George Benson Biography

George Benson was born in 1943 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a child, Benson taught himself to play the guitar and began performing at a nightclub on the weekends when he was still in elementary school. His first single release, She Makes Me Mad, was released when George was only ten years old, under the name of Little Georgie. Between that time and his graduation from high school, George Benson perfected his talent in jazz music, focusing on guitar, and by the time he was in his early twenties, he was ready to pursue music as a full time career.

The New Boss Guitar was George Benson’s first offering as a leader, followed by It’s uptown with the George Benson Quartet. The George Benson Cookbook came next, and by the 1960’s, Benson was performing alongside Miles Davis on his album Miles in the Sky. After signing with CTI Records and then later with Warner Bros. Records, Benson continued on to release a series of successful albums for the next four decades as a solo artist, featuring his unique blend of pop, R&B, jazz, and scat singing. His triple-platinum release, Breezin’, brought him into mainstream music in the mid 1970’s, and ever since, Benson has been a sought-after guitarist among a number of notable musicians.

For his achievements, George Benson has been recognized with Grammys for Best R&B Instrumental Performance, Record of the Year, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Best Pop Instrumental Performance, and Best Traditional R&B Performance. Most recently, George Benson toured Europe, North America, and the Pacific in 2010, and in 2013, he released the album Inspiration – A Tribute to Nat King Cole. George Benson continues to tour and perform regularly, delighting his fans around the globe.