Gordon started his music career at age 10, playing Stephen Foster songs on the harmonica. Around 12, Gordon bought a chromatic harmonica and began to play songs that required sharps and flats. At age 18 Gordon took lessons on the Plectrum banjo (4 strings/22 frets).

When Gordon was 21, he began playing the banjo at Shakey’s Pizza Parlor in Arkansas, where he lived. From Shakey’s piano players, Gordon learned countless tunes from the 1890’s all the way through to the 1940’s.

After graduating from college in 1967, Gordon did his stint during the Viet Nam War stationed at Wheelus Air Force Base in Tripoli, Lebanon. While at Wheelus, he joined a Country Western band headed up by Col. “Wild Bill” Lyle. Col. Lyle was a guitar player on the radio in Texas in the 1930’s. For 15 months the band entertained both officers and enlisted people with country swing dance music.

When stationed back in the U.S. Gordon started playing banjo at Shakey’s Pizza Parlor again. Now, after over 60 years of performing music, Gordon can look back on all the different types of music he has done: Dixieland Jazz, the Standards,  Bluegrass, Country, Polka, as well as Hawaiian music and Soft Rock and Roll.

Gordon has learned thousands of songs and written many songs over the years. Gordon retired after working as an Activity Director at a nursing home for 22 years where he entertained the residents daily.

In 2012 Gordon moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where he performed with a tuba player and a trombone player for 6 years, and marched in over 70 parades.

In 2018 Gordon moved to Waco, Texas. In 2019 he met Elaine Earl there, a talented artist and lyricist. Elaine needed someone who knew how to put music to her words. Since then, she and Gordon have composed and recorded dozens of original songs. They are posting them on YouTube and producing CD’s.