This article is about Eric Gale (1938-94) the jazz guitarist, 'not blues guitarist Eric Gales (b. 1974) Eric J. Gale (Brooklyn, New York, 20 September 1938 - Baja California, Mexico, 25 May 1994) was a leading American jazz and session guitarist. He began playing guitar at the age of 12. Although he majored in chemistry at Niagara University, Gale was determined to pursue a musical career, and began contributing to accompaniments for such stars as Maxine Brown, the Drifters, and Jesse Belvin. He soon began to attract the attention of King Curtis and Jimmy Smith, who began recommending him for studio workAlbum notes by Chris Albertson, Contributing Editor, Stereo Review. He became known first as a session musician in the 1960s, eventually appearing on an estimated 500 albums. Among the many artists he recorded with were Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Lena Horne, Quincy Jones, Grover Washington Jr., Herb