How I Got Started as a Guitarist in Los Angeles

Hi there!

As a guitarist in the Los Angeles area for over 27 years, I have been blessed to work with a lot of great people over a long period of time. Every L.A. guitarist probably has an interesting story about how they got started in the music business; Here's mine:

When I was a kid, I really wanted to play drums. My mother took me to the Gardena Valley Music Store only to find out that a set of blue, metal flake drums cost about $359.00. My mother explained that this was a little too much money, but asked me if there was anything else in the store that I liked. I recall there was a blue, $20.00 guitar on the wall which she could easily afford. Thus began a journey into the world of guitar and music

Over the next few years I would study with a gentleman by the name of Gary Bell, who used to play with Fats Domino. Later I studied with a teacher by the name of Greg Poreé. About the time I was studying with Greg, Patrice Rushen introduced me to Lee Ritenour and Al McKay (guitarist for Earth, Wind, and Fire). Both Lee and Al took me under their respective wings and showed me things that I really needed to know to make it as a guitarist. At the age of 17, on a suggestion from Lee, I entered the University of Southern California as a music performance major. My instructor at USC, the late Duke Miller, had been Lee's guitar teacher as well. I stayed at USC for two years studying, while playing gigs on the weekends and playing a few sessions.

Most of the early sessions I did were as a result of recommendations directly from Lee, Al, and Ray Parker, Jr. At that time, Ray was focusing on his solo career and bowing out of his studio career. At the same time, I was doing demo recording sessions for a Motown producer by the name of Frank Wilson (who is now my pastor). Frank started using me on major recordings he was doing for the likes of Ben Vereen and Lenny Williams. I began meeting other musicians like Wah-Wah Watson, Sonny Burke, and Joe Sample who recommended me for sessions to people like the Crusaders, Donald Byrd, and BB King. Then Ray Parker, Jr. recommended me to an arranger by the name of Gene Page. Gene used me for countless sessions with everyone from Barry White and Johnny Mathis to Gladys Knight. It was through Gene that I began doing extensive work with Jermaine Jackson. So you can see that my career is a result of a series of blessings and a long series of recommendations by people who were already successful in the industry.

A career in music is probably due to 80% musical ability and 20% relationships. You will not be successful just as the result of your own efforts. Your success will be a result of the relationships you have with other people and you helping them just as they help you. My signature model guitar (Gibson ES 347) came as a result of my relationship with Mike McGuire, who years ago ran the repair department at Valley Arts Guitar Center in Studio City. Currently he runs the custom division for Gibson Guitars. The Bible says "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I believe this is central to being successful in any endeavor.

My early years of doing studio work were very exciting because I never knew who I would be recording with on any given day. One day it was Stan Getz and Stanley Clark, and the next day it might be a movie for Dave Grusin or Tom Scott. The things that made recording so much fun was the music I was playing and the fantastic musicians with whom I was privileged to play. These days, I work extensively with a musical director named Rickey Minor and a host of wonderful musicians and singers. One day we might be doing American Idol and the next day The Emmys. In any endeavor it is all about maintaining great relationships, graciously receiving help, and helping others.

Recently I recorded a CD for Blue Note entitled Still Small Voice that yielded two top-five jazz singles and stayed on the Jazz Charts for over a year. One song was #1 for three weeks. Included on the CD are Jeff Lorber, Patrice Rushen, Harvey Mason, Abraham Laboriel, Brian Culbertson, and Billy Preston. Getting these top-flight musicians to work on my project was the result of relationships that I had established over the years. Look for the new CD early next year.

I hope this article has given you a bit of insight into my musical world, and has been helpful and encouraging to you on your own musical journey. If I did it, so can you.

God bless you, and stay funky,

Paul Jackson, Jr.

About the Author

Paul Jackson, Jr. is well known throughout the music recording industry. He is highly regarded as a guitarist/composer/arranger and is in demand as a studio musician, sideman, and most recently as a solo artist. He has performed on more than 800 recordings and the walls of his home are adorned with gold and platinum albums reflecting his having performed on albums with cumulative sales in excess of 80 million copies. Paul's latest solo recording, a CD on the Blue Note Label entitled Still Small Voice, yielded two top-five jazz singles and stayed on the Jazz Charts for over a year. The first release was #1 for three weeks and remained in the top ten for months. His current single, "Never Too Much" on the Verve Label, is his third consecutive release to achieve top five status. Paul, who began his career in the Los Angeles area in his early teens, attributes his success to God, his supportive parents, and building and maintaining positive relationships.

Visit Paul at his website: www.pauljacksonjr.com