I met musical agent and businessman Max Gail, Sr., in November 1971, after driving through a snowstorm to get to his Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, home for an 8am appointment. He was looking for a piano player who could sing.
I first saw Judy Roberts perform at the Back Room on Rush Street, Chicago, in 1975. In those days, Rush Street was crackling with entertainment, and Judy had one of the premiere Chicago bands. She sang and played an electronic keyboard, and her quintet had a hip jazz fusion style. I remember the musicians in …