Gale Johnson's Not So Greatest Hits
I moved to Missoula, Montana in 1987. I currently own and operate a digital printing business that provides high end printing for artists and photographers. In 1979 I had taken a motorcycle trip with the keyboardist from a band I was playing in. We went from San Diego to Jasper, Canada and back. While passing through Glacier Park in Montana I decided that this was where I wanted to live. Another eight years passed but I finally (with my new wife) moved to Missoula.
The band I had in high school was called Hardware and consisted of nine members —Don Arnold (drums), Al Papito (tenor sax), Tony Desoto (trumpet), Steve Christie (trombone), Rick Cross (trumpet), Gale Johnson (lead guitar) from Crawford and Steve Herring (piano/organ), Neil Natwick (bass), Jeff Blid (guitar/vocals) from Hoover High. We covered songs by Blood, Sweat and Tears, Sons of Champlain, Butterfield Blues Band and had some originals.
In the 1969 yearbook there is a picture of us in the supplement that came with the yearbook playing at the “Groove In”.
We played a lot of local gigs but we were never very popular with the public who thought our jazz based music wasn’t easy to dance to however we were a popular band with other musicians who knew what kind of work was involved with keeping 9 players tight. We played the music we did because we loved it. God knows when you divide a paycheck nine ways we weren’t in it for the money. I am still making music, although by myself, with the help of my Apple computer.
Apple’s “Garage Band” software is he only reason that I picked up my guitars again. They had been in their cases for about 10 years until a year and half ago. It has enabled me to produce two CDs and I am currently working on my third. While these are just things that I share with family and friends it has been great to be able to keep my music going. I hadn't planned to sell the CDs. If anyone is interested I would be glad to make them a copy.

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