Earl Klugh

2.1. Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Born in Detroit, Michigan, on September 16, 1953, Earl Klugh began his musical training at the age of six, learning to play the piano. At the age of ten, he transitioned to the guitar, which would become his primary instrument. A pivotal moment in his early development occurred when he was 13 years old: he was deeply captivated by the guitar playing of Chet Atkins during Atkins' appearance on the Perry Como Show. This experience profoundly influenced Klugh's musical direction and technique.

2.2. Influences and Early Career

Klugh's style was shaped by a diverse array of musicians. Beyond Chet Atkins, who remained a significant influence throughout his career, Klugh was also inspired by Bob James, Ray Parker Jr., Wes Montgomery, and Laurindo Almeida. Klugh was a performing guest on several of Atkins' albums, and Atkins reciprocated by joining Klugh on his Magic in Your Eyes album. Klugh also appeared with Atkins on several television programs, including Hee Haw and a 1994 TV special titled "Read my Licks". His early professional career began at age 15, when he started working as a guitar instructor. It was during this time that he was discovered by Yusef Lateef, leading to his first recording appearance on Lateef's album Suite 16. He further expanded his professional experience by playing on George Benson's album White Rabbit and subsequently joined Benson's touring band in 1973. Klugh also collaborated with other notable figures such as George Shearing and Chick Corea. He briefly joined Chick Corea's band Return to Forever at the age of 20, where he played electric guitar, but left after two months due to family illness and a stronger preference for the acoustic guitar. Like many other musicians from Detroit, Klugh attended Mumford High School.

2.3. Development of Signature Style

Earl Klugh developed a highly distinctive and recognizable playing style, primarily centered on the nylon-string guitar. He is known for his intricate fingerstyle technique, which, while influenced by Chet Atkins, is uniquely his own. Klugh does not use a thumb pick, relying instead on his fingernails, yet his approach to melody and bass lines often mirrors the complexity found in Chet Atkins' playing. His sound is characterized by sophisticated chord voicings and a harmonious blend of jazz, pop, and rhythm and blues elements. Klugh's background in piano, which he still occasionally plays on recordings, also informs his guitar work; he has cited Bill Evans as an artist he greatly admires, aiming to achieve a similar depth of melody and harmony on the guitar that Evans produced on the piano. This pursuit of a piano-like versatility on a single guitar, combining melody, bass lines, and intricate chord work, is a hallmark of his numerous solo albums. Despite his acoustic focus, he also possesses the improvisational qualities associated with bebop, having been mentored by George Benson.

2.4. Major Career Milestones

Klugh's career is marked by numerous achievements and accolades. In 1981, he and Bob James received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for their collaborative album One on One. This was one of his 13 Grammy nominations, culminating in one win. He has sold millions of records and CDs globally and continues to tour worldwide. His album Finger Paintings was recognized with the "1977 Best Recording Award For Performance and Sound" by Swing Journal, a prominent Japanese jazz magazine. Klugh has released over 30 albums, with 23 of them reaching the Top Ten on Billboard's Jazz Album chart, and five of those achieving the No. 1 position. His album The Spice of Life (2008) earned him his 12th career Grammy nomination.

Since 2004, Klugh has hosted an annual event called "Weekend of Jazz" at the Broadmoor Hotel & Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This event features performances by renowned jazz musicians, with past guests including Ramsey Lewis, Patti Austin, Chuck Mangione, Bob James, Joe Sample, Chris Botti, Roberta Flack, and Arturo Sandoval. In November 2010, the "Weekend of Jazz" expanded to the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina.

2.5. Recording Career and Label History

Earl Klugh's prolific recording career began with his first solo album, Earl Klugh, released in 1976 on EMI and Blue Note. This album, produced by Dave Grusin of the then-nascent GRP Records, was notable for its focus on the acoustic guitar. He continued to release albums on Blue Note, including Living inside Your Love (1976), Finger Paintings (1977), Magic in Your Eyes (1978), Heart String (1979), Dream Come True (1980), Late Night Guitar (1980), and Crazy for You (1981).

In the 1980s, Klugh moved to Capitol Records, releasing Low Ride (1983) and Wishful Thinking (1984). He then transitioned to Warner Bros. Records in 1985, releasing Soda Fountain Shuffle and Nightsongs in the same year. His tenure at Warner Bros. was prolific, including albums like Life Stories (1987), Solo Guitar (1989), Whispers and Promises (1989), Midnight in San Juan (1991), Move (1994), Sudden Burst of Energy (1996), and The Journey (1997).

In 1999, Klugh moved to Windham Hill Jazz, releasing Peculiar Situation, which featured a guest appearance by Roberta Flack. By 2005, he signed with Koch Records, releasing the solo guitar album Naked Guitar, which included a self-cover of his song "Angelina." He followed this with The Spice of Life in 2008. His most recent album, HandPicked, was released in 2013 on Heads Up International.

3.1. Studio Albums

3.2. Trio Albums

3.3. Duet and Collaboration Albums

3.4. Soundtrack Albums

3.5. Compilation Albums

3.6. Video and DVD Releases

4.1. Musical Influence

Earl Klugh's distinctive playing style, characterized by his use of nylon strings, intricate fingerstyle techniques, and sophisticated chord voicings, has profoundly influenced the landscape of contemporary jazz and instrumental music. His ability to seamlessly blend elements of jazz, pop, and R&B created a unique subgenre that inspired many subsequent musicians. His disciplined approach to the acoustic guitar, drawing from influences like Chet Atkins and aspiring to the harmonic richness of pianists like Bill Evans, established a new standard for guitar performance within these genres. Klugh's compositions are often lauded for their melodic beauty and harmonic complexity, contributing to the evolution of a more accessible yet refined instrumental sound.

4.2. Use in Media

Earl Klugh's music has garnered significant popularity and has been widely featured across various media platforms, particularly in Japan. His compositions have frequently served as theme songs or background music for numerous television and radio programs, highlighting their broad cultural reach.

Notable instances of his music being used in Japanese media include:

• "Living Inside Your Love" and "Doc" were used as theme songs for the Japanese television program Look Look Konnichiwa.
• "Dance with Me" was featured as the ending theme for Nagano Yuya no Seikai Key Person ni Kiku.
• "Amazon" served as background music for the opening sequence of Sun Television until approximately 2004.
• "Julie" was used as background music for the closing sequence of KBS Kyoto around 1980, during its time as Kinki Broadcasting.
• "Dream Come True" was the background music for the weather forecast segment of tss News.
• "I Don't Want To Leave You Alone Anymore" was used for the weather forecast segment of TSS Supernews.
• "Good As It Gets" from The Journey album was featured in the weather forecast segment of Nippon TV NEWS24 during its "NNN24" era.
• "Good As It Gets" was also the ending theme for Watanabe Mai to Nagao Mariya no Tuesday Night on RF Radio Japan.
• "Take It from the Top" was the ending theme for Tsurukou no Uwasa no Golden Hour on Nippon Broadcasting System.
• "Walk in the Sun" was used for the weather forecast and "All Through the Night" for traffic information on RCC Radio until March 27, 2022. Additionally, "Far from Home" is the theme song for Yamano Hideko no Chiisana Patio, produced by the same station.
• "Take It from the Top" served as the opening theme and "Wishful Thinking" as the ending theme for the "Kyoritsu Resort Presents ~A New Discovery in Travel~ Tabi no Oto" segment (April 2021 - June 2023) within the Local Creation Program ONE-J on TBS Radio.
• "Happy Song" is the opening theme for Cheerful Cheers! on NACK5.
• "If It's in Your Heart (It's in Your Smile)" and "Doc" from Dream Come True were frequently used as background music for program promotions and local commercials on NST Niigata General Television in the 1980s.