Al Kooper

Well, I was just determined to play. I was a guitar player at the time, and I stayed up all night practicing and had actually an inflated opinion of my ability as a guitar player.

Well, I was just determined to play. I was a guitar player at the time, and I stayed up all night practicing and had actually an inflated opinion of my ability as a guitar player.

Well, I was just determined to play. I was a guitar player at the time, and I stayed up all night practicing and had actually an inflated opinion of my ability as a guitar player.

And I got to the session and at the time I was playing guitar on records as a session musician so the other musicians that were there early when I got there did not think it was unusual for me to be there with my guitar because I'd played sessions with them and they knew that I did session work. And I set up my stuff and I sat down and I waited and Dylan came in with a guitar player

And I got to the session and at the time I was playing guitar on records as a session musician so the other musicians that were there early when I got there did not think it was unusual for me to be there with my guitar because I'd played sessions with them and they knew that I did session work. And I set up my stuff and I sat down and I waited and Dylan came in with a guitar player

And I got to the session and at the time I was playing guitar on records as a session musician so the other musicians that were there early when I got there did not think it was unusual for me to be there with my guitar because I'd played sessions with them and they knew that I did session work. And I set up my stuff and I sat down and I waited and Dylan came in with a guitar player

who was roughly my age, and he sat down and started warming up, and I realized that was in way over my head. He was the best guitar player I'd ever heard in my life, just warming up. Just those things he was playing were way beyond my grasp as a player, and I said to myself, I've got to get out of here before I really embarrass myself.

who was roughly my age, and he sat down and started warming up, and I realized that was in way over my head. He was the best guitar player I'd ever heard in my life, just warming up. Just those things he was playing were way beyond my grasp as a player, and I said to myself, I've got to get out of here before I really embarrass myself.

who was roughly my age, and he sat down and started warming up, and I realized that was in way over my head. He was the best guitar player I'd ever heard in my life, just warming up. Just those things he was playing were way beyond my grasp as a player, and I said to myself, I've got to get out of here before I really embarrass myself.

So when there was a moment I took my guitar and put it in the case and put it against the wall and I went in the control room where I belonged and watched the session and Tom Wilson came in and he hadn't seen me sitting out there with the guitar so that was very good. And then during the session, they had someone playing the organ, and they moved him over to a piano, actually.

So when there was a moment I took my guitar and put it in the case and put it against the wall and I went in the control room where I belonged and watched the session and Tom Wilson came in and he hadn't seen me sitting out there with the guitar so that was very good. And then during the session, they had someone playing the organ, and they moved him over to a piano, actually.

So when there was a moment I took my guitar and put it in the case and put it against the wall and I went in the control room where I belonged and watched the session and Tom Wilson came in and he hadn't seen me sitting out there with the guitar so that was very good. And then during the session, they had someone playing the organ, and they moved him over to a piano, actually.

His name was Paul Griffin. He was a studio keyboard player. And I walked over to Tom Wilson and I said, hey, why don't you let me play organ on this? I got a great part for this. He went, oh, man, you're not an organ player. You're a guitar player. You don't play the organ. And I said, oh, yeah, yeah, I got a great part for this, Tom. And just at that point, they called him for a phone call.

His name was Paul Griffin. He was a studio keyboard player. And I walked over to Tom Wilson and I said, hey, why don't you let me play organ on this? I got a great part for this. He went, oh, man, you're not an organ player. You're a guitar player. You don't play the organ. And I said, oh, yeah, yeah, I got a great part for this, Tom. And just at that point, they called him for a phone call.

His name was Paul Griffin. He was a studio keyboard player. And I walked over to Tom Wilson and I said, hey, why don't you let me play organ on this? I got a great part for this. He went, oh, man, you're not an organ player. You're a guitar player. You don't play the organ. And I said, oh, yeah, yeah, I got a great part for this, Tom. And just at that point, they called him for a phone call.

And I thought to myself, well, he didn't say no. He just said I wasn't an organ player. And so I went out and sat down at the organ. And as a matter of fact, if Paul Griffin hadn't have left, the organ switched on. That would have been the end of my career because it's very complicated to turn on a Hammond B-3 organ. It takes about three separate moves. And you have to know what you're doing.

And I thought to myself, well, he didn't say no. He just said I wasn't an organ player. And so I went out and sat down at the organ. And as a matter of fact, if Paul Griffin hadn't have left, the organ switched on. That would have been the end of my career because it's very complicated to turn on a Hammond B-3 organ. It takes about three separate moves. And you have to know what you're doing.

And I thought to myself, well, he didn't say no. He just said I wasn't an organ player. And so I went out and sat down at the organ. And as a matter of fact, if Paul Griffin hadn't have left, the organ switched on. That would have been the end of my career because it's very complicated to turn on a Hammond B-3 organ. It takes about three separate moves. And you have to know what you're doing.

And I didn't. But it was on already, so I was saved. And... And then Tom Wilson came back out and he said, okay, this is take six. And then he saw me and he said, hey, what are you doing out there? And I just started laughing. And he was a gentleman. He just said, okay, okay, let's go. We're rolling. This is take seven.

And I didn't. But it was on already, so I was saved. And... And then Tom Wilson came back out and he said, okay, this is take six. And then he saw me and he said, hey, what are you doing out there? And I just started laughing. And he was a gentleman. He just said, okay, okay, let's go. We're rolling. This is take seven.