So what about him?

Well, Greg Rister has variously pursued a career as an organist, a rock n' roll keyboardist, a lawyer, and a pipe organ builder (and so he remains).  Music has always been at the core of his life, ever since he was a little rugrat.  His earliest memories of music are of recordings of Bizet's "Carmen", Leroy Anderson, latin dance music, and pipe organ music by Leon Berry and Reginald Foort.  Somehow, the pipe organ music struck a chord deep within, and the instrument has never loosed its grip on him.

Greg acquired much seminal knowledge of the mechanical workings of the pipe organ through the installation of his first home pipe organ installation, which began in 1965, and by working for his father's part-time pipe organ service business.  After life, the law and rock n' roll took him away from the instrument for a number of years, he resumed his interest and study of the pipe organ with a re-apprenticeship with Rosales Organ Builders in Los Angeles (who are responsible for the tonal design and voicing of the fantastic Disney Hall organ in Los Angeles).  After 4 years at Rosales, he found his way to the shop of Duane Hanks, who founded the Pipe Organ Craftsmen, a pipe organ service organization which indulges in a variety of work, from simple tuning and repair chores to extensive upgrades and rebuilds of existing organs.  With Duane's impending relocation out of state, Greg is now continuing that work with RISTER PIPE ORGANS, a business he founded in 1998.

Music, however, is ever at the core of his endeavors.  Thus far, he has two (now rather ancient) solo recordings to his credit, one made for the Artisan Organ Company when he was a larger rugrat at 14, and another, self-produced album, on the San Gabriel Civic Auditorium Wurlitzer in 1977.  And many and varied rock n' roll recordings in which he appears as synthesist/keyboardist, some giving acknowledgement to his contributions, others where he's just another anonymous studio rocker.

In the early 80's Greg founded and operated his own recording studio, Padded Cell Sound Recorders, out of Redondo Beach, and later Van Nuys, before it finally closed its doors in 1987.   That endeavour is now renewed with the construction of the recording studio which will house this pipe organ.  For Greg, recording has always been an ultimate aim of his efforts in music, and with the dawn and development of digital technology, high quality recording is now possible without an investment rivalling the national debt.

As the studio organ completes its various phases, and the studio itself is outfitted, you can expect to see some commercial work emerge from Padded Cell again.  

Presently, his regular gig is playing a rather choice 9-rank Moller pipe organ every Sunday morning for the LDS church; it keeps the chops up, and the audience is one of the most gracious and appreciative (and forgiving) he's ever played for.  But you may expect much more in the future. . .an artistic agenda is afoot!