John Degory is a Hammond B3 organist, jazz, funk, and R&B musician with a career spanning over four decades, active in both Pittsburgh and Florida’s music scenes.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Degory’s love for music began in the 3rd grade after attending a school assembly featuring an accordion performance. Inspired, he learned to play an accordion from his teacher and soon performed solos at recitals and for nonprofit events. By junior high, he was forming bands for local gigs, and at 16, his parents bought him an Iorio Accorgan accordion. Around the same time, he acquired his first Hammond organ — an M102 spinet with a 145 Leslie cabinet — and began teaching himself, mastering the bass pedals www.vitodisalvo.com.

Education and Early Performances

At the University of Pittsburgh, Degory majored in Economics with minors in History, Music, and Theater. He performed in clubs and at college events to help pay tuition.