Garth Hudson

Eric Garth Hudson (b. August 2, 1937 in Windsor, Ontario) is a Canadian musician. The virtuoso[citation needed]organist and keyboardist for Canadian-American roots rock group

Eric Garth Hudson (b. August 2, 1937 in Windsor, Ontario) is a Canadian musician. The virtuoso[citation needed]organist and keyboardist for Canadian-American roots rock group The Band, he was the most accomplished musician of the group[citation needed]. A master of the Lowrey organ, Hudson's orchestral tone sense and style anticipated many of the sonic advances of the polyphonic synthesizer. His other primary instruments are piano, electronic keyboards, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and accordion. He has been a much-in-demand session musician,[citation needed] performing with dozens of artists. He also plays in a duo with his wife, Maud, and in 2002 joined his friend Sneaky Pete Kleinow in another group, Burrito Deluxe, an offshoot of The Flying Burrito Brothers. He also has his own twelve piece band, The Best!.

Garth Hudson's parents, Fred James Hudson and Olive Louella Pentland, were musicians. His mother played piano, accordion and sang. His father played drums, C melody saxophone, clarinet, flute and piano. Garth was born in Windsor and moved with his family to London, Ontario around 1940. He attended Broughdale Public School, Medway High School and the University of Western Ontario. Classically trained in piano, music theory, harmony and counterpoint, Garth first played professionally with dance bands. In 1958, he joined a rock and roll band, the Capers. He was also reported to say that he gained some performance experience from playing at his uncles funeral parlour. Then, in December 1961, the 24-year-old Hudson joined The Hawks, the backing band for Ronnie Hawkins, which already consisted of 21-year-old Levon Helm on drums, 17-year-old Robbie Robertson on guitar and 18-year-old Rick Danko on bass and pianist Richard Manuel.