Kenny G facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kenny G
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Kenny G in 2013
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Kenneth Bruce Gorelick
June 5, 1956 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
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| Education | Franklin High School |
| Alma mater | University of Washington (BS, magna cum laude) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1973–1982 (group) 1982–present (solo) |
| Spouse(s) |
Janice DeLeon
(m. 1980; div. 1987)Lydie Benson
(m. 1992; div. 2012) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
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Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), known professionally as Kenny G, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer. His 1986 album Duotones helped him become very famous. Kenny G is one of the best-selling artists of all time. He has sold more than 75 million records around the world.
Kenny G was born in Seattle, Washington. He started playing the saxophone at age 10. He was inspired by a performance he saw on The Ed Sullivan Show. He went to several schools in Seattle, including the University of Washington. In high school, he took private saxophone lessons. He also played in the school jazz band.
Kenny G's professional music career began when he was 17. He played with Barry White's The Love Unlimited Orchestra. He also played with the Seattle funk band Cold, Bold & Together. Later, he joined the Jeff Lorber Fusion in 1980. His solo career started after he signed with Arista Records in 1982. His first album, Kenny G, came out in 1982.
His fourth album, Duotones (1986), made him very successful. It included the popular song "Songbird". His 1992 album, Breathless, became the best-selling instrumental album ever. His first holiday album, Miracles: The Holiday Album, sold over 13 million copies. He has also worked on music for movies like The Bodyguard. He has played with famous artists like Andrea Bocelli and Frank Sinatra.
In the 2000s and 2010s, Kenny G released many albums. These include Paradise and Brazilian Nights. He appeared in commercials and music videos. He also continued to perform all over the world. Kenny G is very popular in China. His song "Going Home" is often played in public places there. Even though some jazz musicians have criticized his style, Kenny G is still a very successful and important musician.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Kenny G was born in Seattle, Washington. His family was Jewish. His mother was a Canadian Jew from Saskatchewan, Canada. He first saw a saxophone played on The Ed Sullivan Show. This inspired him to start playing. He began playing the saxophone, a Buffet Crampon alto, in 1966 when he was 10 years old.
Kenny G went to Whitworth Elementary School, Sharples Junior High School, and Franklin High School. He also attended the University of Washington. All these schools were in his hometown of Seattle. When he first tried out for the high school jazz band, he didn't get in. But he tried again the next year and earned the first chair. His high school friend, Robert Damper, now plays piano and keyboards in his band. While in high school, Kenny G also took private lessons for saxophone and clarinet.
He was also on his high school golf team. He has loved golf since his older brother, Brian Gorelick, showed him the sport when he was ten.
Kenny G's Music Career
Starting His Solo Journey
Kenny G began his career as a sideman for Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973. He was 17 and still in high school. He kept playing music professionally while studying accounting at the University of Washington. He graduated with high honors. He played with the funk band Cold, Bold and Together. After that, he became a member of The Jeff Lorber Fusion. He later left the band to start his solo career.
Kenny G signed with Arista Records as a solo artist in 1982. The head of the label, Clive Davis, heard him play "Dancing Queen" by ABBA. He chose Kenny G as his stage name because it sounded good. His first album, Kenny G, was recorded in 1981. It was released the next year. Critics liked the album, and it reached No. 10 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
He followed his first album with G Force in 1983 and Gravity in 1985. Both albums sold over one million copies in the US. During this time, he worked with musician Kashif on many songs.
Becoming a Global Star
In 1986, Kenny G became very successful. His fourth album, Duotones, came out in September 1986. It featured the instrumental song "Songbird". This song was inspired by his move from Seattle to Los Angeles. The album sold five million copies in the US. It also made him famous around the world. "Songbird" reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song "Don't Make Me Wait for Love", which featured Lenny Williams, reached No. 15 on the Hot 100.
In the late 1980s, Kenny G worked with jazz and R&B artists. These included George Benson, Patti LaBelle, and Aretha Franklin. The 1987 song "Love Power", a duet with Dionne Warwick and Jeffrey Osborne, featured Kenny G on saxophone.
His first live album, Kenny G Live, included popular songs. One of these, "Going Home", became very popular in China. Kenny G has worked with many different artists. Some of them are Andrea Bocelli, Aaron Neville, Toni Braxton, Celine Dion, and Frank Sinatra. His music is often called smooth jazz.
Music for Movies and Record-Breaking Albums
Kenny G has created music for several movies. These include Dying Young and The Bodyguard. The song "Theme for Dying Young" was nominated for a Grammy Award. Kenny G's music was also in The Shadow and Miracle on 34th Street.
His sixth album, Breathless, was released in 1992. It became the best-selling instrumental album ever. It sold over 15 million copies worldwide. The album had many hit songs like "Forever in Love". This song won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. "Sentimental" and "By the Time This Night Is Over" were also popular.
His first holiday album, Miracles, sold over 13 million copies. This made it a very successful Christmas album. He also played the "National Anthem of the United States" at the 1994 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony in 1994.
Kenny G set a Guinness World Record in 1997. He played the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. He held an E-flat note for 45 minutes and 47 seconds using a technique called circular breathing. In the same year, his song "Havana" was remixed and became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs chart.
Kenny G's second holiday album, Faith, was the best-selling holiday album of 1999. It sold 2 million copies. The song "Auld Lang Syne" from the album reached No. 7 on the Hot 100 chart.
Music in the 2000s and 2010s
In February 2000, Kenny G performed at the White House. He played for state governors and members of the Clinton Cabinet.
He released his eighth album, Paradise, in 2002. This album featured R&B singer Brian McKnight. It also included the song "One More Time," a duet with Chanté Moore.
On his album At Last...The Duets Album, he worked with friends and fellow musicians. These included David Sanborn, Daryl Hall, Burt Bacharach, and Barbra Streisand. The album has covers of songs like "Careless Whisper" and Elton John's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word". This album is certified Gold in the US.
In 2006, Kenny G released I'm in the Mood for Love...The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time. This album included famous songs by The Beatles, the love theme from Romeo and Juliet, "You Raise Me Up", and James Blunt's "You're Beautiful". It also featured the Chinese song "The Moon Represents My Heart".
The RIAA named Kenny G the 25th highest-selling artist in America. He had sold 48 million albums in the U.S. by July 31, 2006.
In 2009, Kenny G appeared with the band Weezer. He played a saxophone solo during their song "I'm Your Daddy." Kenny G said he didn't know about Weezer before this performance.
His 2010 album Heart and Soul was influenced by R&B music. It featured Robin Thicke and Babyface. Critics gave it good reviews.
In 2011, Kenny G appeared in a Super Bowl XLV ad for Audi. He also appeared in the music video for Katy Perry's song "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" as Uncle Kenny. On Saturday Night Live in 2011, he performed with the band Foster the People.
Kenny G hosts a radio show with Sandy Kovach on WLOQ in Orlando.
His album Brazilian Nights was announced in 2014 and released in January 2015. The album was inspired by Cannonball Adderley's bossa nova recordings and other jazz artists. This album helped Kenny G get back on the Billboard 200 chart. He started The Brazilian Tour for the album, performing in North America and Asia.
In October 2019, Kenny G appeared on the Kanye West gospel album Jesus Is King. He played on the song "Use This Gospel". This song reached No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. This made him one of the few artists to have a top 40 hit in every decade from 1980 to 2010.
Recent Work in the 2020s
In October 2020, the Weeknd released a remix of his popular song "In Your Eyes" featuring Kenny G.
Kenny G also contributed to the music for The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run in 2021. He covered "My Heart Will Go On" and "Gary's Song." The TV show SpongeBob SquarePants has a character named Kelpy G, which is a playful nod to Kenny G.
In 2022, he appeared on the song "Merkurius Gilded" by the band Imperial Triumphant. His son, Max Gorelick, played guitar on the song.
Why Kenny G is Popular in China
Kenny G has recorded Chinese songs like "Jasmine Flower" (茉莉花) and "The Moon Represents My Heart" (月亮代表我的心).
Since 1989, Kenny G's song "Going Home" from the Kenny G Live album has become incredibly popular across China. It is often played as the unofficial closing song for many businesses. You can hear it in food courts, outdoor markets, health clubs, shopping malls, and train stations. Many businesses play the song shortly before they close for the night. Television stations also play the song before ending their evening broadcasts. Many Chinese people connect the song with the idea of finishing their activities and going home. They might not even know the name of the song or who performs it.
Instruments and Personal Interests
Kenny G plays the Selmer Mark VI soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones. He has also created his own brand of saxophones called "Kenny G Saxophones."
Kenny G is a big fan of golf. He has played in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament many times. In 2001, he and Phil Mickelson shared the pro-am title. He is also a member of Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California.
Kenny G is an aircraft pilot. He owns a De Havilland Beaver seaplane, which he flies regularly. He is a personal friend of Howard Schultz, the former head of Starbucks. Kenny G was also one of the early investors in the coffee company.
Discography
Studio albums
- Kenny G (1982)
- G Force (1983)
- Gravity (1985)
- Duotones (1986)
- Silhouette (1988)
- Breathless (1992)
- Miracles: The Holiday Album (1994)
- The Moment (1996)
- Classics in the Key of G (1999)
- Faith: A Holiday Album (1999)
- Paradise (2002)
- At Last...The Duets Album (2004)
- I'm in the Mood for Love...The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time (2006)
- Rhythm and Romance (2008)
- Heart and Soul (2010)
- Namaste with Rahul Sharma (2012)
- Brazilian Nights (2015)
- New Standards (2021)
- Innocence (2023)
Awards and Nominations
Concert Tours
Headlining
- Brazilian Tour (2015)
- The Miracles Holiday & Hits Tour (2017)
Co-headlining
- Moment of Truth World Tour with Whitney Houston (1987)
- Secrets Tour with Toni Braxton (1996)
- The Hits Tour with Toni Braxton (2016)
- The Breezin' & Breathless Tour with George Benson (2017)
See also
In Spanish: Kenny G para niños
