In this article we’ll talk about Kenny G net worth, how he built his fortune, and key lessons from his impressive path to success.
Who is Kenny G?
Kenneth Bruce Gorelik, better known as Kenny G, is an American musician, saxophonist, producer and composer that was born in Seattle, Washington on June 5th 1956.
Kenny G went to school in his hometown, Seattle. In particular, he attended Whitworth Elementary School, Sharples Junior High School, Franklin High School, and the University of Washington.
He tried unsuccessfully to join the jazz band when he was a freshman in high school, but the following year he tried again and he was given the first chair.
His high school golf team included him as well. He first became interested in the sport when he was ten years old, thanks to his older brother Brian Gorelick.
In 1980, Kenny G married Janice DeLeon; they divorced a few years later, in 1987.
In 1992 he got married to Lyndie Benson, and they had two kids: Max and Noah.
| Full Name: | Kenneth Bruce Gorelik |
| Born: | June 5th 1956 – Seattle, Washington, US |
| Occupation: | Saxophonist, producer, composer |
| Net Worth: | $100 Million |
Kenny G Net Worth and How He Achieved His Wealth
Kenny G net worth is $100 Million, as of 2023. He has amassed this fortune mainly by working as a musician, producer and composer.
After hearing Kenny G cover “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, Arista Records CEO Clive Davis offered him a solo recording contract.
The fact that Kenny G “had a nice ring to it” led him to choose it as his stage name.
The Jeff Lorber Fusion members helped him record his first studio album, Kenny G, which was then released in 1982. The album was well-received by reviewers and peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
In addition to Dying Young and The Bodyguard, Kenny G contributed to a number of other soundtracks for movies.
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance was given to the tune “Theme for Dying Young,” which he composed for the film.
The songs “Waiting for You” and “Even If My Heart Would Break” by Kenny G may be found on the soundtrack of the Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston movie The Bodyguard.
He also composed music for the movie Miracle on 34th Street.
Another interesting fact about Kenny G carrer is that state governors and Clinton Cabinet members attended his performance at the White House in February 2000.
In 2002, he released Paradise, his eighth studio album. On the album, one of the tracks, All the Way, is a duet with R&B artist Brian McKnight.
There is also a duet with Chanté Moore called One More Time, which is the album’s lead single.
More about his career
He worked alongside friends and colleagues David Sanborn, David Benoit, Hall & Oates’ lead singer Daryl Hall, Burt Bacharach, and Barbra Streisand on At Last…The Duets Album.
Careless Whisper, At Last, and Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word are just a few examples of amazing covers on the album.
In October 2020, Kenny G released a remix of the hit song In Your Eyes.
With Gary’s Song, Kenny G contributed to the soundtrack of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run in 2021. The character Kelpy G from the Nickelodeon cartoon mocks the artist.
In 2022, the artist performed with his son Max Gorelick the song “Merkurius Gilded” by the avant-garde metal band Imperial Triumphant.
Properties
Since 1998, a lavish Malibu mansion/compound on a bluff top has been Kenny’s principal home.
In 1997, he paid $12.5 million for the first piece of the property.
He paid $3 million for the home next door in 2000, then proceeded to demolish it and start from scratch on a brand-new mansion.
The second house’s construction reportedly costed more than $3.5 million. The new second home is made of two bedrooms, four bathrooms, a tennis court, a 9-foot piano, and a 1,500 square foot recording studio.
The main building has offices, a screening room, and a guest house with a view of the ocean.
His properties clearly contribute to Kenny G net worth.
Kenny G on social media
On Instagram, Kenny G has 276K followers and he usually posts images of his shows and pictures of him with other artists.
Kenny G Quotes
“I started realizing that music is the one area where I’ve always let go. When that saxophone goes into my mouth, I get into a space where I never think about the notes I’ve already played or anticipate the notes ahead.”
“When I play live, I feel how the audience is going and follow and lead at the same time.”
“Grover Washington was my main influence, and when I went to college, I started listening to more of the jazz masters like Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderley, and John Coltrane.”
“You can’t just walk away when somebody recognizes you. You have to take some time out and talk to them. It’s not a waste of time – I just love talking to people. And I don’t do this to sell records. The truth is, I do what I do because I love it.”
Source: Brainy Quote
Key Takeaways from Kenny G’s Career
Be Versatile
Kenny has achieved fame and popularity with all of his music released during the years, but one thing that is admirable is the versatility to move markets and play music from different countries.
Kenny has also recorded chinese music adding them in his catalog.
This shows us that we need to learn to be versatile, by doing this our reach will be higher and people will perceive us as unique.
Give Credit
Kenny has mentioned that his main influences were some of the jazz masters such as Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane.
This teaches us that we have to give credit. If we are influenced by someone or something we should always have to be true to ourselves and give them credit, whenever we can.
Recommended reads:
- Steve Vai Net Worth and How He Built His Fortune
- Chayce Beckham Net Worth and How He Built His Fortune
Featured Photo: Msittig (Made black and white by Beaumain), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
