Michael Lington

Michael Lington (born June 11, 1969) is a Danish contemporary saxophonist, songwriter, producer, recording artist and a purveyor of soul and contemporary jazz.

Lington has released 11 solo albums and has 25 singles that have charted on the Billboard and Radio & Records (R&R) contemporary jazz radio charts.

Lington has worked with Michael Bolton, Barry Manilow, Aaron Neville, Mike Love, Randy Crawford, Bobby Caldwell, Kenny Lattimore, Ryan Shaw, Little Richard, Joan Sebastian, Cristian Castro, Booker T. Jones, The Dap-Kings, Ray Parker, Jr., Taylor Dayne, Brian Culbertson, Chuck Loeb, William Bell, Dave Stewart, Vince Gill, Sheléa Frazier, and many others.

Lington has performed at the Royal Wedding of Denmark's future king, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary Donaldson at Fredensborg Castle and has also played numerous other times for the Danish royal family. He is the grandson of Danish composer and band leader Otto Lington.

Lington was born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he began his career at the age of seven as a clarinetist. He was a member of the Tivoli Boys Guard for seven years (1978–1985), which is where he began his formal music education, receiving a gold medal for his efforts. At 15, he became influenced by saxophonists David Sanborn and King Curtis and by American soul music artists like Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett and Ray Charles, which precipitated his decision to take on the saxophone as an instrument of choice.

After attending college, Lington co-owned a recording studio with songwriter John Hatting while touring regularly throughout Europe. During this time, he performed on several of Denmark's Eurovision song contest entries. He also competed in the Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidene / Rhythmic Conservatory music youth competition, judged by musician Nils-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, where he won First Prize in 1987 and won the Gold Prize in 1988.

In 1990 (at age 21), Lington moved to Los Angeles with the assistance of drummer Mark Schulman and soon became heavily involved in LA's contemporary jazz scene. After playing various gigs around Southern California, he met Bobby Caldwell, with whom he toured with for four years (1994–1998), and subsequently, Randy Crawford, with whom he toured with for three years (1998–2001).

Lington signed his first recording contract in 1996 with Nugroove Records and released his self-titled debut album in 1997. It produced the hit "Tell It Like It Is" (feat. Bobby Caldwell), a song that became a Top 10 Radio & Records (R&R) NAC/Smooth jazz song and a Top 20 R&R Adult Contemporary song.