#Leroy Kirkland

[roundmidnightroundmidnight]

'Round Midnight is a jazz standard composed by jazz pianist Thelonious Monk, and is the most recorded jazz standard written by a jazz musician. Despite Monk composing the tune, the first recording was actually by Cootie Williams, who helped Monk with its composition. Williams' original rendition predates Monk's by 3 years - being recorded on August 22, 1944.

I think it'll be interesting to see how different people interpret this standard, both across individual musicians' performances and across styles and instrumentations. I think that kind of variation is what makes jazz special and unique in the world of music - there's no single, correct, or "true" version of any song, just someone's own way, which is in constant communication with the performers and performances they learned from, borrowed from, and were inspired by. Compared to the back catalogs of classical music where there's room for expression but not the same room for experimentation, or to rock or pop which are so chained by copyright it's hard to iterate on shared songs, it's wholly unique.

Jazz can be impenetrable to people who don't know much about it, and I don't feel anything like an expert myself, but hopefully this is a good microcosm to hear different styles and approaches and for people to learn about the whole musical tradition broadly. For this experiment, this recording is the baseline, the root of the whole evolutionary tree. I encourage you to return to it occasionally, compare it to that night's recording of 'Round Midnight, see just how wide the tree of jazz can branch.

Performers in the August 22, 1944 session:

Trumpet: Cootie Williams Trumpet: Ermit V. Perry Trumpet: George Treadwell Trumpet: Lammar Wright Trumpet: Tommy Stevenson Trombone: Ed Burke Trombone: Ed Glover Trombone: Robert Horton Alto sax: Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson Alto sax: Frank Powell Tenor sax: Sam "The Man" Taylor Tenor sax: Lee Pope Baritone sax: Eddie de Verteuil Piano: Bud Powell Guitar: Leroy Kirkland Bass: Carl Pruitt Drums: Sylvester "Vess" Payne

[my-chaos-radio]

Release: October 28, 2011

Lyrics:

Oh, sometimes

I get a good feeling, yeah

Get a feeling that I never, never

Never, never had before, no, no

I get a good feeling, yeah

Songwriter:

Oh, sometimes

I get a good feeling, yeah

Get a feeling that I never, never

Never, never had before, no, no

I get a good feeling, yeah

Etta James / Pearl Woods / Tim Bergling / Ash Pournouri / Leroy Kirkland

SongFacts:

👉📖

[mitjalovse]

The Scandinavian pop music machine may seem like something from the past, yet the tunes from these countries continue taking over the world. Thus, the success of Avicii shouldn't surprise us, though he presents the strain of electronic music from there, which might not be as known as their metal scene or their pop. However, we must admit Sweden, Norway and Finland have a multitude of intriguing DJs. Avicii was also like that, since he managed to mix their eclectic approach with a number of strong pop elements. Moreover, he did the opposite of many of his machine peers, i.e. he kept changing his sound, which is why I ask myself where he could have gone, had he lived. His albums differ from one another, they remain the documents of someone who looked for the variety in his idiom.

[tfc2211]

TV Record Hop

[blackkudos]

Rose Marie McCoy

Rose Marie McCoy (April 19, 1922 – January 20, 2015) was an American songwriter. She began her career as an aspiring singer before becoming a prolific songwriter during the 1950s and 1960s. Many artists have recorded some of the over 800 songs she published, including Big Maybelle, James Brown, Ruth Brown, Nat King Cole, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, and Ike & Tina Turner.

Life and career

Early life

McCoy was born Rose Marie Hinton to Levi and Celetia Brazil Hinton in Oneida, Arkansas on April 19, 1922. Her father was a farmer. She later married James McCoy and moved to New York City with $6 in her pocket to pursue a singing career in 1942. Living in Harlem, she supported herself by working at a Chinese laundry and performing at nightclubs on the weekends. McCoy eventually booked gigs at famous venues such as the Baby Grand in Harlem, the Flame Show Bar in Detroit, the Sportsmen’s Club in Cincinnati and Basin Street in Toronto. She he opened for performers like Ruth Brown, Moms Mabley, Dinah Washington, and Pigmeat Markham.

Songwriting career

In 1952, Rose Marie McCoy wrote and recorded two songs for the newly formed rhythm and blues label Wheeler Records, "Cheating Blues" and "Georgie Boy Blues". After publishers heard these songs they sought her out, and she started working in the Brill Building. One of the first songs she was asked to write was a half-spoken, half-sung song, "Gabbin' Blues", co-written with Leroy Kirkland, and sung by Big Maybelle with the spoken part provided by McCoy herself. "Gabbin' Blues", which reached #3 on the Billboard R&B chart, was the first big hit for Big Maybelle and the songwriter's first hit.

McCoy wrote other songs for Big Maybelle, and other popular R&B artists including Louis Jordan ("If I Had Any Sense I'd Go Back Home" and "House Party") and co-wrote, with Fred Mendelsohn, Nappy Brown's 1955 single "Don't Be Angry" (also recorded for the pop market by the Crew-Cuts).

In 1954, Rose Marie McCoy teamed with songwriter Charles Singleton. They soon scored their first hit, "It Hurts Me to My Heart", recorded in 1954 by Faye Adams. Their collaboration lasted about eight years and, individually and together, they penned many hits for the top artists of the time, including Elvis Presley's "I Beg Of You", The Eagles' "Trying to Get to You" (later recorded in Presley's Sun Sessions), Ruth Brown's "Mambo Baby", and Nappy Brown's "Little by Little". Singleton & McCoy tunes were also recorded by Nat King Cole ("If I May", "My Personal Possession"), Little Willie John ("Letter from My Darling"), Eartha Kitt, Eddy Arnold, Big Joe Turner, The Du Droppers, Little Esther, The Clovers, and many other top artists of the time.

After the Singleton and McCoy team split up, Rose Marie McCoy continued to write songs on her own and collaborated with other writers. Noted for her independent stance, McCoy turned down several opportunities to join major record labels such as Motown, Stax and Atlantic. One of her most successful songs was "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", co-written with Joe Seneca (as Sylvia McKinney), which was released by Ike & Tina Turner in 1961. It reached #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the R&B chart, earning them their first Grammy nomination. She also collaborated successfully with songwriter Helen Miller, writing "We'll Cry Together" for Maxine Brown, and "Got to See If I Can't Get Mommy (To Come Back Home)" for Jerry Butler.

McCoy received offers to become a staff songwriter with many top labels such as Motown, Atlantic, and Stax Record, but she turned them down, preferring to be independent so she could keep control of her music. Though she is most often associated with songs recorded by R&B artists of the 1950s and 1960s, McCoy has written many jazz, pop, rock 'n' roll, country, and gospel songs. Jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott recorded nine of her tunes, and Sarah Vaughan recorded six of her songs, five of them on the singer's 1974 album Send in the Clowns. McCoy also composed jingles, including one sung by Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles for Coca-Cola.

The biography, Thought We Were Writing the Blues: But They Called It Rock 'n' Roll, on the life and career of McCoy was written by Arlene Corsano and published in 2014.

Personal life

In 1943, McCoy married James McCoy, a supervisor at the Ford Motor Company. He died in 2000. For over 50 years, McCoy was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey until she relocated to live with her niece Helen Brown, in Illinois.

Death

McCoy died at the age of 92 at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois on January 20, 2015.

Honors

McCoy was honored by Community Works NYC in their 2008 exhibition and concert series "Ladies Singing the Blues." McCoy received a five-minute standing ovation during the award ceremony at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City for her contribution to music. To the delight of the audience, "It's gonna work out fine" was played as she was escorted to the stage.

In 2017, McCoy was inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame.

Discography

Singles

1951: "Cheating Blues" / "Georgie Boy" (Wheeler 102)

1954: "Dippin' In My Business / Down Here" (Cat 111)

1977: "I Do The Best I Can With What I Got" (Brunswick 55541)

2013: "Switch Around" (with Wallie Hoskins) (Beltone ST1005) – previously unreleased

[yasbxxgie]

Screamin' Jay Hawkins I Put a Spell on You (writ. Herb Slotkin & Screamin' Jay Hawkins) (conduct. Leroy Kirkland & Owen B. Masingill) At Home With Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Epic, 1958)

I ain't lyin' I love you I love you I love you, yeah... I don't care if you don't want me (Uuuuu spell) I'm yours right now (Uuuuu spell) I put a spell on you (Uuuuu spell) Because you're mine (Uuuuu spell).

[ask-the-magic-nations]

2nd Years

Stephen

Full Name: Stephen Kirkland

Age: 12

Country: Australia

Hometown: Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia

Patronus: Red Kangaroo

Wand Wood: Golden Wattle

Wand Core: Bunyip Claw

Hogwarts House: Gryffindor

Current Role: 2nd Year Student

 Josephine

Full Name: Josephine Leroy

Age: 13

Country: Mauritius

Hometown: Quatre Bornes, Plaines Wilhems District, Mauritius

Patronus: Red-Tailed Tropicbird

Wand Wood: Mauritius Ebony

Wand Core: Loogaroo Bone

Hogwarts House: Slytherin

Current Role: 2nd Year Student

Ludwig

Full Name: Ludwig Beilschmidt

Age: 12

Country: Germany

Hometown: 24 Tucholskystraße, Munich, West Germany

Patronus: German Shepherd

Wand Wood: Oak

Wand Core: Rübezahl Hair

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw

Current Role: 2nd Year Student

[womenoflibraryhistory]

Barbara Williams Jenkins, Ph.D.

This post was written by Dr. Theodosia T. Shields & Doris Johnson and submitted on behalf of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Last year’s post on Amanda Rudd was also brought to us by BCALA.

For over forty years Dr. Barbara Williams Jenkins greatly contributed to the library profession on a local, regional and national level. Even after retiring, she continues to contribute to her beloved profession.

Barbara was born in Union, South Carolina but grew up in Orangeburg, South Carolina, where she received her high school diploma from Wilkinson High School. She graduated from Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, with a B.A. degree and earned a MSLS from the University of Illinois, Urbana, IL. Her post-Master’s work included advance study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Atlanta University and Clemson University. These subsequent educational experiences were followed by her studying and receiving her Ph. D. in Library and Information Sciences from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick in 1980.

Her professional career began in her hometown of Orangeburg as a Reserve and Circulation Librarian at South Carolina State in 1956. After serving in this role for two years, she became the Reference and Documents Librarian. This was followed by her becoming Library Director at South Carolina State in 1962 where she served until 1987. In 1987 she was promoted to Dean of Library and Information Services at South Carolina State. She served as Dean until her retirement in 1997.

During her tenure at South Carolina State (now known as South Carolina State University), Barbara served with distinction in all roles. At the only public supported Historically Black College and University in South Carolina, Barbara worked diligently to provide leadership on the campus, in the state and beyond. She was an advocate for the library program.

Some of the leadership roles that she assumed included the following: the first African American  President of the South Carolina Library Association 1986-1987;  Southeastern Library Association-  College Section Director 1978 – 1980;  American Library Association Council 1978-1982; Association of National Agricultural Library, Inc. 1890 Land -Grant Library Directors’ Association Tuskegee University (President 1979-85); American Library Association  Black Caucus – Chairperson 1984-85, Southeastern Library Network ( SOLINET)  -  Board of Directors  1989-92; and South Carolina Governor’s Conference on Library and  Information Services  (1978 – 1979) and National Endowment for the Humanities – Evaluator – 1979.  In 1969 she served as a Library Evaluator – Institutional Self- Study for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). She continued to serve in this capacity until her retirement in 1997. She also served on the College Consulting Network in 1991 and served until retirement.

Because of her love of African American history and her passion for preserving that history, she was a member of the African-American Heritage Council and the Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation. As a collector of African American history and a researcher, she played a significant role in the establishment of the institution’s historical collection.  Her work extended beyond campus by her affiliation with the South Carolina Archives & History Commission. She was instrumental in locating and identifying campus historical sites and buildings in Orangeburg along with providing training sessions on how to preserve this history.   Her actions led to her becoming a charter member of the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission.

For her service to the campus community and beyond, she received many accolades and awards during her career.  She received the “Boss of the Year Award” in 1980 from the Orangeburg Chapter of the Professional Secretaries International; 1890 Land-Grant Director’s Association Award 1978-84; President’s Award, South Carolina Library Association, 1987; South Carolina State College Distinguished Service Award, 1991; SOLINET Board of Directors Service Award, 1992 and the college’s First President’s Service Award in 1997.  Additionally, on February 27,2000 at the Founders’ Day program, Dr. Leroy Davis, President of South Carolina State University bestowed upon Dr. Jenkins the first emeritus award.

As a leader and advocate for the profession, Dr. Jenkins worked diligently to share and instill these values with her staff and others in the profession.    She served as a role model for many librarians.

In addition to a very active professional life, she also held memberships in many civil and social organizations including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. (Past Regional Director for the South Atlantic Region). She is also a member of the Williams Chapel AME Church.  

She was married to the late Robert A. Jenkins and they had two children and five grandchildren.  As a retiree she continues to devote her time to African American and local history.  She also loves to talk about the library profession and continues to serve as a role model for librarians and aspiring librarians.

Works Cited:

“Spotlight on Dr. Barbara Williams Jenkins” http://www.scaaheritagefound.org/call_response2009fall.pdf

"Retirement:  A New Beginning Reflections of Dr. Barbara W. Jenkins and Mrs. Eartha J. Corbett", June 7, 1997   Kirkland W. Green Student Center,  South Carolina State University.

[elrefugiodelabuenamusica]

Good Feeling (2011)

Artista: Flo Rida (Estados Unidos)

Álbum: Wild Ones

Año: 2011

Géneros: Hip House, Eurodance 

Compositores: Tramar Dillard, Ash Pournouri, Leroy Kirkland, Tim Bergling, Etta James, Pearl Woods, Lukasz Gottwald, Henry Walter, Breyan Isaac

Sellos: Atlantic Recordings Corporation, Poe Boys Music Group

Letra

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah Oh oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah

Yes I can, doubt better leave, I'm running with this plan Pull me, grab me, crabs in the bucket can't have me I'll be the president one day January first, oh, you like that gossip Like you the one drinking what God sip dot com Now I gotta work with your tongue How many rolling stones you want Yeah I got a brand new spirit, Speak it and it's done Rolled up on the side of the bed like I won Talk like a winner, my chest to that sun G5 dealer, US to Taiwan Now who can say that I wanna play back Mama knew I was a needle in a hay stack A Bugatti boy, plus Maybach I got a feeling it's a wrap, ASAP

Oh, oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah Oh oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah

The mountain top, walk on water I got power, feel so royal One second, I'mma strike oil Diamond, platinum, no more for you Gotta drill it in, never giving in Giving ups not an option, gotta get it in Witness I got the heart of twenty men No fear, go to sleep in the lion's den That flow, that spark, that crown You looking at the king of the jungle now Stronger than ever can't hold me down A hundred miles feelin' from the picture smile Straight game face, it's game day See me running through the crowd full of melee No trick plays, I'm Bill Gates, Take a genius to understand me

Oh, oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah Oh oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah

Good feelin', good feelin' I know you got the good feelin' Let's get it, let's get it Gotta love the life that we livin' Let's get it, let's get it I know you got the good feelin' Let's get it, let's get it Gotta love the life that we livin'

Oh, oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah Oh oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah I get a feeling that I never never never never had before, no no I get a good feeling, yeah

Sometimes I get a good feeling

[mancitynoise]

ESPN FC's Alexis Nunes and Alex Kirkland discuss Juanma Lillo's arrival at Man City as Pep Guardiola's No. 2. Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discuss Ismael Bennacer's rumoured transfer to Manchester City. Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens react to the news of Vincent Kompany rejecting a coaching role at Man City. ESPN FC's Rob Dawson selects Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz as a signing Manchester City need to make. Rob Dawson discusses Manchester City's interest in signing Bayer Leverkusen's Leon Bailey if Leroy Sane leaves. Pep Guardiola says football will return but urges fans to continue following government guidelines. Manchester City are set to announce Juanma Lillo, the man Pep Guardiola has described as "the best coach I ever had" as his assistant, sources have confirmed to ESPN. Lillo, 54, left his previous job as manager of China's Qingdao Huanghai this week and will fill the vacancy left when Mikel Arteta took over Arsenal in December. - Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only) - Insider Notebook: Man United chase 'The Octopus'   The pair have a longstanding relationship, with Guardiola having...

[otherworldlyheros]

2p Allies names/ nicknames

2p England: Oliver Kirkland, Ollie, ugh you again ( mainly used by Jean), Ma ( used by both Al and Louis), and Oliver Twist ( given to him by himself) 2p America: Alphonse Jones ( call him that and you're dead), Al ( everyone calls him that) , sweetheart ( by Ollie), Allen( bc why not), and dipshit ( Louis) 2p Canada: Louis Williams, Lou ( everyone except Oliver b/c he thinks it's too funny), and Louise ( Al) 2p France: Jean Leroy, Mr. Grumpy pants ( Oliver) 2p China: Zheng Yang, Mr. Zheng high ( self given), and wannabe hipster( Japan) 2p Russia: Dimitri Braginski ( only name as of now)

[meow-monsterx]

Steuben, NY – Man Injured in Accident on Evans Rd

Steuben, NY (January 29, 2020) – An incident on Monday left one man critically injured. On January 27, at around 5 p.m., authorities were called to the scene of an incident off Evans Road. Reports indicate that 72-year-old Leroy Kirkland was attempting to cut a tree down at a lot on the roadway when the tree fell on top of …

Read More

The post Steuben, NY – Man Injured in Accident on Evans Rd appeared first on Local Accident Reports.

source https://localaccidentreports.com/new-york/steuben-ny-man-injured-in-accident-on-evans-rd/ source https://pumpkinspice46.tumblr.com/post/190535134085

[hxrtaxhe]

Steuben, NY – Man Injured in Accident on Evans Rd

Steuben, NY (January 29, 2020) – An incident on Monday left one man critically injured. On January 27, at around 5 p.m., authorities were called to the scene of an incident off Evans Road. Reports indicate that 72-year-old Leroy Kirkland was attempting to cut a tree down at a lot on the roadway when the tree fell on top of …

Read More

The post Steuben, NY – Man Injured in Accident on Evans Rd appeared first on Local Accident Reports.

source https://localaccidentreports.com/new-york/steuben-ny-man-injured-in-accident-on-evans-rd/ source https://pumpkinspice46.tumblr.com/post/190535134085

[adelleandlaura4ever]

Somethings gotta hold on me!!

https://youtu.be/TZFQgqhNoEI

undefined

Oh sometimes I get a good feeling yeah

I get a feeling that I never, never had before

And I got to tell you right now

I believe, I really do believe that

...

Something's got a hold on me (oh, it must be love)

Something's got a hold on me right now child (yeah, it must be love)

...

Let me tell you now

I got a feeling, I feel so strange

Everything about me seems to have changed

Step by step, I got a brand new walk

I even sound sweeter when I talk

...

I said, oh, oh, oh, oh

I said baby, oh, it must be love (you know it must be love)

...

Let me tell you now

Something’s got a hold on me, yeah (oh, it must be love)

Oh oh something’s got a hold on me right now, child (Oh, it must be love)

...

Let me tell you now

I never felt like this before

Something’s got a hold on me that won’t let go

I believe I’d die if I only could

I sure feel strange, but it sure feels good

...

I said, oh, oh, oh, oh

I said baby, oh, it must be love (you know it must be love)

...

Let me tell you know

My heart feels heavy, my feet feel light

I shake all over, but I feel alright

I never felt like this before

Something’s got a hold on me that won’t let go

I never thought it could happen to me

Got me heavy without the misery

I never thought it could be this way

Love’s sure gonna put a hurting on me

...

I said, oh, oh, oh, oh

I said baby, oh, it must be love (you know it must be love)

Yeah, she walks like love (you know she walks like love)

She talks like love (you know she talks like love)

Makes me feel alright (makes me feel alright)

In the middle of the night (in the middle of the night)

...

Na na la la (na na la la)

Na na la la (na na la la)

Oh yeah yeah (oh oh oh)

Yeah oh yeah oh (oh oh oh)

Hey, yeah yeah yeah, ah

...

Songwriters: Etta James / Leroy Kirkland / Pearl Woods

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Oh Yeah, you’re for me!!

You have my smile, you are my baby, Laura!

You are my beautiful Liebling

You gotta tight hold on me.

I shake all over, but I feel alright!

I love you deeply, hold me oh so tight!

I’ve never felt like this before!

Come on into my heart, step in and shut the door!

I love you soooo 🎶 🎵🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️

@dreamiingofit

@adelleandlaura4ever

[blackkudos]

George Benson

George Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 21 as a jazz guitarist. Benson uses a rest-stroke picking technique similar to that of gypsy jazz players such as Django Reinhardt.

A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, playing soul jazz with Jack McDuff and others. He then launched a successful solo career, alternating between jazz, pop, R&B singing, and scat singing. His album Breezin' was certified triple-platinum, hitting no. 1 on the Billboard album chart in 1976. His concerts were well attended through the 1980s, and he still has a large following. Benson has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Biography

Early career

Benson was born and raised in the Hill District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the age of seven, he first played the ukulele in a corner drug store, for which he was paid a few dollars. At the age of eight, he played guitar in an unlicensed nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights, but the police soon closed the club down. At the age of 9, he started to record. Out of the four sides he cut, two were released: "She Makes Me Mad" backed with "It Should Have Been Me", with RCA-Victor in New York; although one source indicates this record was released under the name "Little Georgie", the 45rpm label is printed with the name George Benson. The single was produced by Leroy Kirkland for RCA's rhythm and blues label, Groove Records. As he has stated in an interview, Benson's introduction to showbusiness had an effect on his schooling. When this was discovered (tied with the failure of his single) his guitar was impounded. Luckily, after he spent time in a juvenile detention centre his stepfather made him a new guitar.

Benson attended and graduated from Schenley High School. As a youth he learned how to play straight-ahead instrumental jazz during a relationship performing for several years with organist Jack McDuff. One of his many early guitar heroes was country-jazz guitarist Hank Garland. At the age of 21, he recorded his first album as leader, The New Boss Guitar, featuring McDuff. Benson's next recording was It's Uptown with the George Benson Quartet, including Lonnie Smith on organ and Ronnie Cuber on baritone saxophone. Benson followed it up with The George Benson Cookbook, also with Lonnie Smith and Ronnie Cuber on baritone and drummer Marion Booker. Miles Davis employed Benson in the mid-1960s, featuring his guitar on "Paraphernalia" on his 1968 Columbia release, Miles in the Sky before going to Verve Records.

Benson then signed with Creed Taylor's jazz label CTI Records, where he recorded several albums, with jazz heavyweights guesting, to some success, mainly in the jazz field. His 1974 release, Bad Benson, climbed to the top spot in the Billboard jazz chart, while the follow-ups, Good King Bad (#51 Pop album) and Benson and Farrell (with Joe Farrell), both reached the jazz top-three sellers. Benson also did a version of The Beatles's 1969 album Abbey Road called The Other Side of Abbey Road, also released in 1969, and a version of "White Rabbit", originally written and recorded by San Francisco rock group Great Society, and made famous by Jefferson Airplane. Benson played on numerous sessions for other CTI artists during this time, including Freddie Hubbard and Stanley Turrentine, notably on the latter's acclaimed album Sugar.

1970s and 1980s

By the mid-to-late 1970s, as he recorded for Warner Bros. Records, a whole new audience began to discover Benson. With the 1976 release Breezin', Benson sang a lead vocal on the track "This Masquerade" (notable also for the lush, romantic piano intro and solo by Jorge Dalto), which became a huge pop hit and won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. (He had sung vocals infrequently on albums earlier in his career, notably his rendition of "Here Comes the Sun" on the Other Side of Abbey Road album.) The rest of the album is instrumental, including his rendition of the 1975 Jose Feliciano composition "Affirmation".

In 1976, Benson toured with soul singer Minnie Riperton, who had been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer earlier that year and, in addition, appeared as a guitarist and backup vocalist on Stevie Wonder's song "Another Star" from Wonder's album Songs in the Key of Life.

During the same year, 1976, the top selling album 'Breezin' was released on the Warner Brothers label featuring the Bobby Womack penned title track and the Leon Russell penned This Masquerade which is now a jazz standard. Both tracks won Grammy awards that year and the LP put Benson into the musical limelight both in the USA and in Europe. Ironically, Benson 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. It was here that he clearly proved them wrong.

He also recorded the original version of "The Greatest Love of All" for the 1977 Muhammad Ali bio-pic, The Greatest, which was later covered by Whitney Houston as "Greatest Love of All". During this time Benson recorded with the German conductor Claus Ogerman. The live take of "On Broadway", recorded a few months later from the 1978 release Weekend in L.A., also won a Grammy. He has worked with Freddie Hubbard on a number of his albums throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

The Qwest record label (a subsidiary of Warner Bros., run by Quincy Jones) released Benson's breakthrough pop album Give Me The Night, produced by Jones. Benson made it into the pop and R&B top ten with the song "Give Me the Night" (written by former Heatwave keyboardist Rod Temperton). He had many hit singles such as "Love All the Hurt Away", "Turn Your Love Around", "Inside Love", "Lady Love Me", "20/20", "Shiver", "Kisses in the Moonlight". More importantly, Quincy Jones encouraged Benson to search his roots for further vocal inspiration, and he rediscovered his love for Nat Cole, Ray Charles and Donny Hathaway in the process, influencing a string of further vocal albums into the 1990s. Despite returning to his jazz and guitar playing most recently, this theme was reflected again much later in Benson's 2000 release Absolute Benson, featuring a cover of one of Hathaway's most notable songs, "The Ghetto". Benson accumulated three other platinum LPs and two gold albums.

1990s to present

In 1990, Benson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the Berklee College of Music.

To commemorate the long relationship between Benson and Ibanez and to celebrate 30 years of collaboration on the GB Signature Models, Ibanez created the GB30TH, a limited-edition model with a gold-foil finish inspired by the traditional Japanese Garahaku art form. In 2009, Benson was recognized by the National Endowment of the Arts as a Jazz Master, the nation's highest honor in jazz. Benson performed at the 49th issue of the Ohrid Summer Festival in North Macedonia on July 25, 2009, and his tribute show to Nat King Cole An Unforgettable Tribute to Nat King Cole as part of the Istanbul International Jazz Festival in Turkey on July 27. In the fall of 2009, Benson finished recording an album entitled Songs and Stories with Marcus Miller, producer John Burk, and session musicians David Paich and Steve Lukather. As a part of the promotion for his album Songs and Stories, Benson has appeared or performed on The Tavis Smiley Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

He performed at the Java Jazz Festival March 4–6, 2011. In 2011, Benson released the album Guitar Man, revisiting his 1960s/early-1970s guitar-playing roots with a 12-song collection of covers of both jazz and pop standards produced by John Burk.

In June 2013, Benson released his fourth album for Concord, Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole, which included Wynton Marsalis, Idina Menzel, Till Brönner, and Judith Hill. In September, he returned to perform at Rock in Rio festival, in Rio de Janeiro, 35 years after his first performance at this festival, which was then the inaugural one.

In July 2016, Benson participated as a mentor in the Sky Arts program Guitar Star in the search for the UK and Republic of Ireland's most talented guitarist.

In May 2018, Benson was featured on the Gorillaz single "Humility".

On July 12, 2018, it was announced that Benson had signed to Mascot Label Group.

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed George Benson among hundreds of musicians whose material was destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.

Personal life

Benson has been married to Johnnie Lee since 1965 and has seven children. Benson describes his music as focusing more on love and romance, and eschewing overt sexuality, due to his commitment to his family and religious practices, with Benson serving as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Benson has been a resident of Englewood, New Jersey.