John Gray grew up in Langley, Oklahoma. He lived on a farm with his grandparents for a while. John's brother Charlie said, "When John was 16 years old he left home with a group of musicians that he called "unsavory characters"."
John was well known in the music world by other musicians, he was called a musicians, musician. He could play ALL stringed instruments, and "tinker" on the piano but mostly he played the guitar, he also arranged music for the people he played for. He played with the Dardanelle Trio in the New Orleans area, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Sammy Kaye Orchestra, the Don McNeil Breakfast Club and the Ray McKinley Band in Chicago, until moving out west to southern California in the early 1960's. After moving to southern California he played guitar on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show with Band-leader Doc Severinsen. He became a highly requested guitarist and recorded with: Frank Sinatra, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Troupe and Julie London, George Shearing, Herb Ellis, Mel Torme, Gerry Mulligan and several others. It is also said that he had played with Louis Armstrong. For a while in the early part of 1962 he was engaged as a member of the George Shearing Quintet Tour. John was also known as a "studio" musician. John made a record album called: One Way New Wave... more later..
A few memories that my husband has of his father and wanted me to share was, that John was a musician's, musician...he raced motorcycles and won trophy's(type's of bikes he had were "Old Indians" & Triumph's...he flew airplane's, one was a WW2 Trainer AT6 Texan, he could put a plane into any type of free fall(frontwards or backwards) spin, and come out of it every time. He was also a mechanic, he worked on his planes, cars and motorcycles. My husband said that his dad had the aptitude and wherewithal to do anything he wanted and do it well.
John was my father-in-law, I never got to meet him, but I wish I could have...I think we would have liked each other...it is sad to me as I reflect on things, as I am doing the genealogy of the family, that we never had the opportunity to meet. May you R.I.P. John
John was well known in the music world by other musicians, he was called a musicians, musician. He could play ALL stringed instruments, and "tinker" on the piano but mostly he played the guitar, he also arranged music for the people he played for. He played with the Dardanelle Trio in the New Orleans area, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Sammy Kaye Orchestra, the Don McNeil Breakfast Club and the Ray McKinley Band in Chicago, until moving out west to southern California in the early 1960's. After moving to southern California he played guitar on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show with Band-leader Doc Severinsen. He became a highly requested guitarist and recorded with: Frank Sinatra, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Troupe and Julie London, George Shearing, Herb Ellis, Mel Torme, Gerry Mulligan and several others. It is also said that he had played with Louis Armstrong. For a while in the early part of 1962 he was engaged as a member of the George Shearing Quintet Tour. John was also known as a "studio" musician. John made a record album called: One Way New Wave... more later..
A few memories that my husband has of his father and wanted me to share was, that John was a musician's, musician...he raced motorcycles and won trophy's(type's of bikes he had were "Old Indians" & Triumph's...he flew airplane's, one was a WW2 Trainer AT6 Texan, he could put a plane into any type of free fall(frontwards or backwards) spin, and come out of it every time. He was also a mechanic, he worked on his planes, cars and motorcycles. My husband said that his dad had the aptitude and wherewithal to do anything he wanted and do it well.
John was my father-in-law, I never got to meet him, but I wish I could have...I think we would have liked each other...it is sad to me as I reflect on things, as I am doing the genealogy of the family, that we never had the opportunity to meet. May you R.I.P. John
John Gray grew up in Langley, Oklahoma. He lived on a farm with his grandparents for a while. John's brother Charlie said, "When John was 16 years old he left home with a group of musicians that he called "unsavory characters"."
John was well known in the music world by other musicians, he was called a musicians, musician. He could play ALL stringed instruments, and "tinker" on the piano but mostly he played the guitar, he also arranged music for the people he played for. He played with the Dardanelle Trio in the New Orleans area, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Sammy Kaye Orchestra, the Don McNeil Breakfast Club and the Ray McKinley Band in Chicago, until moving out west to southern California in the early 1960's. After moving to southern California he played guitar on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show with Band-leader Doc Severinsen. He became a highly requested guitarist and recorded with: Frank Sinatra, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Troupe and Julie London, George Shearing, Herb Ellis, Mel Torme, Gerry Mulligan and several others. It is also said that he had played with Louis Armstrong. For a while in the early part of 1962 he was engaged as a member of the George Shearing Quintet Tour. John was also known as a "studio" musician. John made a record album called: One Way New Wave... more later..
A few memories that my husband has of his father and wanted me to share was, that John was a musician's, musician...he raced motorcycles and won trophy's(type's of bikes he had were "Old Indians" & Triumph's...he flew airplane's, one was a WW2 Trainer AT6 Texan, he could put a plane into any type of free fall(frontwards or backwards) spin, and come out of it every time. He was also a mechanic, he worked on his planes, cars and motorcycles. My husband said that his dad had the aptitude and wherewithal to do anything he wanted and do it well.
John was my father-in-law, I never got to meet him, but I wish I could have...I think we would have liked each other...it is sad to me as I reflect on things, as I am doing the genealogy of the family, that we never had the opportunity to meet. May you R.I.P. John
John was well known in the music world by other musicians, he was called a musicians, musician. He could play ALL stringed instruments, and "tinker" on the piano but mostly he played the guitar, he also arranged music for the people he played for. He played with the Dardanelle Trio in the New Orleans area, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Sammy Kaye Orchestra, the Don McNeil Breakfast Club and the Ray McKinley Band in Chicago, until moving out west to southern California in the early 1960's. After moving to southern California he played guitar on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show with Band-leader Doc Severinsen. He became a highly requested guitarist and recorded with: Frank Sinatra, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Troupe and Julie London, George Shearing, Herb Ellis, Mel Torme, Gerry Mulligan and several others. It is also said that he had played with Louis Armstrong. For a while in the early part of 1962 he was engaged as a member of the George Shearing Quintet Tour. John was also known as a "studio" musician. John made a record album called: One Way New Wave... more later..
A few memories that my husband has of his father and wanted me to share was, that John was a musician's, musician...he raced motorcycles and won trophy's(type's of bikes he had were "Old Indians" & Triumph's...he flew airplane's, one was a WW2 Trainer AT6 Texan, he could put a plane into any type of free fall(frontwards or backwards) spin, and come out of it every time. He was also a mechanic, he worked on his planes, cars and motorcycles. My husband said that his dad had the aptitude and wherewithal to do anything he wanted and do it well.
John was my father-in-law, I never got to meet him, but I wish I could have...I think we would have liked each other...it is sad to me as I reflect on things, as I am doing the genealogy of the family, that we never had the opportunity to meet. May you R.I.P. John
