About this item
Over the span of his illustrious five-decade career George Benson has sold millions of records performed for hundreds of millions of fans and cut some of the most beloved jazz and soul tunes in music history But the guitaristvocalist is much more than This Masquerade On Broadway Turn Your Love Around and Give Me the Night Benson is a flat-out inspiration a multitalented artist who survived an impoverished childhood and molded himself into the first truemdashand truly successfulmdashjazzsoul crossover artist And now on the heels of receiving the prestigious NEW Jazz Masters award George has finally decided to tell his story And what a story it isBenson The Autobiography follows Georges remarkable rise from the ghettos of Pittsburgh to the stages of South Africa and everywhere in between George Benson is an unparalleled storyteller and his tales of scuffling on the Chitlin Circuit with jazz legend Brother Jack McDuff navigating his way through the recording studio with Miles Davis and performing with the likes of Frank Sinatra Tony Bennett Stevie Wonder Aretha Franklin BB King Quincy Jones Benny Goodman Rod Stewart Chaka Khan Count Basie and Lou Rawls will enthrall devotees of both music history and pop cultureA treat for serious listeners hardcore guitar aficionados and casual music followers alike Georges long-awaited book allows readers to meet the man who is one of the most beloved prolific and bestselling musicians of his or any other era.
About the Author
Alan Goldsher is the author of ten novels, including "Paul Is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion" (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster) , "A Game of Groans" (St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne Books, as George R.R. Washington) , and "My Favorite Fangs: The Story of the von Trapp Family Vampires" (St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne Books) . Written as A.M. Goldsher, his chicklit books "The True Naomi Story," "Reality Check," "Today's Special," and "No Ordinary Girl" were released by Little Black Dress Books in the U.K. and Marabout in France between 2008-2011. His non-fiction titles include "Hard Bop Academy: The Sidemen of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers" and "Modest Mouse: A Pretty Good Read."
As a ghostwriter, Alan has collaborated on projects with numerous celebrities and public figures, including actor/comedian Kevin Pollak ("A Few Good Men," "The Usual Suspects") , film director Tobe Hooper ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre") , Chef Stephanie Izard, and jazz guitarist/vocalist George Benson.
His music journalism has appeared in Bass Player and Guitar Player, and his sportswriting has been seen in ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, NBA.com, and ChicagoBulls.com. He also reviews books for Kirkus.
During his 10-plus years as a professional bassist, Goldsher recorded with Janet Jackson, Cypress Hill, and Naughty by Nature; toured the world with Digable Planets; and performed at the 1994 Grammy Awards.
Alan lives and writes in Chicago. Visit him at http://www.AlanGoldsher.com.
