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.
Early life Gamble was born in Columbus, Georgia, United States, but his family moved to his parents' home town of Tuscumbia, Alabama (near Muscle Shoals), 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.
Career 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."Review of the Gamble Brothers Band's 'Continuator'". Keyboard Magazine. April 30, 2006"Review of the Gamble Brothers Band's 'Continuator'". Keyboard Magazine. April 30, 2006. 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.
In 2003, the Gamble Brothers Band beat out more than 1,200 other artists to win the Billboard-sponsored Independent Music World Series award.Billboard Magazine. August 16, 2003.
Edmaiston joined the Jacksonville-based touring band JJ Grey & MOFRO in 2007, and soon after that, the Gamble Brothers Band played a show opening for the Black Crowes in October 2007 at Mud Island Amphitheatre in Memphis, their final live performance for 12 years. The band reunited for a show at the Crosstown Theater in Memphis on December 21, 2019. Earlier in 2007, while Edmaiston was on a break from touring, he joined Gamble, Memphis guitar player Joe Restivo, and drummer George Sluppick to form The Grip, a four-piece jazz instrumental band specializing in boogaloo music."The Grip Not Backing Off on the Boogaloo". The Commercial Appeal. September 14, 2007. The Grip recorded the EP Grab This Thing for Archer Records (2007).
The road took Edmaiston away again, and Gamble continued to play with Restivo and Sluppick as a three-piece, forming the band The City Champs."The City Champs: Championing the 'Comeback' of the Jazz Age". Memphis Magazine. May 2009. The City Champs released two albums on Scott Bomar's Electraphonic label: The Safecracker (2009) and The Set Up (2010). The City Champs have toured regularly and opened for other acts, including the North Mississippi Allstars and Huey Lewis. The members' other musical projects took them in different directions, but after a long hiatus they reunited to create the critically acclaimed Luna '68, released in 2021 on Big Legal Mess Records.
The City Champs' music has been featured in the MTV series "$5 Cover" and in the Emmy Award-winning documentary film I Am A Man: From Memphis, A Lesson in Life.
On November 29, 2010, The City Champs took part in the filming of a new Memphis music documentary. Titled Take Me To The River, this Cody Dickinson/Martin Shore-produced film, released Sept. 12, 2014, showcases icons of the Memphis' music scene playing with up-and-coming young bands. The City Champs collaborated with harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite and Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section bassist David Hood on bass to film a segment at Electraphonic Studios in Memphis. The film, which includes contributions from Terrance Howard and Snoop Dogg, was honored at the Raindance Film Festival awards ceremony in London as the Feature Film.
In January 2013, after learning about St. Paul and The Broken Bones from friend and guitarist Browan Lollar, Gamble was asked to add organ overdubs on the band's debut album Half The City, recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Later that year, Gamble joined the band full-time, prior to the release of the record in February 2014. St. Paul and The Broken Bones have toured extensively in the United States and Europe and opened two shows (June 9 in Atlanta; and July 11 in Buffalo, New York) for The Rolling Stones on the band's 2015 Zip Code Tour. In January 2016, St. Paul and the Broken Bones played a sold-out Carnegie Hall show as part of a four-concert series curated by Rosanne Cash called Carnegie Hall's Perspectives.
In February 2017, St. Paul and the Broken Bones headlined the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party in West Hollywood, California.
Gamble has recorded on more than 50 albums and on various film scores. He is credited with writing or co-writing more than 120 songs, according to BMI.https://repertoire.bmi.com/Search/Search?Main_Search_Text=Al%20Gamble&Main_Search=Catalog&Search_Type=all&View_Count=20&Page_Number=3&Part_Type=WriterList&Part_Id=YTRVhTaNOYnzby50J2gEhw%253d%253d&Part_Id_Sub=kJU0oBsMXpxafbSwXsKwYQ%253d%253d&Part_Name=GAMBLE%20AL&Part_Cae=6X14GRRvcqdhvZQxAdBQ3Q%253d%253d&Original_Search=Writer%2FComposer He has toured with The City Champs, singer/songwriter Charlie Mars, John Paul Keith and the 145s,"Right Place, Right Time: John Paul Keith finds he's still progressing", The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), September 19, 2013 Louisiana soul singer Marc Broussard, Charles Walker and the Dynamites, The Bo-Keys,"Bo-Keys Release New Singles, 'Making of' Video", The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), November 12, 2013 and St. Paul and The Broken Bones."Birmingham-based soul band St. Paul and the Broken Bones quickly attracting attention". The Tuscaloosa News. July 12, 2013
Personal life Al Gamble currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee.
Alabama Music Hall of Fame Al Gamble and his brother Chad are listed as "Music Achievers" in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
Discography YearAlbum details 1995Alex Chilton - A Man Called Destruction Released: 1995 Label: Ardent Records Songs: Sick and Tired, Devil Girl, Lies, It's Your Funeral, You're Lookin' Good, Don't Know Anymore 1995Pat Ramsey - It's About Time Released: 1995 Label: Rampat Records 1995Lucille - Lucille Released: 1995 Label: Blues Works Records Songs: Saucey 1996The Bluebirds - South from Memphis Released: 1996 Label: Icehouse Records 1998Larry Garner - Standing Room Only Released: 1998 Label: Ruf Records 1998Junkyardmen - Scrapheap Full of Blues Released: 1998 Label: Inside Memphis 1998Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers - Switching Gears Released: 1998 Label: Blind Pig Records Songs: Monkey, I Got to Be Strong 1998Whitebread featuring Carlos Ecos - Everybody Wants Released: 1998 Label: Nustar Entertainment 1999"Big" Bill Morganfield - Nineteen Years Old (A Tribute To Muddy Waters) Released: 1999 Label: Taxim Records Songs: Why Do People Act Like This, Caldonia, Child of Mercy 2001Gamble Brothers Band - 10 lbs. of Hum Released: 2001 Produced by: Keith Sykes Songs: Blue Beat Years, Bring 'em Back, Don't Turn Your Burner Down, Everything I Do, The Booster, City in the Sky, Numbers Never Lie, What's Wrong Now, Point the Finger, Don't Do It, You Gotta Be Kiddin' 2001Deborah Coleman - Livin' on Love Released: 2001 Label: Blind Pig Records Songs: Livin' on Love 2002Rufus Thomas - Live in Porretta Released: 2002 Label: Soul Dispenser Songs: The World is Round 2003Gamble Brothers Band - Back to The Bottom Released: Sept. 2, 2003 Produced by: Ross Rice Label: Archer Records Songs: Record Store, Back to the Bottom, Love is Alive, Share, Tiki Bar, Come on Sam, One Stone, Escape Alley, Old New One, Land of Soul, Little Criminals, Cadillactopus 2003Ana Popovic - Comfort to the Soul Released: 2003 Label: Blind Pig Records Songs: Love Me Again 2003Jimmy Thackery - Guitar Released: 2003 Label: Ruf Records Songs: Roy's Bluz 2005Mike McClure Band - Camelot Falling Released: 2005 Label: Smith Entertainment 2006Gamble Brothers Band - Continuator Released: Feb. 21, 2006 Produced by: Jeff Powell Label: Archer Records Songs: Overboard, Hold Out 'Til Monday, Back to School, E. Parkway Rundown, Heart's Not In It, Right Direction, Vinyl, Durty Walt, Shopping Cart, Theme From "Little Champ," Threw it All Away, All Skate, Best Defense 2007The Grip - Grab This Thing Released: 2007 Label: Archer Records Songs: Grab This Thing, Jan Jan, Tutwiler, Controversy, Farewell to Cheyenne 2009The City Champs - The Safecracker Released: March 17, 2009 Label: Electraphonic Recording Songs: The Safecracker, Takin' State, Love is a Losing Game, Poppin', The Whap-A-Dang, Pretty Girl, Comin' Home Baby, You Can't Win, Four Score, Ol' Man River 2009John Paul Keith and the 145s - Spills & Thrills Released: April 14, 2009 Label: Big Legal Mess 2009Jimbo Mathus - Jimmy the Kid Released: Aug. 22, 2009 Label: Hill Country Records 2009Zach Williams and the Reformation - Electric Revival Released: 2009 2010Sid Selvidge - I Should Be Blue Released: June 8, 2010 Label: Archer Records Songs: I'll Be Here in the Morning, Fine Hotel, A Blonde Headed Girl (In A Convertible Automobile), You're Gonna Look Just Like a Monkey (When You Get Old) 2010The City Champs - The Set Up Released: 2010 Label: Electraphonic Recording Songs: The Set Up, Drippy, Ricky's Rant, Crump St., Chinatown, Rigamarole, Local Jones, Break It Up, A Beautiful Mine (Theme from Mad Men), Comanche, The Sanctimoneous Kid, Shishido Jo 2011John Paul Keith and the 145s - The Man that Time Forgot Released: June 21, 2011 Label: Big Legal Mess 2011The Bo-Keys - Got to Get Back! Released: 2011 Label: Electraphonic Recording 2011The Scruffs - Kill! Kill! Released: 2011 Label: Scruffsville Songs: Take Me Downtown 2012Jeb Rault Band - Sweet Dancer Released: Mar. 2012 2013The Yellow Hope Project - Fifty Shades of Yellow Released: May 12, 2013 Songs: Could You Find It in Your Heart to Love Me? 2013John Paul Keith and the 145s - Memphis Circa 3AM Released: Sept. 17, 2013 Label: Big Legal Mess Songs: You Really Oughta Be with Me, We Got All Night, Everything's Different Now, Ninety Proof Kiss, Walking Along the Lane, True Hard Money, New Year's Eve, There's a Heartache Going 'Round, If You Catch Me Staring, Last Night I Had a Dream About You, She's Almost You, Baby We're a Bad Idea 2014Jesse Aycock - Flowers and Wounds Released: Jan. 21, 2014 Label: Horton Records Songs: Out to Space, Paint Me Different Colors, Flowers and Wounds 2014St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Half the City Released: Feb. 28, 2014 Label: Single Lock Records Songs: Call Me, Half the City, Broken Bones and Pocket Change, Like a Mighty River, Don't Mean a Thing, Grass is Greener, I'm Torn Up, Dixie Rothco, Let it Be So, That Glow 2014The Hold Steady - Teeth Dreams Released: Mar. 25, 2014 Label: Washington Square/Razor & Tie 2014John Nemeth - Memphis Grease Released: Mar. 25, 2014 Label: Blue Corn Music 2014You, Me & Apollo - Sweet Honey Released: May 9, 2014 Label: Self Released Songs: Trains (Feat. Al Gamble) 2014Jimmy Thackery - Extra Jimmies Released: Oct. 14, 2014 Label: Blind Pig Records Songs: I Got to Be Strong, Monkey 2014The Bo-Keys - Electraphonic Singles Vol. 1 Label: Electraphonic Recording 2014Louise Hoffsten - Bringing Out the Elvis Label: Warner Music Sweden 2015Darren Hanlon - Where Did You Come From? Released: Mar. 24, 2015 Label: Yep Roc Records Songs: Trust Your Feelings (When You Wake) 2015The Libras - Skies Are Grey Released: Nov. 13, 2015 2016The Bo-Keys - Heartaches By The Number Released: April 29, 2016 Label: Electraphonic Records 2016St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Sea of Noise