My whole career from the early 70s on has been mind-blowing. I didn't imagine in my life that I would ever be considered a guitar player first of all because I started off as a singer.

Benson also did a version of The Beatles's 1969 album Abbey Road called The Other Side of Abbey Road also released in 1969 and a version of "White Rabbit" originally written and recorded by San Francisco rock group Great Society and made famous by Jefferson Airplane. He joined the Jehovah's Witnesses in 1979 where he is still active to date. Benson attended and graduated Schenley High School.

He then launched a successful solo career alternating between jazz pop R&B singing and scat singing. Benson uses a rest-stroke picking technique similar to that of gypsy jazz players such as Django Reinhardt. Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s playing soul jazz with Jack McDuff and others.