Boney James has put in his proverbial 10,000 hours as a musician, performer, writer, and producer. At age 10, the New York native picked up the saxophone and never looked back, parlaying his love of R&B into a musical aesthetic. He turned pro before his 20th birthday and became an in-demand touring sax and keyboard player for Morris Day, the Isley Brothers, and many others.

Boney launched his solo career in 1992, which has spawned 18 studio albums, including 2022’s Detour. A dozen of his albums have landed at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart. During his 30-year career, Boney has earned four Grammy nominations, two NAACP Image Award nominations, and a Soul Train Award. For the inimitable Boney James, life begins at 60. The “cat in the hat” is back and better than ever.

“What drives me is my love of making music and my desire for people to hear what I’ve made,” he says. “I still love the communal aspect of playing live. There’s nothing else like it.”