
15.
George Benson performed at the 49th issue of the Ohrid Summer Festival in North Macedonia on July 25,2009, and his tribute show to Nat King Cole An Unforgettable Tribute to Nat King Cole as part of the Istanbul International Jazz Festival in Turkey on July 27.
16.
In June 2013, George Benson released his fourth album for Concord, Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole, which included Wynton Marsalis, Idina Menzel, Till Bronner, and Judith Hill.
17.
In July 2016, George Benson participated as a mentor in the Sky Arts programme Guitar Star in the search for the UK and Republic of Ireland's most talented guitarist.
18.
In May 2018, George Benson was featured on the Gorillaz single "Humility".
19.
On July 12,2018, it was announced that George Benson had signed to Mascot Label Group.
20.
George Benson has been married to Johnnie Lee since 1965 and has seven children.
21.
George Benson describes his music as focusing more on love and romance, due to his commitment to his family and religious practices, with George Benson being a Jehovah's Witness.