Booker T. Jones

Joan Gand followed her drummer brother to a gig while still in high school.  There, he introduced her to a guitarist from another school who eventually became her future husband, Gary Gand.  Together they formed a very successful music store in Highland Park, Illinois, that focused on the innovative electric instruments introduced during the time, including Moog and ARP products. Being a fan of the Hammond B-3, Joan fell in love with the Ventilator, a rotary cabinet simulator pedal, which gives her electric keyboards that special Leslie Speaker sound. She liked the product so much

Russ Gazda recalls listening to his mother playing the Hawaiian Guitar as a child. He played the accordion and later was introduced to the Hammond B-3, thanks to recordings by his hero Booker T. Jones. Russ sought to play wherever he could and in his early days he performed in lounges in the Chicago area, provided organ lessons and worked at the Wurlitzer retail store. He soon began selling organs at the store and in 1975 was hired by Wurlitzer to provide materials for their famous sales training program. The Wurlitzer Way program is legendary within the music industry as many of

Booker T. Jones grew up in Memphis and began recording as a session player while still in high school at the age of 17.  While waiting for a session to begin, Booker and the other musicians in the studio began playing a song Booker wrote, which was later given a name when the engineer encouraged the group to record it.  The song was called “Green Onions” and soon Booker T.

For many musicians, obtaining an instrument for the very first time is a special experience unlike any other.  Strumming your first guitar or beating your first drum can spark an extraordinary musical adventure.