Discover more about Gary Banks

Gary's Father, Alexander Banks, served during WWII on a tugboat in New York Harbor. He, along with other African American sailors in segregated barracks often spent weekends on shore leave frustrated in their imposed idleness; a piano placed within their midst for entertainment; yet no one with the skill or calling to render merriment from its keys. There, he made a vow that sometime in the future when he would have a family and means, there would be a piano in the home and compulsory lessons for his children.

Gary was nine years old and unaware of this commitment, when,  in awesomeness, he watched from the window as workers from J.H. Troup Music Store unloaded a Story & Clark piano and rolled it into the walkway.  From this day forward, the piano became Gary's forever friend; sometimes constant, sometimes intermittent; more times than permissible, neglected; other times obsessively close; yet never far enough away that the relationship could not be retrieved in flourishing and fulfilling reunions. 

Gary has always been involved in music. He's served as a pianist for the church  choir and, throughout the years, as an invited guest for various programs and/or a as a soloist in the Harrisburg, PA area. Later as a student at Shippensburg University, he became one of the first musicians for the college gospel choir and was also a member of the jazz club. 

Over the years, even as he pursued a career in PA state government, Gary held positions as choir director and/or musician for various churches including Goodwin Memorial and Bethel AME.  Always involved in music he was  Director of the music program at Dayspring Ministries in Middletown, and continued in the music ministry even after ordination as a pastor in 2004. His last ministry position in Harrisburg before moving to California was as Worship Pastor at Living Water Community Church.  

Jazz has always held an interest for Gary and he's consistently maintained a repertoire of classic jazz standards and contemporary popular favorites for special programs, receptions, and private dates. 

Gary and his family relocated to California in 2018 and Gary began to teach piano out of his home and seek opportunities to display his expertise with the piano.  Shortly after arriving in CA, Gary received a blessing when he started attending North Coast Calvary Chapel  and was introduced to leaders of the music ministry and began serving on worship teams. However, the second blessing began to be realized through the growing friendship with Janine Thomas, proprietor of Carlsbad Village Music, which was pivotal for further notoriety in the area and his growth as a musician. 

His friendship with Janine blossomed as he visited the music store in downtown Carlsbad to purchase instructional material for his in-home students. Janine indicated the store need to hire additional part time instructors and asked if Gary would consider it. And so, he began at CVM in the spring of 2020 and is still teaching students of all ages.

As a member of the staff at CVM, Gary became acquainted with a growing number of musicians in the area that have led to opportunities to play. In addition, Gary is fulfilling a calling, that has been long dormant for awhile, which is to teach. Gary has ignited a passion with the next generations of musicians and loves watching them realize that they have a fire within them for music. While at CVM, Gary has ability to engage in intentional and focused practice.

Today, even in his  retirement years Gary enjoys the opportunity to teach the young and old, to occupy a residency at New Village Arts playing with a variety of talented musicians every other week, to provide service to the church, to lead a trio, and to be available to respond to a growing number of playing engagements. 

But amid all of the chance meetings and encounters that led to influencers, new friends, and opportunities, the renaissance of the musician; Gary Banks, has been made possible by the commitment to the discipline of regular practice.