George Benson
Wins
10
Nominations
25
Category
Biography
"If you play music for the right reasons, the rest of the things will come. The right reason to play music is that you love it. That's why I play music."
- Born on March 22, 1943, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- Guitarist George Benson got his start playing for jazz organist Jack McDuff in the 1960s. He made his claim to fame in the '70s as a solo artist when "This Masquerade" hit No. 10 on Billboard's Hot 100. The song was featured on 1976's Breezin', which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
- Benson earned his first career GRAMMY wins for 1976 for Record Of The Year ("This Masquerade"), Best Pop Instrumental Performance ("Breezin'") and Best R&B Instrumental Performance ("Theme From Good King Bad"). He made his GRAMMY stage debut at the 30th GRAMMY Awards in 1988 with a rendition of "On Broadway" for a special New York segment of the telecast.
- A child prodigy, Benson started his musical studies at age 7 on the ukulele because his hands were too small for the guitar.
- Benson's Breezin' was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2008.
- He has participated in fundraising efforts to support music education for various organizations over the years, such as donating one of his signature Ibanez guitars to support All You Need Music's collaboration with the Canada Music Academy scholarship fund.
All Grammy Awards and Nominations for George Benson
-
Pop Instrumental Performance Winner
Mornin'
George Benson
-
R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Breezin'
George Benson, Al Jarreau
-
Best Traditional R&B Performance Winner
God Bless The Child
George Benson, Jill Scott, Al Jarreau
-
Pop Instrumental Performance
Take You Out
George Benson
-
Pop Instrumental Performance
Song For My Brother (Single)
George Benson
-
Pop Instrumental Performance
Got To Be There (Single)
George Benson
-
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male
Big Boss Band (Album)
George Benson
-
Best Jazz Performance
Basie's Bag (Track)
George Benson
-
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male
Tenderly (Album)
George Benson
-
Best Jazz Fusion Performance
Collaboration (Album)
Earl Klugh, George Benson
-
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male
Beyond The Sea (Track)
George Benson
-
Pop Instrumental Performance Winner
Being With You
George Benson
-
Male R&B Vocal Performance
Turn Your Love Around (Single)
George Benson
-
Male R&B Vocal Performance Winner
Give Me The Night
George Benson
-
Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male Winner
Moody's Mood
George Benson
-
Best R&B Instrumental Performance Winner
Off Broadway
George Benson
-
Male R&B Vocal Performance
Love Ballad (Track)
George Benson
-
Best Jazz Fusion Performance
Livin' Inside Your Love (Album)
George Benson
-
Male R&B Vocal Performance Winner
On Broadway
George Benson
-
Album Of The Year
Breezin' (Album)
George Benson, Tommy LiPuma
-
Pop Instrumental Performance Winner
Breezin'
George Benson
-
Male Pop Vocal Performance
This Masquerade (Track)
George Benson
-
Record Of The Year Winner
This Masquerade
George Benson, Tommy LiPuma
-
Best R&B Instrumental Performance Winner
Theme From Good King Bad
George Benson
-
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
White Rabbit (Album)
George Benson
