| George Shearing was born blind on August 13, 1919, but | | | | Ernestine Anderson, Dakota Staton, Carmen McRae, |
| his life has been fast-paced and full of | | | | and Nancy Wilson. Concord Records signed George |
| accomplishments. Born in London, Shearing was the | | | | Shearing in 1979. Under Concord Records, he won |
| youngest of nine children and even though blind from | | | | Grammy awards in 1982 and 1983. |
| birth, went on to create one of the most recognized | | | | From the 1980's through the 1990's, George Shearing |
| sounds in jazz. | | | | performed at numerous festivals, was on numerous |
| By the age of three, Shearing learned to play the | | | | radio shows, and made many recordings. Collaboration |
| piano. Then, Linden Lodge School for the Blind was his | | | | with Neil Swainson occurred in the 1990's through the |
| home away from home for four years. While in school, | | | | early 21st century. The Rare Delight of You, an album |
| Shearing also learned to play the accordion. He even | | | | with Shearing and The John Pizzarelli Trio, was |
| performed at a local pub for the equivalent of almost 5 | | | | released in 2002. It received great reviews. |
| dollars per week. | | | | Along the way, a now-popular piano technique was |
| Shortly after, Shearing joined a band of blind musicians. | | | | named after Shearing. It is called Shearing Voicing. This |
| In 1937, at the age of 18, George Shearing began | | | | technique uses a block chord with the melody on top in |
| recording music with Leonard Feather. After three | | | | the right hand while the left hand repeats the melody in |
| years of recording with Feather, Harry Parry's band | | | | a lower octave and makes it stand out over the right |
| took in Shearing. During this time, Shearing was also | | | | hand. It is a difficult style to perfect, particularly when |
| honored as the winner of seven Melody Maker polls. | | | | playing solo. In his quintet Shearing has the vibes player |
| Although he moved to the United States in 1947, he | | | | playing the melody also, creating what some have |
| became a United States citizen in 1956. During those | | | | described as a "shimmering overtone" effect. |
| nine years, George Shearing began playing a new | | | | Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road describes a lovely |
| style of music that incorporated swing, bop, and | | | | Shearing performance. In all of his years of musical |
| modern classic. | | | | service, Shearing recorded and released close to 100 |
| 1949 marked the year that Shearing founded the first | | | | albums and has received many notable awards. |
| George Shearing Quintet. The quintet included Marjorie | | | | Westminster College in Utah gave him an honorary |
| Hyams, Chuck Wayne, John Levy, and Denzil Best. | | | | Doctor of Music degree in 1975. Shearing also earned |
| The first single from the quintet was September in the | | | | the Horatio Alger Award for Distinguished Americans |
| Rain, and it sold over 900,000 copies. In 1969, the | | | | in 1978. In 1993, the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime |
| quintet stopped recording with Capitol; however, | | | | Achievement was given to him. Shearing received |
| Sheaving solved the problem by starting Sheba, his | | | | another honorary degree from Hamilton College in |
| own recording label. | | | | New York. It was also a Doctor of Music honorary |
| From 1970 to 1978, the quintet disassembled. During | | | | degree. He received the first American Music Award |
| these eight years, The Reunion and With George | | | | by the National Arts Club of New York in 1998. |
| Shearing were released. Shearing recorded and | | | | Recently, the BBC Jazz Awards' Lifetime |
| released these albums in collaboration with well-known | | | | Achievement Award was given to Shearing in 2003. |
| bassist Andy Simpkins, drummer Rusty Jones, and | | | | George Shearing became Sir George Shearing in |
| musician Stephane Grappelli. Over the years, other | | | | 2007 when he was knighted for his services in music. |
| collaborations included music with Montgomery | | | | Now, Sir George and his wife travel from their New |
| Brothers, Marian McPartland, Brian Q. Torff, Jim Hall, | | | | York apartment to Berkshires frequently. Shearing is |
| Hank Jones, Kenny Davern, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, | | | | semi-retired. |