Al Gamble

Al Gamble
Al Gamble in Memphis (2011)
Background information
Birth name	John Allen Gamble Jr.
Also known as	Al Gamble
Born	(1969-03-11) March 11, 1969 (age 47) Columbus, Georgia, United States
Genres	Soul, R&B, rock, pop
Instruments	Hammond B-3 organ, piano, clavinet, Wurlitzer
Years active	1987-present
Associated acts	Gamble Brothers Band, The Grip, The City Champs, John Paul Keith and the 145s, Marc Broussard, Charles Walker and the Dynamites, St. Paul and the Broken Bones

John Allen "Al" Gamble (born March 11, 1969) is an American, Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama based, session musician, playing Hammond B-3 organ and keyboards. He is currently the keyboard player for St. Paul and The Broken Bones.

Gamble was born in Columbus, Georgia, United States, but his family moved to his parents' home town of Tuscumbia, Alabama (near Muscle Shoals), in the early 1970s, where he was raised. After graduating from the University of Alabama in 1991 he lived in Tuscumbia, until moving to Memphis in 1994 to pursue a career in music.

Gamble grew up listening to his father's record collection, which included Jimmy Smith, Ray Charles, Jack McDuff and other jazz and soul artists on the Verve and Blue Note labels. He played in various bands during high school and college, and in 1992 joined the Shreveport-based Bluebirds, featuring Buddy Flett on guitar. Gamble spent a few years in Memphis as a Beale Street musician, backing such artists as Preston Shannon and A-440. In 2001, he formed the Gamble Brothers Band with his younger brother Chad Gamble (drums), Art Edmaiston (saxophone) and Will Lowrimore (bass). The band recorded three albums from 2001 to 2007. The first album, 10 Lbs. of Hum (2001), was released independently and featured Lowrimore on bass. The last two albums, Back to the Bottom (2003) and Continuator (2006), were released on the Memphis-based label Archer Records. Back to the Bottom was the last recording to feature Lowrimore on bass, who left the band shortly after the album's release. Continuator featured bassist, Blake Rhea, who joined the band in 2003 to replace Lowrimore.