Ten-time Grammy® award winner George Benson will be the featured performer at the fourth annual GENERATIONS concert presented by Nat King Cole Generation Hope on Saturday, April 25, at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. Proceeds raised will fund the mission of the nonprofit Nat King Cole Generation Hope (www.natkingcolehope.org) founded by Nat King Cole’s twin daughters Timolin and Casey to provide music education to the children with the greatest need and fewest resources by funding programs that provide instruction, mentoring and resources.
Concert proceeds will fund a NKCGH grant to VH1 Save The Music program for which NKCGH is Leadership Circle sponsor of its Keys + Kids Program. A percentage of proceeds will also continue to underwrite the Nat and Maria Cole Memorial Scholarship that is given to a deserving high school senior who has chosen to major in music in college as well as the Nat King Cole Generation Hope Summer Strings program at Lynn University which provides intensive string instruction for up to 100 children with the greatest need and fewest resources each year.
Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1-800-653-8000. VIP tickets ($250) include premier seating, open bar, private meet and greet session and a post-event dessert reception, while Donor tickets ($150) offer priority seating and open bar. General admission tickets ($75) are also available.
The 8 p.m. concert in The Pavilion will be preceded by a reception at 6:30 p.m. featuring students from Nat King Cole Generation Hope’s music programs and a silent auction. Local youth artists will also open the show for Benson.
A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960’s, playing soul jazz with Jack McDuff and others. He then launched a successful solo career, alternating between jazz, pop, R&B singing and scat singing. His album Breezin’ was certified triple-platinum on the Billboard 200 chart in 1976. A jazz guitarist who describes his music as focusing more on love and romance, Benson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His most recent album on Concord Records – Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole – was released in 2013 and featured Wynton Marsalis and IdinaMenzel.
The NKCGH GENERATIONS Concert is sponsored by NCCI, Florida Power & Light, Florida Public Utilities, and West Boca Medical Center; media sponsors include Life Publications and LivingFLA.com; partners include Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center, Dawn of Design Graphic Studio and
Kaye Communications, Inc.