The Week of March 18th, 2007: IN BLACK HISTORY
GEORGE BENSON
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George Benson (March 22, 1943, Pittsburgh) is an American musician, whose recording career began at the age of 21 as a jazz guitarist. He is however, better known to the public at large as a Pop/R&B singer, famous for such hits as "Give Me The Night", "Lady Love Me (One More Time)", "Turn Your Love Around", "In Your Eyes" and "This Masquerade", among others. He can play in just about any style from swing to bop to R&B to pop with supreme taste, a beautiful rounded tone, terrific speed, a marvelous sense of logic in building solos, and, always, an unquenchable urge to swing. Benson was born and raised in the Hill District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Schenley High School. He now lives in Englewood, New Jersey's Bergen County. 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.

MORE ABOUT OUR PITTSBURGH NATIVE GEORGE BENSON RIGHT HERE

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REST IN PEACE: (R.I.P.)