Paul Redmond/Getty ImagesKenny G helped bring saxophones, smooth jazz and adult contemporary to the mainstream, and apparently, he also helped get sweet, sugary coffee beverages into Starbucks.
Specifically? The Frappuccino! The 59-year-old musician talked to Bloomberg News Tuesday about investing in the Seattle-based coffee chain early on thanks to a tip from his uncle. He also revealed how his initial input on the product, something he admittedly "knew nothing about," might've just helped it in becoming the global phenomenon it is today!
"At the beginning, Starbucks didn't have anything but coffee," he recalled. "And there was another company, Coffee Bean, that had something called 'Blended' that was a sweet drink and people were lined up around the block. And I would always call Howard [Schulz, Starbucks' founder] and say, 'Howard, there's this thing that they do there that's like a milkshake or whatever.'"
"And so I think that I—part of the reason that they did Frappuccino was people like me giving them that kind of feedback," he went on. "So I would like to think that I was partially responsible for that."
Kenny's career and Starbucks have grown exponentially since those early days, but the jazz legend's tastes haven't changed too much. His favorite drink today? "Look, I'm a sweet guy,' he told Bloomberg News, "so I'll go for the Frappucino!"
And while Kenny remains a proud investor of the coffee corporation, his new Brazilian Nights album is not one of the picks for sale at Starbucks counters around the country. He's not bitter, though! "Stock's at an all time high," he said. "Whatever they're doing, they're doing great."