Over the span of his illustrious five-decade career, George Benson has sold millions of records, performed for hundreds of millions of fans, and cut some of the most beloved jazz and soul tunes in music history. But the guitarist/vocalist is much more than “This Masquerade,” “On Broadway,” “Turn Your Love Around,” and “Give Me the Night.” Benson is a flat-out inspiration, a multitalented artist who survived an impoverished childhood and molded himself into the first true—and truly successful—jazz/soul crossover artist. And now, on the heels of receiving the prestigious NEA Jazz Masters award, George has finally decided to tell his story. And what a story it is. Benson: The Autobiography will follow George’s remarkable rise from the ghettos of Pittsburgh to the stages of South Africa, and everywhere in between. Benson is an unparalleled storyteller, and his tales of scuffling on the Chitlin Circuit with jazz legend Brother Jack McDuff, navigating his way through the recording studio with Miles Davis, and performing with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Quincy Jones, Benny Goodman, Rod Stewart, Chaka Khan, Count Basie, and Lou Rawls will enthrall devotees of both music history and pop culture. A treat for serious listeners, hardcore guitar aficionados, and casual music followers alike, George’s long-awaited book will allow readers to meet the man who is one of the most beloved, prolific, and best-selling musicians of his or any other era.
