on ist ▁Lee ▁Kon itz ▁in ▁Chicago ▁when ▁both ▁were ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁high ▁school ▁band . ▁He ▁cred its ▁Kon itz ▁with ▁encourag ing ▁him ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁serious ▁music ian . ▁G our ley ' s ▁father ▁started ▁the ▁Mon arch ▁Conserv atory ▁of ▁Music ▁in ▁Hamm ond , ▁Indiana , ▁though ▁he ▁didn ' t ▁teach , ▁and ▁he ▁bought ▁G our ley ▁his ▁first ▁guitar . ▁G our ley ▁took ▁his ▁first ▁guitar ▁classes ▁at ▁the ▁school . ▁He ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁jazz ▁while ▁listening ▁to ▁the ▁radio , ▁enjo ying ▁in ▁particular ▁Nat ▁King ▁Cole . ▁For ▁his ▁first ▁professional ▁experience ▁as ▁a ▁perform er , ▁he ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁high ▁school ▁to ▁play ▁with ▁a ▁jazz ▁band ▁in ▁Oklahoma ▁City . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 4 – 1 9 4 6 , ▁G our ley ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy . ▁After ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Chicago , ▁he ▁met ▁guitar ist ▁Jimmy ▁Ran ey ▁and ▁wanted ▁to ▁play ▁like ▁him . ▁He ▁worked ▁in ▁bars ▁and ▁clubs ▁with ▁Jack ie ▁C ain ▁& ▁Roy ▁K ral , ▁An ita ▁O ' Day , ▁Son ny ▁St itt , ▁and ▁Gene ▁Am m ons . ▁Through ▁the ▁G . I . ▁Bill , ▁he ▁received ▁tu ition ▁for ▁three ▁years ▁to ▁any ▁college ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁G our ley ▁spent ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁his ▁life ▁in ▁France , ▁working ▁with ▁Henri