Editing Jon Lord (section)

===Growing up in Leicester===
Lord was born in [[Leicester]] on 9 June 1941 to Miriam (1912–1995; née Hudson) and Reginald Lord, and lived in the city until he was 20.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jonlord.org/2013/01/13/celebrating-jons-childhood-home/ |title=Celebrating Jon's childhood home &#124; Jon Lord – The Official Website |date=13 January 2013 |publisher=Jon Lord |access-date=2014-06-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Marlow |first1=Lee |title=Jon Lord's Blue Plaque: Leicester Pays Tribute |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/blue-plaque-for-jon-lord-unveiled-in-leicester |website=Classic Rock |publisher=Future plc |access-date=27 November 2024 |date=9 June 2015}}</ref> His father was an amateur saxophonist and encouraged Lord to play music from an early age. He studied classical piano from the age of five, with a local teacher, Frederick Allt, and this focus on a classical grounding to his material was a recurring trademark in his work, both in composition, arranging and his instrumental solos on piano, organ and electronic keyboards. In particular his influences ranged from [[Johann Sebastian Bach]] (a constant reference in his music and in his keyboard improvisation) to Medieval popular music and the English tradition of [[Edward Elgar]]. He attended [[Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys]] between 1952 and 1958 where he gained [[GCE Ordinary Level|O Level]] passes in French, music and mathematics, participated in amateur dramatics and the school choir alongside his organ and piano studies, and then worked as a clerk in a solicitor's office for two years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deep-purple.net/tree/artwoods/artwoods.html |title=Jon Lord profile|publisher=Deep-purple.net|access-date=16 July 2012}}</ref>

Lord absorbed the [[blues]] sounds that played a key part in his rock career, principally the raw sounds of the great American jazz and blues organists, such as [[Wild Bill Davis]], [[Jimmy Smith (musician)|Jimmy Smith]], [[Jimmy McGriff]] and "Brother" [[Jack McDuff]] ("Rock Candy"), as well as the stage showmanship of [[Jerry Lee Lewis]] and performers like [[Buddy Holly]], whom he saw perform at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester in March 1958.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.songkick.com/concerts/968148-buddy-holly-at-de-montfort-hall |title=Buddy Holly — Leicester — De Montfort Hall — 16 March 1958 |publisher=Songkick |date=1958-03-16 |access-date=2014-06-04}}</ref> The jazz-blues organ style of black R&B organ players in the 1950s and 1960s, using the trademark blues-organ sound of the [[Hammond organ]] (B3 and C3 models) and combining it with the [[Leslie speaker]] system (the well-known Hammond-Leslie speaker combination), were seminal influences on Lord. Lord also stated that he was heavily influenced by the organ-based [[progressive rock]] played by [[Vanilla Fudge]] after seeing that band perform in Great Britain in 1967, and earlier by the personal direction he received from British organ pioneer [[Graham Bond]].<ref>Welch, Chris. "The Story of Deep Purple", in ''Deep Purple: HM Photo Book'', copyright 1983, Omnibus Press.</ref>