 Although he majored in chemistry at Niagara University, Gale was determined to pursue a musical career, and began contributing to accompaniments for such stars as Maxine Brown, the Drifters, and Jesse Belvin.He soon began to attract the attention of King Curtis and Jimmy Smith, who began recommending him for studio work.He became known first as a session musician in the 1960s, eventually appearing on an estimated 500 albums.