Patrick Gore was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, on April 30, 1932. At 9, the

discovery of a battered Stella in a cardboard case in an aunt's house sparked his interest

and led to lessons, thanks to a benevolent grandmother; better guitars and amplifiers; and

a lifelong obsession with the steel guitar and the electric standard guitar. He played both

until the seventies, when lead guitar became his main focus.

            At 14, his height-which made him look older-and his desire to play

professionally helped him move to the American Legion/VFW dance circuit. The interest

of Ralph Fain, a fine Western Swing vocalist, enabled him to play with better musicians

than most 14-year-olds work with: Babe Sourjohn, Roy Cowan, Bob Kiser, Clyde

LaPlant, Gene Carter, Gene Gassoway, and many others.

            In the early 50's, Pat moved to Dallas where he played in clubs such as the

Bridgeport, Spur, and Old Top Rail, and worked as a studio musician for the Oak Cliff

Recording Studio. At summer's end, he decided to return to college. With the car packed

and ready to drive back to Oklahoma, he got a call from Luke Wills' organization asking

            him to join the band on an extended tour. In a difficult decision that he questioned many-

            times afterwards~ he moved back to Oklahoma. But jobs took him back to Texas many

times, where he got to know and pick with Tommy Duncan, Maurice Anderson, Billy

Briggs, Cotton Whittington, and Shorty Messer .

                       While in the army, he was in the house band at the Big Red Barn in El Paso, and

worked for Billy Frizzell, David and Lefty's brother.

            After discharge, while attending O.U., Pat played in the Oklahoma City area, on

           an as-needed basis for Merle Lindsay, and full-time with the Jude and Jody band for two

years. Norma Jean, Wanda Jackson, and June Carter appeared with the bands he played

with. He feels fortunate to have made the circuit of the Western Swing clubs of that time

           and place: the Southern Club, Lindseyland, the Saddle Club, the Club Willow, and the

           Trianon. One of his best memories is having breakfast with the man (Bob Wills), Billy

           Bowman, and Buddy Bowman after a job at the Trianon.

           Through the sixties and seventies he was active in Muskogee and Tulsa, playing

          country , pop, rock, and, whenever possible, his favorites~ Western Swing and jazz.

           Pat holds a degree in Geology from Oklahoma University, an M.A. degree from

          Memphis State University, an M.S. Degree in Applied Mathematics from Tulsa

          University ~ and is a member of American MENSA. He has worked as a geologist in

          Wyoming and Louisiana; taught junior high science in Memphis, Tennessee; was a senior

          research engineer for Amoco (now British Petroleum) in Tulsa; and taught mathematics

          and computer science at Lane College in Eugene Oregon and Bacone College in Muskogee.

          In the 80s and 90s~ he devoted his energy to his computer business as a programmer and nett

          network engineer~ retiring in 2000. Through long-time friend Gene

          Carter, he met Chuck Hayes, Bob Cobb, and Joe Mitchell, and began to play

          professionally again after a hiatus of over 25 years. He joined the WSMSS Showcase

          Band in 2004.

           Pat lives in Muskogee with his wife Betty .Their combined family includes 2

          daughters and 3 sons, 5 granddaughters~ and 1 grandson, with another expected in May