Al Jarreau

The only artist ever to receive Grammy Awards in three different genres, Al Jarreau mixed jazz, pop and R&B into his own smooth, soulful groove and earned a reputation as one of jazz's sweetest vocalists. The son of a vicar in Milwaukee, Jarreau grew up singing in the church choir before spending ten years in obscurity playing in small clubs in Los Angeles and up and down the West Coast. His big break came in 1975 when he was spotted by Warner Bros and his debut album We Got By was well received in the US and became a surprise hit in Germany. His light, romantic, funk hit its peak with US Top 10 album Breakin' Away (1981) but his theme tune to the hit sitcom Moonlighting further raised Jarreau's profile and he featured on the charity single for Africa We Are The World. He later went on to act in the stage musical Grease, teamed up with conductor Larry Baird for shows with a full symphonic orchestra and was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A winner of 7 Grammys in total, Jarreau remains a huge star of the American jazz circuit and in recent years released the collaboration album Givin' It Up (2006) with George Benson and appeared on the finale of American Idol in 2006.