Al Jarreau's skills were based in jazz and his albums found him just as adept at interpreting folk, R&B, pop, and funk. He received a total of seven Grammy Awards and was nominated for over a dozen more.
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| Birth name | Alwin Lopez Jarreau |
| Born | March 12, 1940 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | February 12, 2017 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1967–2017 |
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| Website | aljarreau.com |
In 1968, Jarreau made jazz his primary occupation. In 1969, Jarreau and Martinez headed south, where Jarreau appeared at Dino's, The Troubadour, and Bitter End West. Television exposure came from Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, Dinah Shore, and David Frost. He expanded his nightclub appearances, performing at The Improv between the acts of such rising stars as Bette Midler, Jimmie Walker, and John Belushi.[6] During this period, he became involved with the United Church of Religious Science and the Church of Scientology. Also, roughly at the same time, he began writing his own lyrics, finding that his Christian spirituality began to influence his work.