Kenny G

Saxophonist Kenny G's warm, melodic fusion of pop instrumental and smooth jazz sold over 75 million records over the course of a two-decade career, making him the most successful instrumental performer in modern history. After near a decade as a sideman for Barry White and Jeff Lorber, among others, he became a platinum-selling artist with a string of solo albums for Arista that established him as a contender in several markets, including smooth jazz, R&B and contemporary pop. Kenny G's defining moment came with 1987's Duotones and its lead single, "Songbird," which sold over 12 million copies, with subsequent releases like Breathless (1992) and The Moment following suit. The new millennium found Kenny G the 25th best-selling artist in America. Variations on his basic sound, like touches of Latin with Rhythm and Romance (2008) and R&B on Heart & Soul (2010) failed to break his grip on the jazz market, and his notoriety even translated into semi-humorous collaborations with Weezer and Katy Perry, among other pop performers. Kenny G's incredible sales figures and enduring popularity did much to underscore his ability to reach a mass market through the jazz idiom.