Kenny G

In 1992, he tied the nuptial knot with Lyndie Benson. The couple was blessed with two children, Max and Noah. However, their unison did not last long and the two legally separated in 2012.

Other than music and singing, he shares a passion for golfing and is an avid golfer. He was named by the Golf Digest as the music industry’s No 1 Golfer in 2006. He participated in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament, once winning the title in 2001.

He has been a member at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California

Kenny G was born as Kenneth Bruce Gorelick to Jewish parents in the Seattle’s Seward Park area.

His association with the saxophone dates back to the time when he was ten years old. Impressed by hearing someone play the instrument at The Ed Sullivan Show, he resolved to learn to play the device.

He took classes on how to play the saxophone from a local trumpeter Gerald Pfister. Furthermore, he imitated the records of George Washington Jr. Buffet Crampon alto was the first saxophone that he laid hands on.

Academically, he attained his formal education from a couple of schools including, Whitworth Elementary School, Sharples Junior High School and Franklin High School.

It was while at school that he first tried to get himself a seat in a jazz band but in vain. However, he did not give up and the following year successfully gained himself a seat. Meanwhile, for a year, he took private lessons on the saxophone and clarinet from Johnny Jessen.

He was still in high school when he first landed himself a job as a sideman for Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973. He collaborated with White for several performances. It was around this time that he changed his name to Kenny G.

While pursuing his professional stint as a saxophonist, he did not give up on his education either and enrolled at the University of Washington, Seattle, for a major in accounting. He graduated from the university with a magna cum laude.

In addition to playing with White, he associated himself with the funk band, ‘Cold, Bold & Together’ before making it to as the member of The Jeff Lorber Fusion. He recorded an album with the group and also convoyed with them on tour.

In 1982, impressed by his version of the ABBA track ‘Dancing Queen’ president Clive Davis signed him as a solo artist with Arista Records in 1982. Same year, he released his debut self-titled album, ‘Kenny G’. The album struck a perfect balance between jazz and R&B and was well received by the critics.

The following year, he released his second album, ‘G Force’. The album was well received and gained a platinum status at the box office. Two years later, he came up with his third studio album, ‘Gravity’ which emulated the success of its predecessors. Both his second and third studio albums achieved platinum status in United States.

His track, ‘Forever in Love’ earned him a Grammy Award in the category of Best Instrumental Composition in 1994.

In 1997, his named was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding on the E flat for 45 minutes and 47 seconds at the J&R Music World in New York City

In 2003, he was named the 25th-highest selling artist in America by the RIAA. By 2006, he had recorded an estimated sales of 48 million albums.