Winston-Salem State University Lyceum Cultural Events and the Division of Student Affairs– present guitarist/vocalist George Benson – on Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kenneth R. Williams Auditorium. Tickets are now available at the University Ticket Office – (336) 750.3220. The prices are $37.50 – all day show tickets; $32.50 – for advance tickets and $10.00 – for WSSU Students with valid I.D.
George Benson
Appreciated by millions as both a musician and performer, George Benson has always had the dual role of expert improviser and vibrant entertainer. He has consistently placed his keenly discerning art in the service of a rousing good time. Rounding out his singular approach with sly, seductive rhythm and blues, he has earned himself an impeccable reputation as one of music’s most enterprising and engaging stars.
Few might have predicted that striking level of stardom some forty years ago, when Benson was a fledgling guitarist working the corner pubs of his native Pittsburgh. That’s where his yen to please a crowd was born. “I was an entertainer first,” he says proudly. “As a kid I sang, danced, and played the ukulele in a nightclub. As my career has progressed, I’ve had the pleasure of playing with the baddest jazz cats on the planet. But that doesn’t change my desire to entertain folks. That’s really who I am. I really like when people kick up their heels and go crazy.”
Benson’s work is boundless. In the late ’60s, he sat in on heady Miles Davis sessions, and also put a personal spin on the tunes from the Beatles’ Abbey Road. His “Breezin’” was the first jazz record to attain platinum sales. The 1976 blockbuster, his first in a long association with Warner Bros. Records, brought the instrumental title track to jazz radio. And Benson’s soulful update of Leon Russell’s “This Masquerade,” which featured the guitarist scatting along with his solo break, was a pop smash. He followed up with many pop hits, including a sultry version of “On Broadway” and the irresistible “Give Me The Night,” which thrilled many a dancer.
Throughout the 1980’s – in association with Warner Bros. and LiPuma – Benson was able to release several smash hits. Individually, they blended grooves and guitar work, proving that R & B was a natural part of Benson’s profile. Collectively, they cemented his global renown. The guitarist has won eight GRAMMY®s, played around the world, and thrilled many crowds with his playing.
His release Irreplaceable marks a directional shift back to silky sexy soul music –– with a decidedly contemporary urban edge. “ However, he regards himself as an entertainer in the broadest sense of the word – as a singer of songs, and as a spinner of tales. These qualities are the essence of his latest release Songs and Stories on Concord Records/Monster Music.
Contact 336.750.2530 or legettel@wssu.edu <mailto:legettel@wssu.edu> for additional information.
