Kenny G was born in Seattle, Washington, to Jewish parents and grew up in the city's Seward Park neighborhood, which is a center of the city's Jewish community. His mother was originally from Saskatchewan, Canada. He came into contact with a saxophone when he heard someone performing with one on "The Ed Sullivan Show". He started playing the saxophone in 1966 when he was 10 years old. He learned how to play under the direction of trumpeter Gerald Pfister and by practicing along with records (mostly of Grover Washington, Jr.). His first saxophone was a Buffet Crampon alto.