42 Facts About Kenny G

Kenny G is one of the best-selling artists of all time, with global sales totaling more than 75 million records.

Kenny G was born in Seattle, Washington to a Jewish family.

Kenny G's mother was a Canadian Jew from Saskatchewan, Canada.

Kenny G came into contact with the saxophone when he heard a performance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Kenny G started playing the saxophone, a Buffet Crampon alto, in 1966 when he was 10 years old.

Kenny G attended Whitworth Elementary School, Sharples Junior High School, Franklin High School, and the University of Washington, all in his home city of Seattle.

Kenny G has been a fan of the sport since his elder brother, Brian Gorelick, introduced him to it when he was ten.

Kenny G's career started with a job as a sideman for Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973, when he was 17 and still in high school.

Kenny G then left the band, later claiming that he had outgrown his association with them.

Kenny G signed with Arista Records as a solo artist in 1982, after label president Clive Davis heard his rendition of "Dancing Queen" by ABBA.

Kenny G adopted Kenny G as his stage name because it "had a nice ring to it".

Kenny G followed his debut with G Force in January 1983 and Gravity in May 1985, both of which reached Platinum certification in the US for selling one million copies.

In 1986, Kenny G entered the most commercially successful period of his career.

Kenny G has worked on several film soundtracks, including Dying Young and The Bodyguard.

Kenny G appears on the soundtrack of The Bodyguard, starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, performing "Waiting for You" and "Even If My Heart Would Break".

Kenny G's music was included in The Shadow and Miracle on 34th Street.

Kenny G performed the "National Anthem of the United States" at the 1994 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on July 17,1994.

Kenny G earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1997 for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone.

In February 2000, Kenny G was invited to the White House and performed for state governors and members of the Clinton Cabinet.

Kenny G released his eighth studio album, Paradise in 2002.

Kenny G was named the 25th highest-selling artist in America by the RIAA, with 48 million albums sold in the US as of July 31,2006.

In October 2009, Kenny G appeared with the band Weezer in an AOL promotion of their album Raditude by soloing during "I'm Your Daddy".

Kenny G said he knew nothing of Weezer before the performance.

In February 2011, Kenny G appeared in the Super Bowl XLV ad for Audi called "Release the Hounds".

Kenny G starred in a short as Head of Riot Suppression for a luxury Prison.

Kenny G started The Brazilian Tour for the album, traveling throughout North America and Asia throughout the year.

Kenny G posted Twitter images of his visit to the site of the 2014 Hong Kong protests, which the PRC government has declared illegal, saying, "I wish everyone a peaceful and positive conclusion to this situation".

Kenny G competed in an episode of Drop the Mic against country singer Jake Owen.

In October 2019, Kenny G appeared on the Kanye West gospel album Jesus Is King, on the song "Use This Gospel".

Kenny G has recorded Chinese songs, such as "Jasmine Flower" and "The Moon Represents My Heart".

Since 1989, Kenny G's recording "Going Home" from the Kenny G Live album has become an unconventional mega-hit throughout China: It has become the unofficial national closing song for many businesses such as food courts, outdoor markets, health clubs, shopping malls and train stations throughout the country.

Kenny G has attracted significant criticism from mainstream jazz musicians and enthusiasts.

In 2021, HBO released a documentary on Kenny G, Listening to Kenny G, directed by Penny Lane.

Kenny G plays the Selmer Mark VI soprano, alto and tenor saxophones.

Kenny G has created his own line of saxophones called "Kenny G Saxophones".

Kenny G married Janice DeLeon in 1980 and they divorced in 1987.

Kenny G married Lyndie Benson in 1992, and the couple had two sons: Max and Noah.

Kenny G built a house in Hunts Point, Washington, in 1996 which he sold in 1999 to Craig McCaw.

Kenny G is an avid golfer and has a handicap of +0.6.

Kenny G is a member of Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California.

Kenny G is an aircraft pilot and has a De Havilland Beaver seaplane which he flies regularly.

Kenny G was an early investor in the Starbucks coffee house chain.