Gabe was born November 26th, 1904, at knightstown, Indiana. He attended a "little red school house" in the country near Alexandria. His talent for music became apparent when he was quite young and he studied clarinet and saxaphone In later years he added fife, harmonica and several reed instruments.

After graduating from high school, Gabe began work for his father in a foundry. This was work which took a stout back and good muscles. Gabe owes much of his excellent physique to his work with his father.

His love of music, however, triumphed over any idea of an industrial career and soon he was playing solo clarinet in a theatre orchestra. Then Gabe joined Ezra Buzzington's Rube Band and for eight years he toured the vaudeville circuits in 46 states.

Gabe first appeared on radio with Buzzington's band on a Pensylvania station in 1923. Later he appeared on KOMO in Seattle.

While playing at a fair in Tiffin, Ohio, Gabe met and married Marguerite Deter of North Baltimore, Ohio, and has three children, John, Tim and Shirley.