Lenny White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lenny White
White at the Oslo Jazz Festival 2016
Background information
Birth name	Leonard White III
Born	(1949-12-19) December 19, 1949 (age 75) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Jazz funk jazz fusion jazz funk jazz rock progressive rock
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter bandleader
Instruments	Drums, percussion
Years active	1968–present
Associated acts	Return to Forever, Twennynine, Azteca, Jamaica Boys

Leonard White III (born December 19, 1949) is an American drummer. He is famous for playing jazz fusion music. In the 1970s, he was a member of the band Return to Forever, which was led by Chick Corea. Many people call White "one of the founding fathers of jazz fusion."

Lenny White has won three Grammys and one Latin Grammy. In 2023, his song Algorithm Takedown won Best Song at the Cannes World Film Festival.

Early Life and Music Start

Lenny White was born in Queens, New York City on December 19, 1949. He became interested in music when he was young. He taught himself how to play the drums.

He started his music career playing with groups in New York City. His father often took him to his gigs. He played in clubs in Queens, like Slugs and The Gold Lounge. His first gig with saxophonist Jackie McLean was at The Gold Lounge.

In the late 1960s, he performed with Jackie McLean. Because of this, he was asked to play on Miles Davis's important 1969 album. He also played on Freddie Hubbard's 1970 album, Red Clay. In 1972, White joined the jazz group Return to Forever.

Music Career Highlights

White and Stanley Clarke, 1976

In 1975, Lenny White released his first solo album. It was called Venusian Summer. Famous guitarists like Al DiMeola and Larry Coryell played on it. He released Big City in 1977.

In 1978, he released two more solo albums: The Adventures of Astral Pirates and Streamline. Later, he started a jazz and soul group called Twennynine. This group released three albums: Best of Friends (1979), Twennynine with Lenny White (1980), and Just Like Dreamin' (1981).

White also played on Chick Corea's 1982 album Touchstone. He helped produce Chaka Khan's 1982 album Echoes of an Era. He also worked with Maurice White from Earth, Wind & Fire to produce Pieces of a Dream's 1986 album Joyride. In 1995, he released his own album, Present Tense.

Today, Lenny White teaches at NYU Steinhardt. He leads a music group and teaches a class about Miles Davis's music style.

Personal Life

Lenny White has lived in Teaneck, New Jersey for a long time. He uses Vic Firth drum sticks. He also plays his own special cymbals, which are sponsored by Istanbul Agop.

Awards and Honors

Lenny White has been nominated for two individual Grammy Awards. He has won a total of three Grammy Awards.

White has also been nominated for and won one Latin Grammy Award.

At the Cannes World Film Festival in 2023, his song Algorithm Takedown won the Best Song award.

Music Albums

As a Leader or Co-Leader

• Venusian Summer (1975)
• Big City (1977)
• The Adventures of Astral Pirates (1978)
• Streamline (1978)
• Best of Friends (1979) - with Twennynine
• Twennynine with Lenny White (1980)
• Just Like Dreamin' (1981) - with Twennynine
• Attitude (1983)
• In Clinic (1983)
• Present Tense (1995)
• Renderers of Spirit (1996)
• Edge (1998)
• Collection (2002)
• The Love Has Never Gone: Tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire (2004)
• Hancock Island (2008)
• Anomaly (2010)
• Lenny White Live (2013)

With Return to Forever

With Chick Corea, Bill Connors, and Stanley Clarke:

• Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (1973)

With Chick Corea, Al Di Meola, and Stanley Clarke:

• Where Have I Known You Before (1974)
• No Mystery (1975)
• Romantic Warrior (1976)
• Returns (2009)

As Corea, Clarke & White:

• Forever (2009)

With Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Jean-Luc Ponty, and Frank Gambale:

• The Mothership Returns (2012)

See also

In Spanish: Lenny White para niños