George Benson
Origins and Early Years
George Washington Benson was born on March 22, 1943 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A child prodigy, he played the ukulele from the age of 7, singing in the streets to earn money, and switched to guitar at 8. By 17, he was already recording his first records and joining the jazz scene in Pittsburgh. He was discovered by guitarist Wes Montgomery, one of his greatest influences.
From Pure Jazz to Pop Success
After his early years in pure jazz with albums on the Prestige label and later CTI Records (where he worked with producer Creed Taylor), he broke through with Breezin’ (1976), the first jazz album to be certified triple platinum. The track “This Masquerade” earned him a Grammy Award, and the instrumental “Breezin” became a jazz-pop standard.
Give Me the Night (1980), produced by Quincy Jones, established him as a global star with its title track hit. The album blends jazz, funk, disco, and R&B with rare fluidity. His signature technique of synchronized scat singing with his guitar lines—singing exactly the same notes he plays—became his unique artistic trademark.
Legacy
George Benson has won 10 Grammy Awards. His ability to move between the most sophisticated jazz and the most accessible pop without ever losing musical quality makes him a truly unique artist. He is respected both by jazz purists and by the general public.
Iconic Guitars
George Benson is inseparable from his signature Ibanez GB guitars (a hollow-body design with a warm, rounded tone) and his custom blue D’Angelico. The Ibanez GB10 model is one of the best-selling jazz signature guitars in history.
See the Gibson L-5 CES that once belonged to him.
