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Al Jarreau music biography continued...

on March 12, 1940, Jarreau first started singing in his church choir. He went on to pursue studies in social work, but after receiving his master's degree in psychology, move to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming a singer. Jarreau played small clubs throughout the West Coast and later branched out to New York City as well, where he gained national television exposure by crooning with Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin. His first album, 1965, released that year, was pure jazz featuring pianist Cal Bezemer, bassist Gary Allen and drummer Joe Abodeely. In 1975, after a 10-year break from recording, Jarreau went back to the studio to produce We Got By, his first release for Warner Brothers Records. It received great reviews and during the next two decades, Jarreau would release almost an album per year. Career highlights included 1981's Breakin' Away, which went platinum thanks to the hit single We're in This Love Together and the popular theme song from the 1980s television show, Moonlighting. Along the way, Jarreau won countless awards, including three Grammys for Best Male Jazz Vocalist, one Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocalist, and later, in 1992, a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance. These awards made Jarreau the only recording artist in Grammy history to win across three genres, and solidified his status as a superstar.



Jarreau's output slowed down toward the end of the 90s when several compilation albums were released, but he picked up steam again when he signed with the Verve/GRP label in 1998 and reunited with producer Tommy LiPuma, who had produced his 1975 album, We Got By. With LiPuma's guidance, Jarreau record some more top notch albums including 2000's Tomorrow Today, 2002's All I Got, and 2004's Accentuate the Positive. Givin' It Up, recorded with George Benson and released in 2006, was nominated for three Grammy Awards -- each one for a different song. Jarreau returned with his first ever full-length holiday-themed album, Christmas, in 2008, a wonderful gift for his scores of fans.