5 Key Facts About George Benson's Breezin' Album

It was George Benson’s fifteenth studio album Released in March 1976 on Warner Bros. Records, Breezin’ marked a significant milestone in his career.

The album was a commercial breakthrough It became Benson’s first platinum-selling record and reached number one on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.

The title track was originally an instrumental “Breezin’” was written by Bobby Womack and first recorded as an instrumental, but Benson’s version became a smooth jazz staple.

It featured a hit single The track “This Masquerade” won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1977, helping propel the album to mainstream success.

The album defined a genre Breezin’ is often credited with popularizing smooth jazz, blending R&B, pop, and jazz into a commercially accessible sound.