b. 22nd March 1943, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
George Benson was born in the Hill District of Pittsburgh in 1943.
As a child he attended the old Connelly High School in the town.
Over the last half a century, George Benson has bridged many genre's, allowing himself to move effortlessly from straight ahead jazz to Soul singer and other genre's in between.
At the age of 11 he had recorded a first side ('It Should Have Been Me') for a local group.
By 1963, George relocated to New York and in 1965, George was an established jazz guitarist, having worked with Brother Jack McDuff, Herbie Hancock, and Wes Montgomery.
Wes Montgomery passed away in 1969, and the jazz pundits predicted that George would follow in his shoes.
the new boss guitar of george benson - 1964 / it's uptown - 1966 / giblet gravy - 1968 / goodies - 1969
At the age of 21, George recorded his first album as the front man, 'The New Boss Guitar', with Brother Jack McDuff on organ.
On George's early albums, he, not only had Herbie Hancock in the studio on session chores, Earl Klugh, Miles Davis (George played guitar on 'Paraphernalia', which appeared on the Miles' 1967 Columbia album, 'Miles in the Sky') and Joe Farrell were also in attendance.
the other side of abbey road - 1970 / white rabbit - 1971
One early Benson Seventies release was the album 'White Rabbit', originally written and recorded by San Francisco rock group Jefferson Airplane, which was released in November 1971.
Four of these early sets were produced by Creed Taylor, who signed Benson to his own CTI label in 1971.
bad benson - 1974 / breezin' - 1976
Following the success of George's album, 'Bad Benson', which reached the U.S. album lists and, via the dance floors, (the song 'Supership' did well on the European charts), George negotiated a contract with Warner Brothers Records.
The resulting album 1976's 'Breezin' (featuring the Bobby Womack penned title track and the Leon Russell penned 'This Masquerade') won Grammy awards that year.
Ironically, George had been discouraged up until this time, from using his singing skills, mainly as the company decision makers felt he wasn't competent enough vocally, and he should stick to playing the guitar.
Warners then obtained the rights to George's earlier product, overseeing the re-releases of albums such as 'The Other Side Of Abbey Road', a track for track interpretation of the entire Beatles album.
in flight - 1977 / the greatest - 1977
George released 'In Flight' the following year, which featured his take on the Nat King Cole standard 'Nature Boy' and the War song 'The World Is A Ghetto'.
'The Greatest Love Of All' (from the Muhammed Ali biopic 'The Greatest'), reaffirmed his blossoming career, not only on the Jazz stage, but now on the Soul and Dancefloor genre's additionally.
weekend in l.a. - 1978 / livin' inside your love - 1979
After the success of the double album 'Livin' Inside Your Love' (which featured an uptempo version of L.T.D.'s 'Love Ballad' amongst other songs), George released a live album entitled 'Weekend In LA', which featured a live take on the song 'On Broadway' (the album also winning a Grammy).
give me the night - 1980 / stay tuned (chet atkins collaboration) - 1985
In 1980 George collaborated with Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton on the hugely successful album 'Give Me The Night'.
The album featured the same musicians, whom had steered the Michael Jackson album 'Off The Wall' to it's huge success a year earlier.
'Give Me The Night' featured the popular title track, 'Love X's Love', 'On Broadway', 'Moody's Mood' and the Heatwave song 'Star Of The Story' (Temperton re-allocating the song from their own 'Central Heating' set).
1981's 'Turn Your Love Around' became a big hit for George (taken from a mainly 'Greatest Hits' set, which also included a couple of new studio recordings).
In 1985, George and guitarist Chet Atkins recorded a collaboration on Chet's set 'Stay Tuned', featuring 'Sunrise', one of two songs from the duo.
By 1987, George had joined forces with Earl Klugh for 'Collaboration' and had duetted with Aretha Franklin on 'Love All The Hurt Away'.
in your eyes - 1983 / 20/20 - 1985 / wile the city sleeps - 1986 / collaborations - 1987 / twice the love - 1988 and tenderly - 1989
Throughout the Eighties, George consolidated his Soulful side, releasing the albums ' In Your Eyes' (1983, featuring the Womack and Womack song 'New Day'), '20/20' (1985, featuring 'Feel Like Makin' Love' and 'Lady ove Me One More Time'), 'While The City Sleeps' (1986, featuring 'Kisses In The Moonlight', 'Shiver' and 'Love Is Here Tonight'), ' Twice The Love' (1988, featuring 'Let's Do It Again') and 'Tenderly' (1989, featuring an excellent take on the Beatles 'Here, There and Everywhere') amongst others.
In 1990, he staged a full-length collaboration with the Count Basie Orchestra, accompanied by a sell-out UK tour.
absolute benson - 2000 / givin' it up - 2006
In 2000, he merged his jazz talents with producers Masters At Work for 'Absolute Benson', with whom he had worked on the Nu Yorican Soul project two years previously.
The album featured his version, of the Donny Hathaway song, 'The Ghetto' and 'El Barrio' highlighting.
George toured with Al Jarreau in the U.S.A., South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, promoting their 2006 album 'Givin' It Up'.
In 2008, George continues to tour the world performing and is an active member of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
In 2009, a new album is due, with David Paich and Steve Lukather of Toto fame joining on artistic chores.
Albums:
with the Brother Jack McDuff Quartet: The New Boss Guitar Of George Benson (Prestige 1964)
It's Uptown (Columbia 1966)
Most Exciting (Columbia 1966)
Benson Burner (Columbia 1966)
The George Benson Cook Book (Columbia 1967)
Giblet Gravy (Verve 1968)
Goodies (Verve 1969)
Shape Of Things To Come (A&M 1969)
Tell It Like It Is (A&M 1969)
The Other Side Of Abbey Road (A&M 1970)
Beyond The Blue Horizon (CTI 1970)
White Rabbit (CTI 1973)
Body Talk (CTI 1974)
Bad Benson (CTI 1974)
Supership (CTI 1975)
Breezin' (Warners 1976)
Good King Bad (CTI 1976)
with Joe Farrell: Benson And Farrell (CTI 1976)
George Benson In Concert: Carnegie Hall (CT1 1977)
In Flight (Warners 1977)
with Jack McDuff: George Benson And Jack McDuff (Prestige 1977)
Weekend In LA (Warners 1978)
Living Inside Your Love (Warners 1979)
Give Me The Night (Warners 1980)
Blue Benson (Polydor 1983)
In Your Eyes (Warners 1983)
Stormy Weather (Columbia 1984)
20/20 (Warners 1985)
The Electrifying George Benson (Affinity 1985)
In Concert (Premier 1985)
Love Walked In (Platinum 1985)
While The City Sleeps (Warners 1986)
with Earl Klugh: Collaboration (Warners 1987)
Love For Sale (Masters 1988)
Twice The Love (Warners 1988)
Detroit's George Benson (Parkwood 1988)
Tenderly (Warners 1989)
with the Count Basie Orchestra: Big Boss Band (Warners 1990)
Lil' Darlin' (Thunderbolt 1990)
Live At The Casa Caribe Vols 1-3 (Jazz View 1992)
Love Remembers (Warners 1993)
That's Right (MCA 1996)
Absolute Benson (GRP 2000)
Irreplaceable (GRP 2004)
