The Jazz Organ Scene

USA

Gregg Rolie Gregg (* 1947) is a founding member of the bands Santana, The Storm, Abraxas Pool, and Journey, for whom he was the original lead singer. He currently performs with his Gregg Rolie Band. Rolie is a two time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Santana and Journey.   Prior to Santana, Gregg played with a group called William Penn and his Pals while attending Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, CA. A year after graduating from high school in 1965, Gregg joined Carlos Santana and others to form the Santana Blues Band, which was later shortened simply to Santana. As a founding member of Santana, Gregg was part of the band's first wave of success, including an appearance at the Woodstock Music and Art Festival in 1969 and central roles in several hit albums. He is perhaps best known for being their original lead vocalist, with his voice driving such classic Santana hits as Black Magic Woman, or Oye Como Va. He also became well known for his unique sound and groundbreaking work on the Hammond B-3 organ, with classic solos on many of the aforementioned hits. However, persistent differences with Carlos Santana regarding the musical direction of the band led Gregg to leave the band at the end of 1971.   In 1973 Rolie joined a new band with ex-Santana guitarist Neal Schon; this became Journey. Starring in a lineup that featured Schon, Aynsley Dunbar, George Tickner, and Ross Valory, he was keyboardist for the band's first six albums. After leaving Journey in 1980, Gregg released several solo albums, including the eponymous Gregg Rolie in 1985.   Gregg formed The Storm in 1991 with Steve Smith (replaced by Ron Wikso after the recording of the first album) and Ross Valory of Journey. The band also included Josh Ramos (whose guitar style resembles that of Neal Schon) and Kevin Chalfant (whose voice resembles that of Steve Perry). In 1998, Rolie and other former members of Santana, including Neal Schon, briefly reunited as Abraxas Pool, releasing one eponymous album.   When Schon left to lead a re-formed Journey later that year, Rolie and Ron Wikso began work in 1999, on a Gregg Rolie solo CD, titled "Roots", which eventually led to the forming of the Gregg Rolie Band. In 2012-2014 he toured as a member of Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band. The band also included Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, Todd Rundgren, Richard Page, Mark Rivera and Gregg Bissonette. On 02 February 2013 Carlos Santana confirmed that he would reunite his classic lineup, most of whom played Woodstock with him in 1969.   Gregg is a proponent of music education for children. In 2005, he signed on as an official supporter of Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit organization that provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in underserved public schools throughout the U.S.A. He sits on the organization's Honorary Board of Directors.

contact:
homepage:	greggrolie.com
	Click on the logo to see Gregg's tour dates.

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