It all started when “Little Georgie” played the Ukulele at a drug store in his birth town of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From the perspective of most of his millions of fans, he serves humanity, by delivering uplifting music of high quality, the perfection of this art form called music, and genius guitar playing. While many bands talk about multiple orgasms, forbidden tablets, getting wasted and that kind of thing, George Benson prefers to talk about “God” and whatever it says in the best-selling book called ‘Bible’.įrom his own perspective, Benson serves God. “Sometimes he walks up to one of us and starts talking about the scriptures”, a member of his usual travel party told the author of these lines in 2007. Parts of his own crew are looking at this with mixed feelings. This aspect does not really fit into the more intellectual Jazz world or the idea many fans might have of their idol. Not only that, but he is a missionary for them, and a money source.
There is also the surprising side: The father of seven is a fundamentalist Christian, even a Jehova’s Witness. While others just wish their gig was over before it began, Benson seems to enjoy every minute of every gig. George Benson also is the guy who really loves what he does. No matter what he does, playing like a modern reincarnation on Wes Montgomery, singing a love song, or making people dance by performing one of his Funk hits, he will fascinate anyone who understands music, and has done so for 56 years. He also satisfies his fans with an overdose of professionalism.
#Breezin george benson live 1977 full#
He is the one who delivers the full range of “Real Music”, including sophisticated American Jazz-Funk, Straight Ahead Jazz and the smoothest Soul ballads ever. There are very few living musicians that description might apply to, and there is one it definitely applies to. Nobody has more succinctly described George Benson’s musical evolution than the guitarist himself did in his 2014 autobiography: “…from blues cat to blues-jazz cat…from blues-jazz cat to jazz cat…from jazz cat to soul-jazz cat…and from soul-jazz cat to R&B-jazz cat.Calling any artist “one of the greatest musicians of all time” is wrong and not recommended, unless he really is. His wins include Record of the Year for “This Masquerade” (1977), Best Pop Instrumental Performance for “Breezin'” (1977) and “Mornin'” (2007), Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “On Broadway” (1979) and “Give Me the Night” (1981), and Best R&B Instrumental Performance for “Theme From Good King Bad” (1977) and “Off Broadway” (1981)
He’s won a dynamic 10 Grammys, including record of the year for his triple platinum ‘Breezin’. Tickets are available from / 08 or from the venues directīenson is one of America’s great guitarists, a virtuoso who’s been honoured by the National Endowment of the Arts as a Jazz Master. This is his 45 thalbum and his first recording since 2013’s ‘Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole’. The live shows will feature George Benson’s masterful guitar playing, and Benson and his band will perform his Greatest Hits from his impressive back catalogue – which includes such classics as Give Me The Night, Lady Love Me (One More Time), Turn Your Love Around, Inside Love, Never Give Up On A Good Thing and In Your Eyes and more…īenson’s latest album, the critically acclaimed ‘Walking to New Orleans’, the jazz guitar legend’s tribute to both piano-pounding hit machine Fats Domino and the original rock guitar hero and poet, Chuck Berry. Tickets go on sale: 9.00am Friday September 27 th. This includes one night at London’s most iconic venue, the Royal Albert Hall on July 2nd, 2020. The legendary George Benson proudly announces eight UK shows in June/July 2020.