Kirk Whalum | |
|---|---|
 Kirk Whalum in 1987 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | July 11, 1958 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | Smooth jazz, pop, R&B, gospel |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Saxophone, flute |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros., Sony, Columbia |
| Website | kirkwhalum |
Kirk Whalum (born July 11, 1958) is an American R&B and smooth jazz saxophonist and songwriter. He toured with Whitney Houston for more than seven years and soloed on her single "I Will Always Love You", the best-selling single by a female artist in music history. He was also featured on many Luther Vandross albums, most often playing on the singer's covers of older pop and R&B standards such as "Anyone Who Had a Heart", "I (Who Have Nothing)", and "Love Won't Let Me Wait".
Whalum has recorded a series of well received solo albums and film soundtracks, with music ranging from pop to R&B to smooth jazz. His musical accomplishments have brought him a total of 12 Grammy nominations. He won his first Grammy award in 2011 for Best Gospel Song ("It's What I Do", featuring Lalah Hathaway) alongside lifelong friend and writer Jerry Peters.