Earl Klugh

Grammy-winning guitarist Earl Klugh emerged in the ’70s as one of jazz’s premier acoustic-guitar stylists and an early architect of what would eventually be dubbed smooth jazz. Born in Detroit in 1954, Klugh was a prodigy who made his first recorded appearance (on a Yusef Lateef album) when he was only 15. After working with jazz guitar giant George Benson and others, Klugh began his solo career with a self-titled 1976 album. From the start, his unique style was front and center—simultaneously virtuosic and lyrical, his playing incorporated jazzy fluidity, funky grooves, and a pop leaning that led him to cut instrumental versions of Top 40 hits such as Neil Sedaka’s “Laughter In the Rain” and the Eagles’ “Hotel California” over the years, retooling them to suit his sound. Klugh found decades of success both on his own and in duo settings with musical soulmates like Benson and Bob James, making tons of high-profile guest appearances (with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Buffett, and many more) along the way.