From rick155@aol.com Mon Jan 28 11:46:35 2002
Subject:Re: favorite rock organist

>> He was also the first player to make playing organ / keys 'cool'.<<

Huh? I'm assuming you mean in rock music, since you're ignoring the entire history of jazz, including Jimmy Smith on B3 starting in 1955. But even if you mean only rock music, there are quite a few keyboard players starting with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard who you'd have to explain away before you could call Keith Emerson the "the first player to make playing organ/keys 'cool'". But even limiting it to organ: "Green Onions" was 1962. The Blues Project started around 1965. "Good Lovin'" was 1966. I think Booker T., Al Kooper, Felix Cavaliere, and others one could mention all qualified as being "cool" back then, don't you? All before anyone had heard of Keith Emerson.

Rick