It all started as The Offbeats
Way back in 1958 six friends came together to play rock and roll as The Offbeats. , Henry Pujol (bass), Bobby Hancock (guitar), Chuck Blonde (sax), Jerry Wallmark (drums), John Broaddus (sax), and Ernie Gorospe (guitar) were playing all the local hot spots and dance halls in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.
A slight reshuffling of musicians led to Ernie moving over to bass as Henry and Chuck left the band head out west. Dick Heintze joined the band on Hammond B-3. Within a few months, Bobby had to leave the group and a 14-year old unknown guitar slinger named Danny Gatton took over Bobby's guitar duties. A young singer and songwriter named Ronnie MacDonald 
joined to handle the vocal and frontman duties. In 1960, this version of The Offbeats went into a small recording studio and recorded history - two original tunes called Beggarman and Trouble In Mind. Band members Ernie Gorospe (bass), Jerry Wallmark (drums), John Broaddus (sax), Dick Heintze (organ), Ronnie MacDonald (vocals), and Danny Gatton (guitar), became the closest of friends and musical partners. When the band moved on in 1967, each member pursued a career and continued to play music on and off in other bands, including each others various other musical projects. Both Ernie and John continued to work for the United States Federal Government. Dick joined the United States Army and became conductor of the U.S. Army Orchestra. Jerry worked for his brother's mechanical contracting company. Danny continued his musical career while working in his trade, metallurgy. The members of The Offbeats remained the closest of friends throughout the years.
Let's do it again!
In 1980, the original members of The Offbeats (Ernie, Jerry, John, and Bobby) got back together to play the oldies but goodies they had played years earlier as teenagers. This time the band played under the moniker of The American Music Company Band. Four years later Bobby had to leave the group to head south to Florida. Once again, Danny Gatton rejoined his friends and former bandmates, while still maintaining his individual musical career. This time an old friend of the band, Billy Windsor (The Reasons Why), joined to handle rhythm guitar and lead vocals.
Spinal disc problems forced Jerry to quit playing drums regularly by 1990. Also, Danny and Billy could no longer play regularly due to Danny's record deal and tour obligations with Elektra Records. For the next few years, Ernie and John played on with friends Denny Martin handling vocals, Billy Weeks on drums, and Dave Chappell on guitar.
December 1993 brought members of the original band together again for a Christmas gig at a local American Legion hall. With a break in Danny's recording and touring schedule, and unbeknownst to the band, Danny and Billy, along with Jerry, John, and Ernie, would play their last gig together as The American Music Company Band, and as original members of The Offbeats.
A year later, separated by a few months only, both Billy and Danny passed on to jam eternally.
Ressurecting the Past for the Future
In keeping the "family" going, 1997 brought together two generations of musicians to carry on The American Music Company Band tradition. Ernie and John regrouped with the band's second generation: Steve Windsor (Billy's son), who handles vocals and guitar; Steve Gorospe (Ernie's son), who handles guitar and vocals; and Jason Avery, longtime brother-in-arms of Steve G., who handles drums and vocals.
For both of the Steves and for Jason, there was no way growing up around all of this music would not or could not rub off on them!. And the rest is...history...still in the making.
Danny always said that if it wasn't fun then it wasn't worth doing. The American Music Company Band family tradition carries on and continues to prove that Danny was right...the music certainly is worth it because it sure is fun!