Former Burlington Township resident George Prutting splits his time between practicing law and practicing guitar.
By day, George Prutting’s job can be quite stressful. As a lawyer running his own practice on the White Horse Pike in Audubon, Prutting spends much of his day working to resolve clients’ legal problems. At night, Prutting finds his reprieve the moment his fingers strum his guitar.
Prutting currently plays guitar in the band Gooley’s Gold. The band has been together in various iterations since the 1980s and continues to play gigs throughout South Jersey.
Prutting’s passion for guitar started during his childhood. As a child in Brooklyn, he used to take the city bus to his guitar lessons. When he was 12, his family moved to North Jersey, and despite giving up formal lessons, he continued to play.
“I only took lessons for about a year — not quite. The rest is self taught,” Prutting said. “I just liked the guitar, pop, rock music. It was something to do to keep you out of trouble.”
In 1981, Prutting made his way to South Jersey to attend Rutgers Law School. It was at law school that Prutting joined his first band. He said at the end of the year, there was a law school showcase where students played music, performed skits and did a variety of other performances. He and two of his fellow law students formed a band and called themselves “The Court Jesters.”
Following the showcase, the band continued to play together and even hired an agent. He said they had brochure printed and would play gigs regularly. He said when they first got together, they thought they might just have enough of a hook as three lawyers in a band to make it big. He said he daydreamed about them getting their big break and appearing on Johnny Carson or David Letterman.
“It never happened, but it was a fun thought to have in your mind,” Prutting said.
In those days, Prutting and his bandmates played the Wildwood Convention Center, bar mitzvahs, weddings and bars. As the years went on and Prutting’s business began to take off, he found he had less and less time to devote to music.
“At a certain point, it became too much for me; I had to make a decision,” Prutting said. “I left the band.”
Along the way, Prutting married his wife Donna in 1989, and the pair moved into an apartment in Mount Laurel for a few years while they saved up to buy a home in Burlington Township. The pair lived in their first home for four years before moving to Moorestown in 1994 where they have lived ever since.
Prutting said he and his bandmates remained friends over the years, but it wasn’t until three years ago they discussed playing together once more.
“For the longest time, I didn’t play at all,” Prutting said. “Then, I picked it up again.”
With a new chapter in the band’s life, came a new name. Prutting said they decided on Gooley’s Gold to reflect the Irish music they added into their repertoire. Today, the band practices at least once a week, and while they don’t play gigs with the same frequency they once did, they’re currently making an effort to get back into clubs and other venues.
The band plays what Prutting refers to as an “eclectic” array of music. He said they perform a little classic rock, a little country, some pop and other types of music that people will want to dance to.
He said gigs today aren’t quite the same as they once were. Prutting joked that he played a show at a local pub on a Saturday night and was still recovering on Thursday. He said while lugging amps isn’t much fun, watching people dance, clap and sing along to the music when he performs is what keeps him going.
“It keeps you young,” Prutting said with a warm laugh. “I think it does.”
