It's 1986. Oprah's interviewing sax player Kenneth Gorelick, known around the world as Kenny G.
"It's like you are talking to and doing a few other things with this instrument."
"Well, I've never taken any music lessons, so I don't really know exactly."
In 1993, he played at Bill Clinton's inauguration. By 1996, he was starring in golf commercials and his music was the calming soundtrack of the Weather Channel. Kenny G had hit his peak, but it wasn't just Kenny G; smooth jazz, the kind of music he'd come to be the face of, was everywhere.
How did that happen? Where the hell did smooth jazz come from?
Let's go back to Clinton's inauguration. Kenny G actually wasn't the only saxophonist performing. In fact, Will Smith, the MC of one of many inaugural events that day ,brought out ten sax players to serenade the jazz-loving president. This was like the "who's who" of saxophonists, but it's the guy standing right next to Kenny G where this story begins. There's no question Kenny G has one idol, and he admits to it being Grover Washington, Jr.