Kirk Whalum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kirk Whalum
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Kirk Whalum in 2007
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| Background information | |
| Born | July 11, 1958 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Smooth jazz, pop, R&B, gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Saxophone, flute |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros., Sony, Columbia |
| Associated acts | Jonathan Butler, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Babyface, Bob James, Donny Hathaway, Lalah Hathaway |
Kirk Whalum (born July 11, 1958) is a famous American saxophonist and songwriter. He is known for his smooth style of jazz and R&B music. If you've ever heard the song "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston, you've heard his amazing saxophone solo.
Whalum has released many popular solo albums and has won a prestigious Grammy Award from 12 nominations. He is also a member of the jazz group BWB, along with trumpeter Rick Braun and guitarist Norman Brown. Throughout his career, he has worked with some of the biggest names in music, including Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, and Bob James.
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Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Kirk Whalum was born in Memphis, Tennessee, a city famous for its rich musical history. Music was a big part of his family life. He sang in his father's church choir and learned a lot about music from his grandmother, who was a piano teacher. He also had two uncles who were professional jazz musicians.
Whalum attended Texas Southern University, where he played in the school's marching band. He once said that his music combines all the styles he grew up with: Memphis R&B, gospel, rock, and jazz. For him, the most important part of any song is the melody.
Career Highlights
A Tribute in the Stars
In 1986, Whalum had a very special and emotional performance. He played at two huge concerts in France held by composer Jean-Michel Jarre. He was asked to play a saxophone part in memory of his friend, Ron McNair. McNair was an astronaut and a saxophonist who sadly died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster earlier that year. Whalum's performance of the song, known as "Ron's Piece," was a powerful tribute to his friend.
Working with Music Legends
One of Whalum's most famous performances is the saxophone solo in Whitney Houston's hit song "I Will Always Love You". This song became one of the best-selling singles of all time. He toured with Houston for over seven years, sharing his talent with audiences around the world.
He also played on many albums for the singer Luther Vandross. Whalum's saxophone can be heard on Vandross's versions of classic songs like "Anyone Who Had a Heart" and "Love Won't Let Me Wait".
Over the years, Whalum has worked on the music for several movies, including The Prince of Tides, Boyz n the Hood, and The Bodyguard.
Solo Career and Awards
Whalum has released many successful solo albums. In 2005, he recorded The Babyface Songbook, an album of songs written by the famous R&B artist Babyface.
His hard work has earned him 12 Grammy nominations. In 2011, he won his first Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song for "It's What I Do." He shared the award with his longtime friend, writer Jerry Peters, and singer Lalah Hathaway.
In 2014, Whalum was honored as a Jazz Legend by the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville. A year later, he became a teacher at the Visible Music College in his hometown of Memphis.
Personal Life
Kirk Whalum has been married to his wife, Ruby, since 1980. They have four children: Kyle, Courtney, Kori, and Evan. His son Kyle is also a musician.
Whalum is a person of deep faith and has served as a minister. He also volunteers his time as a barber at a community service house in Memphis.
Selected Discography
Whalum has recorded many albums over his long career. Here are some of his studio and live albums.
Studio Albums
- Floppy Disk (1985)
- And You Know That (1988)
- The Promise (1989)
- Caché (1993)
- In This Life (1995)
- Joined at the Hip (with Bob James) (1996)
- For You (1998)
- Unconditional (2000)
- Into My Soul (2003)
- Kirk Whalum Performs the Babyface Songbook (2005)
- Roundtrip (2007)
- Everything is Everything: The Music of Donny Hathaway (2010)
- Romance Language (2011)
- #Lovecovers (2017)
- Humanite (2019)
- Epic Cool (2024)
The Gospel According to Jazz (Live Series)
- The Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter I (1998)
- The Gospel According to Jazz: Chapter II (2002)
- The Gospel According to Jazz Chapter III (2010)
- The Gospel According to Jazz Chapter IV (2014)
Albums with BWB
(with Rick Braun and Norman Brown)
- Groovin' (2002)
- Human Nature (2013)
- BWB (2016)
See also
In Spanish: Kirk Whalum para niños
