Peter White
Peter White (born 20 September 1954) is an English musician and composer who plays guitar, piano, accordion and harmonica. He is known for his 20-year collaboration with Al Stewart.
Also recorded as Peter Harry White
Peter White

Philkon Phil Konstantin · Public domain
- Name
- Peter White
- Born
- 20 September 1954
- Birthplace
- Luton, England
- Occupation
- Musician
- Full name
- Peter Harry White.
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Fields
- jazz fusion
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Peter White (born 20 September 1954) is an English musician and composer who plays guitar, piano, accordion and harmonica. He is known for his 20-year collaboration with Al Stewart.
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Documentary evidence
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wikidata · Q979361
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Peter White • Born — 20 September 1954 • Birthplace — Luton, England • Genre — Smooth jazz • Occupation — Musician • Instrument — Guitar, accordion, piano, harmonica • Label — Columbia, ARTizen, Peak, Heads Up • Past Member Of — Shot in the Dark • Website — www.peterwhite.com
Early career with Al Stewart
Early career with Al Stewart
Born in Luton, England White first gained fame with his distinctive guitar style as accompanist to singer/songwriter Al Stewart. He started in Stewart's band in 1975 at the age of 20, then moved to Los Angeles in 1978. During a 20-year tenure with Stewart, he co-wrote many songs, including Stewart's 1978 top-ten hit "Time Passages" and “Midnight Rocks” (which reached No. 24 on the US charts) in 1980. That same year he formed Shot In The Dark, a band which backed Stewart and released an eponymous album in 1981.
Basia
Basia
In 1984, White’s brother Danny White, one of the founders of Matt Bianco, invited him to play on the Matt Bianco debut album Whose Side Are You On?. He played acoustic guitar (uncredited) on the song "Half A Minute"--the first time that the two brothers collaborated musically. In 1987 White continued his association with Matt Bianco's singer, Basia Trzetrzelewska, by playing guitar on her Time and Tide album, co-produced by his brother. He played on all of Basia’s following studio albums and joined her on two world tours, in 1990 and 1994. In 1996 Basia returned the favor by singing on White's album Caravan of Dreams, on the single "Just Another Day".
Producing and solo work
Producing and solo work
In 1989 White co-produced the album “The Clock and the Moon” by singer Skipper Wise. In return Wise co-produced White’s first two solo albums, Reveillez-Vous in 1990 and Excusez-Moi in 1992. Many other solo albums by Peter White followed which resulted in several songs reaching the top of the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart. No. 1 hits include "Midnight in Manhattan", featuring Grover Washington, Jr. (1998), "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" featuring Sam Riney (2006), "Mister Magic" featuring Bob James (2007), "Bright" (2009), "Good Day (2010), "Here We Go" featuring Dave Sanborn (2012), "Head Over Heels" featuring Rick Braun (2014), and "Do I Do" (2017). White’s first full-length show as a solo artist took place at the 1991 Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival, which featured many other notable performers such as Grover Washington Jr., Dave Koz, Bobby Caldwell, and Acoustic Alchemy. Even after releasing three solo CDs, White continued to work with Al Stewart and Basia, eventually co-producing Stewart’s Famous Last Words CD in 1993. As a solo artist White has recorded and performed with many other instrumental artists including Boney James, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Grover Washington Jr., Gerald Albright, Dave Koz, and Brian Culbertson.
Albums
Albums
• Year — Title — US Jazz — US Con. Jazz — Label • 1990 — Réveillez-Vous — Chase Music • 1991 — Excusez-Moi — 14 — Sindrome • 1993 — Promenade — 36 — 8 • 1994 — Reflections — 16 — 13 • 1996 — Caravan of Dreams — 4 — 5 — Columbia • 1997 — Songs of the Season — 13 — 9 • 1998 — Perfect Moment — 3 — 3 • 2001 — Glow — 4 — 2 • 2004 — Confidential — 3 — 2 • 2006 — Playin' Favourites — 4 — 2 • 2007 — Peter White Christmas — 12 — 5 — ARTizen • 2009 — Good Day — 2 — 2 — Peak • 2013 — Here We Go — 3 — 1 — Heads Up • 2014 — Smile — 3 — 1 • 2016 — Groovin — 2 — 1 • 2019 — Music for STARLUX Airlines — 14 — 3 — Lobster Music • 2025 — Light of Day — A-Train/Lobster
Singles
Singles
• Year — Title — US Jazz — Label • 2006 — "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" — 1 — Columbia • 2007 — "Mister Magic" — 1 — ARTizen • 2009 — "The Little Drummer Boy" (with Rick Braun and Mindi Abair) — 28 — Peak • "Bright" — 1 • 2010 — "Good Day" — 7 • 2012 — "Here We Go" — 1 — Heads Up • 2013 — "Night after Night" — 14 • 2014 — "Head Over Heels" — 1 • 2015 — "Smile" — 5 • 2017 — "Do I Do" — 1 • "We Don't Talk Anymore" (Rick Braun featuring Peter White) — 3 • "Groovin'" — 15 • 2019 — "Last Dance" (Jackiem Joyner featuring Peter White) — 15 — Lobster Music • 2020 — "Flying High" — 17 • 2022 — "After We Play" (Johnny Britt featuring Peter White) — 2 — J-Jams • 2024 — "Sunshine Yellow" (Carol Albert featuring Peter White) — 1 — Cahara • 2025 — "Catalonia" — 2 — A-Train/Lobster • "Ventura Highway" (Dw3 featuring Peter White) — 20 — Woodward Avenue • 2026 — "Dancing in the Sand" (Steve Oliver featuring Peter White) — 3 — TBA
Identity
Identity
Peter White is recorded as guitarist, composer, songwriter and musician. Recorded at birth as Peter Harry White.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1954
Peter White born at Luton.
Awards
Peter White won the award for best Smooth Jazz Musician in the 2007 Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards. He was named the Best Guitarist at the National Smooth Jazz Awards for four consecutive years from 2000–2003. In 2000, White won three Oasis Contemporary Jazz Awards: • CD of the Year for Perfect Moment • Song of the Year for "Midnight in Manhattan" with Grover Washington, Jr. • Best Guitarist
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Schendell, Bonnie. Peter White. smoothviews.com. March 12, 2004.
- 2.Anderson, Yvonne. PETER WHITE. Coltranejazzfest.com. 26 March 2025.
- 3.Peter White Biography by Ed Hogan. AllMusic.com.
- 4.Peter White Biography. AllMusic.
- 5.The Clock and the Moon. Skipper Wise.
- 6.[ Peter White Song Chart History]. Billboard.com.
- 7.JAZZ : There’s Still Plenty of Room to Jam on Catalina. Los Angeles Times.
- 8.Peter White. peterwhite.com.
- 9.Peter White: Top Jazz Albums. Billboard.
- 10.Peter White: Top Contemporary Jazz Albums. Billboard.
- 11.Peter White: Smooth Jazz Songs. Billboard.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
Wikidata, structured authority record Q979361: Peter WhiteWikimedia Foundation
Institutional witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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