Grammy winner Gregory Porter says family keep him grounded with chores

By Reuters Staff

2 Min Read

LONDON (Reuters) - Gregory Porter has won a Grammy Award and performed for Britain's royal family at Buckingham Palace, but the jazz singer says his family know just how to keep his feet firmly on the ground -- by getting him to do household chores.

"I was at my house the other day. My sister was there ... and she made me take the trash out," Porter told Reuters in an interview. "She doesn't care about no Grammy, about no long tours, about the Queen, none of it."

Known for wearing a flat cap that covers the sides of his face -- a look he says he adopted after skin surgery -- the singer, who cites blues, gospel and soul music as inspiration, has won fans in the United States and Europe with his velvety vocals.

His album "Liquid Spirit" was released in 2013 landing in the UK top 10 and scooping a Grammy for best jazz vocal album. A special edition is re-released on Nov. 27.

"We’re coming up on a million sales, so yeah people like it," he said.

Porter was in London this month to perform at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, which pays tribute to fallen soldiers and service members.

"(I have done) all kinds of gigs but the one constant thing that really doesn't change is my approach," he said.

"I would do the same show that I would do in a 100-seat jazz club as I would do at the Royal Albert Hall."

He won a new fans when he joined forces with British electronic music duo Disclosure for "Holding On". He says Sting and Adele are among singers he would like to collaborate with.

"I would love to do something with Sting," he said.

"He has some songs that are jazz songs, they’re just straight up smooth beautiful jazz ballads."

Reporting By Jane Witherspoon; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Andrew Heavens

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