Born Kenneth Gorelick, he grew up in Seattle, Wahington. He practiced his instrument in the school music program, where his music teacher recognized his natural ability for the playing the saxophone, and encouraged him to try harder and perform with the school band. At the age of seventeen, he began playing professionally for the Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra, while pursuing an accounting degree from the University of Washington. That time, he was already performing with the artists who were appearing in Seattle including Johnny Mathis, The Spinners, Liberace and others. He became a
… More member of a local funk group called Cold, Bold & Together.
In 1979, he joined the Jeff Lorber Jazz Fusion and recorded an album with them before being spotted by Arista Records, who signed him as a solo artist and released his self-titled Kenny G album in 1982. It was focused on the musician's multi-faceted skills, where Kenny played synthe, flute, both tenor and soprano sax, minimoog and provided horn arrangements for the album which featured a handful of his own compositions.
The 1984 G-Force and 1985 Gravity platinum albums helped build a foundation for Kenny among R&B and jazz audiences. His 1986 five-million-selling Duotones album provided him a breakthrough into mainstream acceptance. The Songbird single became a Top 5 pop smash hit and launched his career into a new realm of international success.
The 1988 Silhouette added four million sales to Kenny's ever-growing collection of best-selling albums. This was immediately followed by the Kenny G Live album, which was recorded in 1989.
His 1992 album Breathless sold an astonishing twelve million copies domestically with an additional three million sales internationally and included guest appearances by Peabo Bryson and Aaron Neville. The 1994 Miracles: The Holiday Album also set a record as the best-selling Christmas album in history with over thirteen million copies sold.
The 1996 The Moment album sold seven million copies. In 1997, the Greatest Hits album was released, followed by the Faith: A Holiday Album in 1999. Kenny paid tribute to his own musical heroes by imprinting his musical signature in the cs In The Key Of G album, which was also released in the same year.
In addition to his own distinguished catalog of work, Kenny has shared the stage with a number of notable artists like Aretha Franklin (the first lady of soul), Frank Sinatra, Toni Braxton, Babyface, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Dionne Warwick.
In 1991, Kenny performed the score and theme for the Julia Roberts' film, Dying Young. In 1998, he recorded his own version of the "Titanic" movie theme, My Heart Will Go On.
In addition to recording, Kenny's pastimes include playing golf, piloting his own seaplane, as well as composing and recording in his own state-of-the-art studio called "Studio G", where most of the basic tracks for the album Paradise were cut.
Kenny G looks forward to yet another rewarding chapter in what continues to be a star-studded, accomplishment-filled career. He maintains the position of being merely an instrumentalist.
Kenny G has been the best-selling instrumentalist of all time.
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EarlyMemphis
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