I still can remember going to band practice (accordion)(Duluth Accordionares)(What! You haven't heard of them?)
  http://genny.lib.umn.edu/sample.mp3  Anyway, going to lessons and always sneaking away to the Lowery Organ room.  For me, those were my first arranger keyboards.  Accompaniment, one-touch play, different registers other than organ sounds.  Crude by today's standards (this was the early 70's) but oh what a blast to get to play with a rhythm section and play what I wanted to play.  I was hooked.
Playing an arranger keyboard is only a pastime for me, but I can't think of a better way to pass the time.
mike