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From barefoot dreadlocked troubadour to suave standard-bearer for contemporary R&B. Eric Benét may have changed his look, but one thing has remained consistent: his dedication to crafting authentic music that engages the soul. “I’m not chasing any current whatevers,” says Benét, a four-time Grammy nominee. “It’s about music that gives me goosebumps and touches my soul. That’s always been a good barometer for me.”Benét’s smooth tenor-to-falsetto range still rings crystal clear. “When you listen to my songs, they start off with nice intros and builds. Then they slowly bring you back down to earth. I wanted to do that… take people on a journey, get their hearts jumping and feet moving before getting down to the intimate and lovely side of things.” That musical M.O. dates to the Milwaukee native’s early days.
“Back then I was discovering who I was artistically,” he recalls. “I was so influenced by Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Chaka Khan, the Beatles and Queen. It was just this hodgepodge of where do I go with all of this?”
His 1996 solo debut True to Myself put both music fans and the industry on notice. But it was the 1999 sophomore set A Day in the Life, that hit home. That album featured “Georgy Porgy” as well as his first Number One R&B single, “Spend My Life with You.” Benét’s career breakthrough, it became a gold record and his first Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance. Since then, the singer has released five more studio albums. Also, he has scored more hits including “You’re the Only One” and “Sometimes I Cry”. Further, he has added three more Grammy nods—the most recent in 2012 for Best Traditional R&B Performance.
NOV 21 • 6:30 & 9PM
Tickets>> bit.ly/4dDcHKW
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN, United States, Minnesota 55403
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