Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole

Studio album by George Benson

Released

June 4, 2013

Genre

Jazz

Length

40:50

Label

Concord Jazz

Producer

John Burk

George Benson chronology

Guitar Man
(2011)

Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole
(2013)

Singles from Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole

"Unforgettable (feat. Wynton Marsalis)"
Released: 2013
"When I Fall in Love (feat. Idina Menzel)"
Released: 2014

Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole is a studio album by George Benson. The album was released by Concord Jazz on June 4, 2013.^[1] It peaked at #89 on the Billboard album chart.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[2]
USA Today	^[3]

Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole has received very positive reception from music critics. Steve Leggett of Allmusic affirmed that "it all adds up to a sweet and very impressive album, full of warmth and heart, and it swings where it should."^[2] At USA Today, Steve Jones praised it for "his smooth vocals [that] make this homage unforgettable."^[3]

Formats

Vinyl LP
Regular CD
Best Buy Edition CD (incl. 2 Bonus Tracks)
Japanese Edition CD (incl. Bonus Track)
QVC Edition (Regular CD + 6-track Bonus Disc)
HD Tracks (High Definition Music Downloads)
iTunes (incl. Bonus Track)

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Mona Lisa" (as Lil' Georgie Benson)		0:57
2.	"Just One of Those Things"	Cole Porter	2:42
3.	"Unforgettable"	Irving Gordon	5:05
4.	"Walkin' My Baby"	Roy Turk, Fred E. Ahlert	2:43
5.	"When I Fall in Love"	Victor Young, Edward Heyman	4:04
6.	"Route 66"	Bobby Troup	3:50
7.	"Nature Boy"	Eden Ahbez	2:40
8.	"Ballerina"	Carl Sigman, Bob Russell	2:46
9.	"Smile"	Charlie Chaplin, John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons	3:22
10.	"Straighten Up and Fly Right"	Nat King Cole, Irving Mills	3:06
11.	"Too Young"	Sidney Lippman, Sylvia Dee	3:28
12.	"I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter"	Joe Young, Fred E. Ahlert	3:05
13.	"Mona Lisa"	Jay Livingston, Ray Evans	3:02

Best Buy bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
14.	"That Sunday, That Summer"	George David Weiss, Joe Sherman	3:02
15.	"Ramblin' Rose"	Noel Sherman, Joe Sherman	2:46

Japanese bonus track
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
14.	"Almost Like Being in Love"	Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe	2:15

iTunes bonus track
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
14.	"Mona Lisa (Calypso Version)"	Jay Livingston, Ray Evans	2:45

Personnel

George Benson - vocals, guitar
Lil' Georgie Benson (age 8) - vocals, ukulele (on track 1)
Randy Waldman - piano
Tim May - guitar
Michael O'Neill - baritone guitar, banjo on "Ramblin' Rose"
Chuck Berghofer - bass
Gregg Field - drums
Michael Fisher - percussion
Sheila E. - percussion on "Unforgettable"
Janey Clewer, Alvin Chea, Don Chelton - background vocals on "Straighten Up and Fly Right", "Smile", "That Sunday, That Summer" and "Ramblin' Rose"
Chris Papastephanou, Randy Waldman - background vocals on "Straighten Up and Fly Right"

Special guests

Wynton Marsalis - trumpet on "Unforgettable"
Idina Menzel - vocals on "When I Fall in Love"
Till Brönner - trumpet on "Smile"
Judith Hill - vocals on "Too Young"

Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra

Trumpets - Ryan Chapman, Chris Burbank, Gilbert Paz, Jared Hall
Trombones - Chris Gagne, Kendall Moore, Stephen Szabadi, Major Bailey
Alto Saxophones - Neil Carson, Kevin McKeown
Tenor Saxophones - Mark Small, Alex Weitz
Baritone Saxophone - Derek Smith
Flute - Cassandra Eisenreich
French Horn - Jon Anderson
Violin - Steffen Zeichner (Concertmaster & Soloist), Abby Young, Adam Diderrich, Karin O'Keefe, Zack Piper, Michelle Godbee, Patricia Jancova, Tomas Cotik, Victor Colmenares, James Reynolds, Jonah Osawa, * Rob Patrignani, Arianne Urban, Michelle Mlacker, Katrina Schaeffer
Viola - Robyn Savitzky, Kathryn Severing, Marcela Fernandez, Lauren Miller
Cello - Joy Adams, Cecilia Huerta, Andrew Kromholz, Chia-Li Yu, Sarah Gongaware
Bass - Rachel Hershey, Jeff Kipperman, Yen-Ling Lin
Harp - Christina Hardister
Dean - Shelton Berg
Artistic Director - Terence Blanchard
Artistic Coordinator - Scott Flavin
Managing Director - Stephen Guerra

Release history

List of release dates, showing country, record label, and format
Region	Date	Label	Format
Germany	May 31, 2013	Concord	CD, Digital download
United Kingdom	June 3, 2013
France	June 3, 2013
United States	June 4, 2013
Japan	June 5, 2013
Germany	June 14, 2013		LP record
United Kingdom	June 17, 2013
United States	June 25, 2013
Japan	June 25, 2013

References

↑ "George Benson Releases Heartfelt Homage to Nat King Cole Titled Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole June 4, 2013". Jazzcorner.com. Retrieved 2013-04-27.
1 2 Leggett, Steve (June 3, 2013). "Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole - George Benson : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
1 2 Jones, Steve (June 3, 2013). "Listen up: Rimes, Benson serve up four-star tunes". USA Today. Retrieved June 4, 2013.

George Benson
Discography
Studio albums	The New Boss Guitar of George Benson It's Uptown The George Benson Cookbook Giblet Gravy Shape of Things to Come Goodies Tell It Like It Is The Other Side of Abbey Road Beyond the Blue Horizon White Rabbit Body Talk Bad Benson Good King Bad Benson & Farrell Breezin' In Flight Livin' Inside Your Love Give Me the Night In Your Eyes Pacific Fire I Got a Woman and Some Blues 20/20 While the City Sleeps... Collaboration Twice the Love Big Boss Band That's Right Standing Together Absolute Benson Irreplaceable Givin' It Up Songs and Stories Guitar Man Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole
Live albums	In Concert-Carnegie Hall Weekend in L.A.
Compilations	Space The George Benson Collection
Main Singles	"This Masquerade" (1976) "Breezin'" (1976) "The Greatest Love of All" (1977) "On Broadway" (1978) "Love Ballad" (1979) "Give Me the Night" (1980) "Love X Love" (1980) "Never Give Up on a Good Thing" (1981) "Turn Your Love Around" (1981) "Inside Love (So Personal)" (1983) "Lady Love Me (One More Time)" (1983) "Feel Like Makin' Love" (1983) "In Your Eyes" (1983) "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You" (1985) "Shiver" (1986) "Teaser" (1986) "Let's Do It Again (1988)
Book:George Benson

Nat King Cole
Studio albums	The King Cole Trio Nat King Cole at the Piano King Cole for Kids Penthouse Serenade Nat King Cole Sings for Two in Love The Piano Style of Nat King Cole After Midnight Just One of Those Things Love Is the Thing Cole Español St. Louis Blues The Very Thought of You To Whom It May Concern Welcome to the Club A Mis Amigos Tell Me All About Yourself Every Time I Feel the Spirit Wild Is Love The Magic of Christmas The Nat King Cole Story The Touch of Your Lips Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays Ramblin' Rose Dear Lonely Hearts More Cole Español Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer Where Did Everyone Go? Nat King Cole Sings My Fair Lady Let's Face the Music! I Don't Want to Be Hurt Anymore L-O-V-E
Compilation albums	Top Pops Harvest of Hits Unforgettable 10th Anniversary Album Ballads of the Day This Is Nat King Cole The Beautiful Ballads For Sentimental Reasons Love Songs
Tribute albums	All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole Trio Dear Mr. Cole Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole The Nat King Cole Songbook P.S. Mr. Cole A Tribute to the Great Nat "King" Cole With Respect to Nat You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs)
Songs	"Mona Lisa" "Night Lights" "To the Ends of the Earth" "Unforgettable" "The Christmas Song"
Related articles	Discography Maria Cole (wife) Carole Cole (daughter) Natalie Cole (daughter)

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