Forever In Love

Background:

Hailed as the biggest best-selling instrumental musician of the modern era, American saxophonist Kenny G enjoyed breakthrough success with his forth studio album, “Duotones” (1986), which included the highly popular “Songbird.” The smooth jazz's king of the soprano sax gained further recognition with his Grammy winning instrument, “Forever in Love,” taken from the No. 1 best-selling album “Breathless” (1992). The massive commercial success of “Miracles: The Holiday Album” (1994) and “The Moment” (1996) cemented Kenny G's reputation as the highest selling artist in America. Since then, the phenomenally booming instrumentalist whose recordings make the pop charts has produced a studio album, two holiday albums, four greatest hits albums, three compilation albums and three covers albums under his former label Arista Records.

Signed in 1982, Kenny G ended his professional partnership with Arista in 2006 following the release of “I'm in the Mood for Love...The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time.” The album was a No. 1 hit on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz chart. His new album, “Rhythm and Romance,” will be released in February 2008 on Starbucks Entertainment and Concord Records.

In music industry since the mid-1970s, Kenny G has been an inductee on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has received such awards as American Music, Soul Train, World Music and NAACP Image awards, in addition to Grammy. One of the world's most famous soprano saxophone players, he has sold a total of more than 75 million albums, singles and videos worldwide.

Kenny G has been married to wife Lyndie Benson since 1992, with whom he has two sons, Max and Noah. When not playing the sax, Kenny G loves to play golf, an interest that he has pursued since aged 10. He plays the sport regularly, and has a playing handicap of +0.6. As of February 7, 2007, he has taken part in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament seven times. Kenny G was named No. 1 musician golfer by Golf Digest in 2006. Kenny is also a pilot, and has been acknowledged to fly to a number of events.

Kenny G's older brother, Brian Gorelick, who played an important part in his involvement to golf, is currently a music professor and choir conductor at Wake Forest University.

Golf Lover

Childhood and Family:

Kenneth Gorelick, professionally known as Kenny G., was born on June 5, 1956, in Seattle, Washington. He was first interested in saxophone after hearing someone playing the instrument on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” In addition to practicing along with records, specially from Grover Washington, Jr., young Kenny learned how to play under the guidance of local trumpeter Gerald Pfister. Through his tutor, he was able to play the sax horizontally, without compromising his control of the pitch. This would later be known as a revolution in neo saxophone technique. Kenny attended Franklin High School and played for the jazz band. He graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in accounting. Aside from music, Kenny also found a love for golf, which was introduced by his older brother, Brian Gorelick, when he was 10 years old. He also played for his high school golf team.

Kenny married his wife, Lyndie Benson, in 1992. The couple have two sons, Max and Noah. His wife is close friends with actress Brooke Shields.

Duotones

Career:

Kenny G kicked off his professional career in 1976, when he was recruited by Barry White as saxophone soloist for White's Love Unlimited Orchestra. White was impressed by Kenny G's skillfulness of blues scale. In the meantime, the 20-year-old Kenny G was also pursuing his college studies at the the University of Washington. Upon receiving his degree, he joined the Seattle-based funk group Cold, Bold & Together, while also freelancing locally, before finally earning a noted credit with The Jeff Lorber Fusion. After recording two albums with the group, Kenny G embarked on his now successful solo career.

In 1982, Kenny G was signed by Arista Records after he amazed label president Clive Davis with the rendition of the ABBA classic, “Dancing Queen.” Later that same year, he released his first studio album, “Kenny G.” The talented saxophonist soon enjoyed success with “G Force” and “Gravity,” his second and third albums released in 1983 and 1985, respectively. Both albums received platinum status in the United States alone. However, it was his forth studio album,“Duotones” (1986), that really transformed Kenny G into a star. It spawned the very famous single “Songbird” in 1987, which reached No. 4 on the Billboard US Hot 100 and No. 3 on the US Adult Contemporary.

Following the success of “Duotones,” Kenny G became an in-demand artist. He made guest appearances in recordings of a number of renowned singers, including Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Steve Miller, Natalie Cole and Aretha Franklin. His return to the studio was marked with the release of “Silhouette” in 1988. It was followed by the first live album, “Kenny G Live,” in 1989.

After short hiatus, Kenny G resurfaced with his sixth studio album, “Breathless.” Released in 1992, the album went on to become No. 1 best-selling instrumental album ever, with more than 15 million copies sold. It also spawned the No. 1 hit “Forever in Love,” from which Kenny G won a Grammy in 1994 in the category of Best Instrumental Composition. He further enjoyed huge commercial success with “Miracle” (1994), his first holiday album which sold over 13 million pieces and is considered as the most triumphant Christmas album to date, and the seventh studio album “The Moment” (1996).

A year after releasing the 1997 Greatest Hits disc, in 1998, Kenny G recorded a version of the Celine Dion hit “My Heart Will Go On,” from the soundtrack of the mega-blockbuster film “Titanic,” but he launched “Classics in the Key of G” in 1999, a collection of jazz standards such as “Body &Soul” and “Round Midnight.” Still in 1999, Kenny G also hit stores with “Faith: A Holiday Album.” “In America,” a compilation album was released two years later in 2001.

2002 saw Kenny G read tropical territory with “Paradise,” his first studio album since the 1996 “The Moment.” The album featured guest performances by Chanté Moore and Brian McKnight. Later that same year, “Wishes: A Holiday Album,” a music video collection, was released. It was then followed by “Ultimate Kenny G” (2003), a second greatest-hits collection, as well as a compilation album called “The Romance of Kenny G” and the covers album “At Last...The Duets Album” (both 2004). The latter album featured duets with Chaka Khan and LeAnn Rimes.

2005 to 2006 saw the release of two greatest hits albums, “The Greatest Holiday Classics” and “The Essential Kenny G.” Still in 2006, Kenny G made his return to a purely instrumental formulation on the audacious, big-band-inspired albums “Holiday Collection” and “I'm in the Mood for Love...The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time.” The later cover album, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz chart, marked his final release for Arista Records.

Currently, the jazz saxophone player is signed contract with Starbucks Entertainment and Concord Records. The Latin-themed “Rhythm and Romance,” his new release for the label, is expected to be launch on February 5, 2008 at Starbucks locations and traditional retail stores. In support of the new album, Kenny G is scheduled to tour in such cities as San Diego, Denver and Miami from January to March 2008.

Awards:

• Grammy: Best Instrumental Composition, “Forever in Love,” 1994