Many Pittsburghers turned out to see “Little Georgie Benson” when the mega star returned to Pittsburgh to perform a much-anticipated concert at the Benedum on May 9.
And no one left disappointed.
“The Greatest Hits Tour” started out with “Breezin’” and stayed smooth the whole night long.
Following an instrumental cover of “Lately,” Benson talked about how proud he was of his Pittsburgh heritage and how the city helped him make it big.
“Pittsburgh has been instrumental in taking me out and kicking me to the top of the game. I jumped into the Big Apple but I took the Pittsburgh vibe with me,” said Benson who sported black tuxedo-style pants and a burgundy jacket.
The Hill District native got his start in music at the age of seven playing the ukulele in a corner drugstore, which earned him some money. A year later he was playing guitar in an unlicensed nightclub that was quickly shut down. He recorded his first album at the age of 10 under the moniker “Little Georgie Benson,” which Pittsburgers still call him today.
“I walked down Liberty Avenue and I didn’t recognize anything,” said the Schenley High School graduate to the cheering crowd during his one-night performance. “There are no more streetcars.”
Flanked with a tight and truly amazing band from across the country, Benson took concert goers on a journey through his biggest hits, other singer’s chart-toppers and long-forgotten-but still good movie sound track songs.
Benson proved he is still a top entertainer with performances of Norah Jones’ juggernaut hit, “Don’t Know Why I Didn’t Come” and his “Kisses in the Moonlight.”
When he performed “Turn Your Love Around,” “This Masquerade” and “Give Me the Night” the crowd went bonkers.
“This Masquerade” became a huge pop hit for Benson and won him a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. “Give Me the Night” was Benson’s breakthrough pop album produced by Quincy Jones on Jones’ Qwest Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records that was run by Jones. Benson made it into the pop and R & B Top 10 with the song.
The 10-time Grammy winner displayed his jazz guitar prowess several times throughout the concert, once creating a ditty off the top of his head.
After leaving the stage and letting each band member do their solos, Benson returned to perform “Love x Love” and “Lady Love Me (One More Time).”
In 2009 Benson was recognized by The National Endowment of the Arts as a Jazz Master, the nation’s highest honor in Jazz. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is also the recipient of an NAACP Image Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2013 Benson recorded “Inspirations: A Tribute to Nat King Cole.” Cole was one of Benson’s musical idols. The album featured “The Voice” contestant Judith Hill, multi award-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. It was billed as one of the singer/musicians most inspired works.
Benson concluded his Pittsburgh concert with an awesome version of his “On Broadway” from the 1978 album, “Weekend in L.A.” In its heyday, the song hit number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to second place on the soul chart. It also won Benson a Grammy for Best R & B Vocal Performance.
The song has been receiving continual airplay on adult contemporary and smooth jazz stations ever since.
So there was no surprise when the crowd hooped and hollered when he launched into the song ending a perfect night of beautiful music on a magical note.
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