GT ALBRIGHT
Songwriter / Vocalist / Media Producer / Musician / Writer / Inventor
Mr. Albright began his music career by performing at local concert events and regional venues in the Philadelphia area with his progressive rock band "Ozymandias" before graduating from high school. It wasn't until he and his band retained the professional artist management services of artist manager Duke A. Cooper (Manager: Travis Tritt / Quantum Entertainment) and booking agent Freddy Baker (The Freddy Baker Agency - Philadelphia, PA) that the band began working full time at large nightclubs and regional theater / concert venues.
Around the time 1974, GT's band was opening concert events for major recording acts like Daryl Hall & John Oates, and the English progressive rock band Star Castle to name just a couple. These live performances with GT on the drum set were always noteworthy and visually exciting to witness. Solid drum grooves and powerful concert drum solos along the lines of Buddy Rich, Ginger Baker, and John Bonham were a strong feature at Ozymandias' live shows. In 1975 the band recorded its first professional recordings at Society Hill Sound Studios in Philadelphia, PA. The demo recordings featured three original songs.
In the fall of 1976, GT joined the Upper Buck County, PA band "Chumbi" as their new Lead Vocalist and Rhythm Guitarist. This departure from the drum set to the front of the stage was a challenging, and inspiring adventure for him. After a few months of rehearsals, Chumbi began gathering a fan base by performing exciting shows. Eventually the band was opening shows at regional theaters and concert halls for top touring and recording artists including "Thin Lizzy" and "Rick Derringer". The bands management relocated them to the San Francisco Bay Area in late 1977 and placed them on sabbatical for two years to write new original music and to create an all new show. In 1979 the new band debuted their new music and show CHUMBI: "The Band from the Cosmos", to a sold out crowd at "The Stone" nightclub on Broadway in San Francisco. The show was a smashing success and the band went on to regularly headline at famed promoter Bill Graham's infamous "Old Waldorf" nightclub. By the year 1980 Chumbi was opening shows at the San Francisco "The Cow Palace" with rock monsters Ronnie Montrose, Greg Khin, and Y&T, and at the "Oakland Coliseum Arena" with blues legends B.B. King, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and Millie Jackson.
Mr. Albright is a BMI Affiliate, and an accomplished songwriter. With well over three hundred individual original song compositions to his credit, and numerous co-written song credits with established hit songwriters Sam Andrew (Big Brother & The Holding Company / Janis Joplin / Kosmic Blues Band), Dennis Walker (B.B. King / Robert Cray / Karen Lovely), and author-poet Robert Young (Friends of the Wolf / Under The Radar / Moving Targets). GT writes songs and music in a wide range of musical genres'. Everything from Top 40, Pop, Country, and CCM, to R&B, Rock, Blues, Funk, Jazz, and Fusion are in his wheel house. Additionally, GT composes instrumental music for synchronization to film, video, and creates audio background music for use in radio, internet video, and television commercials.
During the summer of 1992 GT Albright released his first solo record entitled "Walking With The King" on the RML Records label (Original Cover Art by Ben Perini). This Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) album was recorded by producer / music arranger James Fischer (Pacific Sky Music), and was recorded in part at San Rafael, California's "Wizards & Cecil B. Studios", operated by the late Pete Slauson (101 North Records), and "Skywalker Ranch" studios, owned and operated by George Lucas. The record received national and international recognition. Played on Christian Radio stations across the United States and in England were founder & editor Tony Cummings of Cross Rhythms Magazine (Stroke-on-Trent, England) reviewed the album. He dubbed GT Albright to be the second coming of Michael English, the CCM chart topping music artist in his positive review of the WWTK record. GT has played the drums on a long list Christian record albums. Most notably with CCM worship leaders and recording artists Andy Cater ("The Oceans Roar" ), Nathan & Jenna Strong ("After The Chase"), and Michael Bahn ("Found In You" and "Amazed By You"). In addition to his worship team service, in 2004 GT was on staff at River Valley Community Church of Grants Pass, Oregon (RVCC) to lead the church's new audio recording and radio broadcast department. GT produced and established the church's weekly radio ministry broadcast "River of Life", that features the teaching of Senior Pastor Mark Goens. This show is still being heard each Sunday afternoon in Southern Oregon on American Family Radio (AFR), The K-DOVE Radio Network, and on local radio AM 1270 - KAJO in Grants Pass, OR.
After moving to Grants Pass, Oregon on January 1st, 2002, GT began bui
age was transformed over a two year time period into a demo recording studio. The original GP studio catered to local musicians or bands desiring to make recordings and looking for a place to rehearse for their live gigs. In the fall of 2006 GT returned to the secular music stage as a drummer for a local classic rock & blues group called The Retro Brothers Band. Three years later in 2009 GT left this band to form his own group. He reappeared leading a formidable new line-up of amazing local musicians that formed his group entitled "GT's Jamlanders". Born of eclectic recording session musicians at GT's studio, this very talented band exploded on to the local music scene with an unusual, and reliably dynamic weekly spontaneous live music show. These events were promoted as GT's JAMLAND. Specializing in improvisational music, these unique shows were held outdoors each Sunday afternoon at a lounge and restaurant located in Murphy, Oregon named Dorman's Place. For almost two full years these shows, hosted by GT's Jamlanders Band, were a weekly destination event for musicians and music lovers from all over Southern Oregon.
In 2011, GT auditioned to be the touring drummer for international blues singer Karen Lovely. Her 2011 U.S. Tour would be in support of her hit blues album "Still The Rain" (Songs by Dennis Leo Walker and Alan Mirikitani - Produced by Dennis Leo Walker). Landing this gig put GT back on stage on a national tour which concluded with his appearance on stage at the prestigious "Blues Music Awards Show" (BMA's) in Memphis, TN backing Karen Lovely, and additionally appearing as the drummer for Australian blues master Eugene "Hideaway" Bridges. GT is a member of "The Cascade Blues Association" - Portland, OR - and "The Ashland Blues Society", Ashland, OR - as well as the "Rainy Day Blues Society", Eugene, OR.
In January of 2013, GT performed a blues music show at the infamous "Alex's Nightclub" in Ashland, OR with blues harmonica icon and singer / songwriter Hank Shreve. In March of that year GT was invited to join "The Hank Shreve Band" (Boogie Boss Records) as their drummer and backing vocalist. He did, and spent the next 4.5 years touring the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. GT recorded with the band on their next two albums "Loosen Up" and "Trouble No More". In an unfortunate turn of events, GT was severely injured and nearly killed in a brutal 2 AM accident on the I-5 freeway in Albany, Oregon on September 20th, 2015. While returning from an HSB show in Oregon City, OR he pulled off the shoulder of the freeway, and upon exiting his vehicle to retrieve an object front the rear seat, his car was hit and he was run down by a drunk driver. He and his fiancé' survived the 70+ mph impact as a result of some miraculous events. A mere eight weeks later GT returned to the band and performed in Grants Pass, OR at the G Street Bar & Grill. Miracles still happen. Soldiering on the band appeared at the 2017 International Blues Competition Show in Memphis, TN to much critical acclaim, playing numerous venues on Memphis' famous Beale Street to the delight of many fans. Shortly thereafter GT left the band to pursue other musical and artistic goals.
In November of 2020 GT completed the construction of the new Studio Heaven Facility in Dexter, OR. This new 3,200 sq. ft. live recording sound stage is built to provide live performance recording and internet streaming of live events. The studio is equipped with multiple software platforms (DAW: ProTools, Logic, Acid, Soundbooth, etc.) and a separate 480 sq. ft. post production tracking / editing suite for mixing and post production of both audio and video projects. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic the studio is currently off line. SHP is a private "not for hire" invitation only facility, not open to the public. However, exceptions can be made if facilitated and arranged through the appropriate channels. For more information please contact the studio through the contact points below. Thank you.
A1StudioHeaven@Gmail.com / Studio Direct Line: 541-581-3117
Mr. Albright published his first drum music book in 2021 along with co-author Alex Huber (Notation & Demonstration) entitled "Land Of The Left Hand". It teaches the original and exotic stick crossing patterns pioneered by GT from 1970 through 2020, which expand the use of the drummers "Traditional Left Hand Grip". These patterns create new and exotic melodic cadences for use in unique original musical compositions and arrangements. Prior to the books release, in May of 2018, GT was invited to lecture at Boston's prestigious Berklee Collage of Music by Associate Professor of Percussion Mr. Sergio Bellotti and Percussion Department Professor Mr. Skip Haydon on the topic this book. Mr. Albright was honored to appear and to demonstrate his innovate playing techniques to the assembled student class. This book is a Studio Heaven Productions publication.