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Famous Like Me > Actor > B > George Benson

Profile of George Benson on Famous Like Me

 
Name: George Benson  
   
Also Know As:
   
Date of Birth: 11th January 1911
   
Place of Birth: Cardiff, Wales, UK
   
Profession: Actor
 
 
From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia

George Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz guitarist, singer and composer.

He was born and raised in the Hill District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was a professional musician from age 3.

George Benson started out playing straight-ahead instrumental jazz with organist Jack McDuff. Benson got his first experience playing with his several-year stint with McDuff's group. At the age of 21, Benson recorded his first album as leader, The New Boss Guitar, with Brother Jack McDuff on organ.

Benson's next recording was It's Uptown with the George Benson Quartet with Lonnie Smith on organ and Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax. This album showcases Benson's talent in constructing swinging bebop lines at blistering tempos. Benson followed it up with "The George Benson Cookbook," also with Lonnie Smith and Ronnie Cuber.

One of his major hits is the song "This Masquerade", which is included in the top-selling album Breezin' . This album represents a shift to more commercially oriented music which brought Benson a wider audience but alienated some jazz fans.

Benson continues to play outstanding jazz guitar, as evidenced on recordings such as Jimmy Smith's Off the Top, Benson's own live album Par Excellence, and Tenderly, on which Benson is accompanied by McCoy Tyner on piano.

For his contribution to the recording industry, George Benson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7055 Hollywood Blvd.

Discography

  • It's Uptown (1966)
  • George Benson Cookbook (1966)
  • Benson Burner (1966)
  • Willow Weep For Me (1967)
  • Shape of Things to Come (October 1968)
  • Tell It Like It Is (August 1969)
  • I Got A Woman And Some Blues (1970)
  • Beyond the Blue Horizon (February 1971)
  • White Rabbit (November 1971)
  • Body Talk (1973)
  • Bad Benson (June 1974)
  • Breezin' (August 1976)
  • In Flight (January 1977)
  • Livin' Inside Your Love (April 1979)
  • Give Me The Night (September 1980)
  • In Your Eyes (June 1983)
  • 20-20 (January 1985)
  • While The City Sleeps... (September 1986)
  • Collaboration (July 1987)
  • Twice the Love (August 1988)
  • Tenderly (July 1989)
  • Big Boss Band (October 1990)
  • Love Remembers (June 1993)
  • That's Right (June 1996)
  • Absolute Benson (May 2000)
  • Best Of Live (October 2005)

Samples

  • Download sample of "The Masquerade Is Over"

Back in the day George Benson occasionally introduced new and upcoming artists during performances. On one such occasion George Benson introduced a guitarist named John Bowden. John played a black Les Paul. John now goes under the name 2guitarjohn.com. The performance with George Benson was in 1976. It was just prior to George's release "This Masquerade". Drummer Kenwood Denard also sat in on the set.

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article George Benson