Gloria Jones
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| Gloria Jones | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | 19 October 1945 Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Genre(s) | Gospel, Northern Soul, Motown, R & B |
| Instrument(s) | Piano, Vocals, Clavinet |
| Label(s) | Uptown, Minit, Motown, EMI |
| Associated acts | Marc Bolan, T.Rex |
Gloria Richetta Jones (born 19 October 1945, Cincinnati, Ohio [1]) is an American singer and songwriter. She recorded the 1964 northern soul classic, "Tainted Love", later a hit for the British synth-pop duo, Soft Cell.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Gloria Jones was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 8, where she first started singing. Gloria's first taste of fame came at the age of 14, when, while still at school, she formed with Frankie Kahrl and Billy Preston the successful gospel group the Cogic Singers. Although she remained with the group for some four years, it was inevitable that Gloria would move on to greater things, and she soon found herself drawn into the hurricane of the Los Angeles pop scene. Her first single "Heartbeat" was an instant R & B chart-topper. Gloria recorded an LP for the obscure Uptown Records label called "Come Go With Me" which was released in 1966. Gloria studied piano, and acquired an advanced classical degree primarily in the works of Bach.
Eventually, she was to meet a future writing partner Pam Sawyer, who asked her to write for Motown Records. Jones and Sawyer were amongst the second string of writers at Motown but still wrote for such artists as Gladys Knight & the Pips, Commodores, The Four Tops and The Jackson 5. As Jones was also initially a singer for the label, according to her, protocol demanded a pseudonym, so for some of her earlier co-writes she used the name LaVerne Ware. Songs that Gloria worked on during this period include The Supremes' "Have I Lost You" (writer), Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross "My Mistake" (writer), Junior Walker's "I Ain't Goin' Nowhere" (writer/producer) and the Four Top's "Seven Numbers" (writer). The most fondly remembered song that Gloria penned was Gladys Knight and the Pips "If I Were Your Woman", which was nominated for a Grammy award in 1971. However, Gloria left Motown at the end of 1972, subsequent to the release of her much acclaimed album "Share My Love".
Gloria first met Marc Bolan in 1968 while performing in Hair (Los Angeles cast). He was then signed to A&M Records. The late Jobriath invited the cast to a party in Hollywood for Marc. While touring in Europe, Marc and Gloria met for the second time at the Speakeasy (London). In 1972, she was recommended by Warner Brothers Bob Regere to sing backing vocals behind T. Rex at the Winterland (San Francisco). Their interest in music was the magic wand that brought them together, in mixing the various sounds of Rock N Soul. This influenced the likes of Boy George and so many others to take their sound into the eighties.
Soon after joining T. Rex, Gloria and Marc became romantically involved. Together, they had a son, Rolan Bolan (Rolan Seymour Feld Bolan, 26.09.1975). She sang backing vocals and played clavinet with T. Rex from 1973 to 1977. She was the driver of the car, an Austin Mini, that crashed and killed Marc Bolan on 16 September 1977.
Jones recovered and quickly moved back to Los Angeles with her son, who became a model for Tommy Hilfiger, as well as a musician.
Performing in tours from September 15, 1984 to April 23, 1995, Gloria and Jaclyn (Jackie) LaBranch were the two back up singers for the Jerry Garcia Band, providing lush harmonies and a deep gospel feel night after night during some of the most inspiring nights of music that ever were.
Gloria has worked as a musical supervisor for films and is presently building a school of music and film in honor of Marc.
[edit] Backing vocalist work (on non-T.Rex albums)
- With Little Feat on Dixie Chicken
- With Harry Nilsson on Duit on Mon Dei
- With Billy Preston on Late at Night and A Whole New Thing
- With Neil Young on Neil Young
- With Steve Harley on Hobo with a Grin
[edit] Discography
[edit] Solo singles
- 1964 - "Tainted Love" / "My Bad Boy's Coming Home"
- 1966 - "Come Go With Me" / "How Do You Tell An Angel"
- 1966 - "Heartbeat (Part 1)" / Heartbeat (Part 2)"
- 1966 - "Finders Keepers" / "Run One Flight Of Stairs"
- 1971 - "Look What You Started" / "When He Touches Me"
- 1971 - "I Know" / "I Believe In You"
- 1973 - "Tin Can People" / "So Tired"
- 1975 - "I Ain't Going Nowhere" / "Simplicity Blues"
- 1976 - "Get It On (Part 1)" / "Get It On (Part 2)"
- 1976 - "Tainted Love" (New Version) / "Go Now" (Album Version) (12" - MAXI)
- 1977 - "To Know You Is To Love You" / "City Port" (with Marc Bolan)
- 1977 - "Go Now" (Single Version) / "Drive Me Crazy (Disco Lady)"
- 1977 - "Bring On The Love" (Single Version) / "Cry Baby"
- 1977 - "Bring On The Love" (Album Version) / "Bring On The Love" (Instrumental)
- 1978 - "When I Was a Little Girl" /"When I Was a Little Girl" (Instrumental)
- 1978 - "Windstorm" / "Blue Light Microphone"
- 1979 - "Listen To Me" / "Father I'm Coming Home" (From the v/a Double Album Alpha Omega)
[edit] Singles - As writer/producer (with Gonzalez)
- 1976 - "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet"
- 1977 - "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)"
- 1977 - "Just Let It Lay"
- 1978 - "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" (Remix)
[edit] Solo studio albums and EPs
[edit] Solo compilations
- 1996 - Vixen / Windstorm
[edit] T. Rex albums
- 1974 - Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow
- 1974 - Light of Love
- 1975 - Bolan's Zip Gun
- 1976 - Futuristic Dragon
- 1977 - Dandy in the Underworld
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Davis, Sharon (1988). Motown - The History. Guinness Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-85112-894-7.
[edit] External links
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