Sometimes it’s better not to stick to a rigid plan. You have instincts — go with them!

Dave Cortez grew up in a musical family in Detroit. He took up the piano at a young age and eventually decided to make it his career. But in the 1950s, the Motor City had yet to become a musical mecca. A young man seeking his fortune needed to ignore the old adage about going west and instead make his way east, to New York, home of all the major record labels and studios.

After moving to NYC and playing in a couple of unsuccessful groups, Cortez scored some session work with The Chantels and then became the musical director for a new vocal group called Little Anthony and The Imperials. He was still only 20.

Right before going out on a big tour with Little Anthony, Cortez went into the studio to cut a solo single, a song he’d written called “The Dog and The Cat.” After laying down a backing track — featuring an absolutely rockin’ and ahead of its time guitar solo by Wild Jimmy Spruill — Cortez attempted a vocal. He never thought his voice was particularly strong and wasn’t too happy with the results right now.

So he decided to take a risk.

Over in the corner of the studio, Cortez spied a Hammond B3 organ. Normally these were kept covered up and tucked away as they were big and expensive, but this one just happened to be sitting out. He had never played an organ before — in fact, at this time organs usually featured only in religious songs or on a handful of jazz records — but Cortez felt adventurous and wanted to try something out of the ordinary.

While the backing track played in his headphones, he improvised a melody incorporating the old folk song “Shortnin’ Bread.” A couple of playthroughs, a new title, and the — now instrumental — song was done. Cortez switched off the organ and headed out for his tour with Little Anthony and The Imperials.

In May of 1959, “The Happy Organ” topped the US Hot 100. Cortez, who apparently didn’t have time to listen to the radio, only found out when his agent tracked him down at a tour stop in Washington, D.C. He liked the steady job, but left the tour to promote his #1 single and record an organ-based follow up. His new instrument, played on a whim, kept him in the biz for the next decade.

So come on, get happy….. with Dave “Baby” Cortez.