Patrick Gemkow

Patrick Gemkow was born just southwest of Chicago. He had three piano teachers from the ages of 6 - 8. One quit, one was hospitalized for anorexia, and one had retired due to sudden cancer. After the third teacher, he taught himself how to play by ear with the basic knowledge he already had. When he was only 12, he received secret guitar lessons from his older brothers against his parents wishes. You see they believed that playing the guitar so young would lead him to a devilish place in his life. At 15 he was asked to be in an elite choral group, The Madrigals, where he developed his own unique, intense passion for singing. The group sang Italian, German, African, Gregorian, and all other types of eight piece harmony songs. Patrick sang in the group for three years before moving to California in pursuit of a bigger musical career. While in Cali, Patrick developed a horrid drug problem that almost killed him, but was miraculously saved by a life long friend who brought him back to Chicago. A month later, he started the band Stone Blue. He was only 20. As lead vocal, lead guitarist Stone Blue recorded their only album together before he moved on to the British rock band Suite 15. In late 2005 he moved on to do many solo acts in the city and still wonders where the road will take him from here.................