Jon Lord
Legendary member of Deep Purple; his life, career and greatest achievements
Personal life
Born in the city of Leicester, Jon Lord was considered a prodigy. He began playing the piano at the age of just six, studying classical music. One can say that Lord grew up in a musical household, since his father was an amateur saxophonist who encouraged the young boy to pursue music from an early age.
Lord’s first lessons were with a local teacher named Frederick Allt, a man who likely influenced him to focus on studying and perfecting his classical music skills. This would be a recurring trademark in Lord’s work throughout his career; evident in his compositions, arrangements, and piano solos. All of which would gain him worldwide fame.
Lord was a student at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys between 1952 and 1958, where he was essentially a straight-A student. He would leave the school at 17 to work as a Solicitor’s clerk. Initially Lord was interested in working at the theater,. He moved to London in 1960 to train at the Central School of Speech and Drama after he won a scholarship, paying for his food and lodgings by playing in pubs.
Career
In 1963, Lord was part of the band Red Blood and his Bluesicians, where he recieved his first, very-own electric organ. A year later he served as the keyboardist for Artwoods, a band led by Art Wood, who was the brother of future Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood. Despite Lord’s addition, however, the band struggled for their first four years until they released a string of acclaimed EPs and an album titled Art Gallery, which nowadays is considered a highly collectible piece of music memorabilia.
Lord’s greatest claim to fame, however, is being the co-founder and keyboardist of the legendary rock band Deep Purple. The band was formed after Lord met businessman Tony Edwards in early 1967 through a roommate. He would also meet session guitarist Ritchie Blackmore during this time.
Eventually, the band would find more members with bassist Nick Simper, vocalist Rod Evans, drummer Ian Paice, Lord on the keyboard, and Ritchie Blackmore on the guitar…
