You could say it all started with his dad. In addition to being a self-taught guitarist, Gordon’s dad loved his reel-to-reel tape player. From Creedence Clearwater Revival, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Three Dog Night, Aretha Franklin, the Beatles – you name it, the music of the 50s, 60s, and 70s was always playing in Gordon’s home growing up.

But the passion for sharing his love for music with others came from his mom. Whether it was collecting all his mom’s pots and pans and playing her ‘the drums’ or serenading his mom with the songs he heard on his dad’s reel-to-reel tape player, he loved how happy it made her. And he knew one day he wanted to be able to do that for a girlfriend or his wife.

When love took him to Ireland, he brought his island roots with him. Undeterred by his new rural Ireland home, he was impressed with some guys playing at a local pub and asked if they knew any reggae. He handed them his Bob Marley tape – Legend. A day later they were ready to play, and they jammed out to Waiting in Vain – the first ever jazz-reggae band in rural Ireland.

Back in the Turks and Caicos, music was always his love, but he never did it as a full-time job. But at 50 he decided that was it, quit his job, and dedicated his time to practicing full-time. As Gordon reflects, “it was scary and everyone thought I must be mad – but it was the best thing I ever did.”

As he plays throughout the Turks and Caicos at bars and resorts as well as private events and weddings, his reason for playing is the same inspiration as that of 6-year old Gordon playing for his mom – “the best part is meeting people and seeing people be happy.” He adds, “and the freedom it gives me.”