I knew I was about to be face-to-face with five-time Grammy Nominee, producer, composer, arranger, vocalist, and guitarist extraordinaire, Johnny Gale, for the first time in three-plus decades, when I was booking rock, and Johnny was playing it, back in the heady daze of the New York club scene. What I didn't know is that we actually met five decades ago. What?!? Earlier today, listening to an interview Johnny did recently, at the tail end, more than an hour and a half in, he mentioned his friend, Vinny Graffeo. I knew Johnny was from Queens. I lived in Queens. My boyfriend in 1970, Vinny Graffeo lived in Queens. Could there be another guitar/bass player at that time, in that place, with that name? I screen-shared some pics. Turns out no. We shared the same Vinny. Upon seeing the pics, Johnny recognized 15 year old me. What a way to kick off a conversation.

The fun didn’t stop. We talked the early days, the music he was listening to, his ascent to playing, the bands, the gigs, the players, from Vinny and Marty Miller (another crazy story) to Leslie West, Waddy Wachtel, Angel Rissoff, Gene Cornish, Phoebe Snow, Cyndi Lauper (he was her boyfriend), Ronnie Spector, Darlene Love, Elvis Costello, Ringo Starr, Little Steven, Aaron Carter (huh?), his own Gale Force (awarded Best Guitar Record of The Year by Guitar Shop Magazine, upon its release in ’94), to music directing and playing on Boardwalk Empire, Vinyl, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Irishman, to A Bronx Tale on Broadway.

We came full-circle back to Doo-Wop, the music which transfixed him as a kid, and has been one of his major gigs for the past 20 years, with Kenny Vance and The Planotones.

What an amazing and varied career Johnny’s fashioned, without once having a job/job or formally studying. He schooled and mastered his craft in the school of hard knocks, having plenty, alongside his many victories.

As easy to talk to as an old friend… he kinda is one. From Bayside to Bleecker Street, we’ve shared air, friends, music, and memories. Mourning the loss of the stupendous Mike Finnigan this day, and learning of the premature passing of childhood beau, Vinny, it was warm, fun, and comforting to be in Johnny’s great company. What a trip!

Please give his stupendous Daddy Long Legs a listen.

https://bit.ly/3lWD4TS

Johnny Gale Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson

Wed, 8/11/21, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET

Streamed Live on my Facebook

Replay here:

https://bit.ly/3iFPnSM

All BROADcasts, as podcasts, also available on

iTunes apple.co/2dj8ld3

Stitcher bit.ly/2h3R1fla

tunein bit.ly/2gGeItj

Also on iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, Voox, OwlTail, Backtracks, PlayerFM, Himalaya, Podchaser, and Listen Notes

Thanks to Rick Smolke of Quik Impressions, the best printers, printing, the best people people-ing. quikimpressions.com

Nicole Venables,of Ruby Begonia Hair Studio Beauty and Products, for tresses like the stars she coifs, and regular people, like me. I love my hair, and I love Nicole. http://www.rubybegoniahairstudio.com/

Blue Microphones and Kevin Walt