Gloria Lynne (born Gloria Wilson; November 23, 1929 – October 15, 2013), also known as Gloria Alleyne, was an American jazz vocalist with a recording career spanning from 1958 to 2007.
Early life Lynne was born in Harlem in 1929 to John and Mary Wilson, a gospel singer.Gloria Lynne obituary, New York Times, October 19, 2013. She grew up in Harlem, and as a young girl, Lynne sang with the local African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Choir.
Career At the age of 15, she won first prize at the Amateur Night contest at the Apollo Theater. She shared the stage with contemporary night club vocal ensembles, and recorded as part of such groups as the Enchanters and the Dell-Tones in the 1950s. As a soloist she recorded under her birth name, although most of her work was released under her stage name on the Everest, with whom she signed in 1958,Billboard Magazine, December 1, 1958, p. 7. and Fontana labels.
Although showing much promise early on, especially after TV appearances, including Harry Belafonte's New York 19 (1960) and The Ed Sullivan Show (1961), her development suffered through poor management. Some unscrupulous recording executives profited while she had limited financial resources—a victim of unpaid royalties—and only saved by the fact that she was able to work steadily and earn her money from live performances.David Hinckley. New York Daily News, May 26, 2004.
During her earlier years on the road, Lynne shared bills with RnB, jazz, traditional pop music, and pop singers including Ray Charles, Billy Eckstine, Johnny Mathis and Ella Fitzgerald. TV specials include two with Harry Belafonte.Billboard Magazine, November 28, 1960, p. 14. She wrote lyrics for "Watermelon Man" with Herbie Hancock, and "All Day Long" with Kenny Burrell. Her final recording was "I Wish It Would Snow" featuring Bucky Pizzarelli. The song was featured in the 2014 Lifetime movie Seasons of Love, starring Gladys Knight and Taraji P. Henson.
New York City proclaimed July 25, 1995 as "Gloria Lynne Day."
Personal life She and her husband, Harry Alleyne, had a son, Richard. Gloria and Richard Alleyne ran a production company, Family Bread Music Inc.Remarks by the Hon. John Conyers Jr., Congressional Record, Extension of Remarks Vol. 153, Pt. 10, May 22, 2007, p. 13571.
She died of a heart attack on October 15, 2013, in Newark, New Jersey, at the age of 83.
Awards In 1996, Lynne received the International Women of Jazz Award, and she was honored with a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1997. Other awards and recognition include the National Treasure Award from the Seasoned Citizens Theatre Company (2003); induction into the National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame; Living Legend Award from the State of Pennsylvania (2007). In 2008, Lynne was presented with a special award for "Outstanding Achievement In Jazz", at the New York MAC Awards. In 2010, she was honored at New York's Schomburg Library, for her many contributions to the music industry and the world by Great Women In Music and its founder Roz Nixon. Roz Nixon Entertainment worked successfully with Lynne throughout her final years, producing, co-producing or participating in making the arrangements for Ms. Lynne's appearances pertaining to her last concerts or significant events.
Charted singles YearSingleChart PositionsLabelUSPopUSR&B1961"The Jazz in You"109—Everest"He Needs Me"111—"Impossible"9516"You Don't Have To Be A Tower Of Strength"100—1964"I Wish You Love"283"I Should Care"6447"Be Anything (But Be Mine)"8840Fontana"Don't Take Your Love From Me"76—Everest1965"Watermelon Man"628Fontana
Discography As a member of the Dell-Tones Recorded Title Label Format Catalogue No. 1953"Yours Alone"/"My Heart's on Fire" Brunswick 45 r.p.m.84015 1954"Little Short Daddy"/"I'm Not in Love with You" Rainbow 45 r.p.m.244
Singles as leader
Recorded Title Label Format Catalogue No. 1954"When I Say My Prayer"/"The Uncloudy Day" Josie 45 r.p.m.7671959"June Night"/"Perdido"Everest19303"But Not for Me"/"Just in Time"193081960"Be My Love"/"My Prayer for You"19326"Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe"/"My Reverie"19337"June Night"/"Perdido"19343"Am I Blue"/"Little Girl Blue"19346"They Didn't Believe Me"/"Without a Song"19347"Gypsy Boy"/"Recommended to Love"19367"Condemned Without Trial"/"Dreamy"19373"The Jazz in You"/"Love, I've Found You"193901961"He Needs Me"/"The Lamp Is Low"19409"Impossible"/"This Little Boy of Mine"19418"You Don't Have to Be a Tower of Strength"/"I Will Follow You"194281962"And This Is My Beloved"/"I'm Glad There Is You"19431"I Know Love"/"It Just Happened to Me"20081963"I'll Buy You a Star"/"Record Company Blues"2023"Humming Blues"/"Stormy Monday Blues"20301964"I Wish You Love"/"Through a Long and Sleepless Night"2036"I Should Care"/"Indian Love Call"2042"Don't Take Your Love from Me"/"You Don't Know What Love Is"2044"Serenade in Blue"/"Without a Song"2047"On Christmas Day"/"Wouldn't It Be Loverly"20511965"Fly Me to the Moon"/"The Night Has A Thousand Eyes"2055"Out of This World"/"Squeeze Me"2058"Lonely Street"/"Try a Little Tenderness"2059"The Folks Who Live on the Hill"/"That's a Joy"2061"My Devotion"/"I'm Glad There Is You"2062 1959"Little Boy Blues"/"Way Beyond the Hills"Seeco6037 1961"Is There Someone for Me"/"I'm Not Afraid Anymore"6077 1964"Be Anything (but Be Mine)"/"Soul Serenade"Fontana18901965"The Touch of Your Lips"/"Intimate Moments"1507"Watermelon Man"/"All Alone"1511"Whisperers"/"I Understand"15231966"Sometimes It Be's That Way"/"Speaking of Happiness"1538"Strangers in the Night"/"Hey, Candy Man"1554"Money Machine"/"I Got What You Want"15601967"Love Is"/"It's Not the Truth"1567"Foolish Dreamer"/"I Can't Stand It"15941968"Down Here on the Ground"/"I've Never Been Loved Before"1617"The Guy Who Lived Up There"/"Hold Back the Dawn"16271969"I've Got to Be Someone"/"Problem Child"1639"Darlin'"/"No Easy Way Down"1660"Hold It"/"Untouched By Human Love"1674 1966"I Wish You Love"/"A Long Long Story"Hi Fi51031970"If You Don't Get It Yourself"/"Love's Finally Found Me"Canyon36 "Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong"/"Take You All the Way"Roker5041972"Never My Love"/"The Summer Knows"Mercury73267"Just Let Me Be Me"/"Kickin' Life"73294 1976"Out of This World"/"Thank You, Early Bird" ABC Impulse31003 2012 "I Wish It Would Snow" (LC Wells, LC Wells Music, LLC)own a copy of the album
Albums as leader
Recorded Title Label Format Catalogue No. 1958Miss Gloria Lynne (with Wild Bill Davis and His Group)Everest LP BR-5022 1959Lonely And Sentimental (with Melba Liston orchestra) BR-50631960Try A Little Tenderness (with LeRoy Holmes orchestra) BR-5090Day In, Day Out (with Ernie Wilkins and His Orchestra) BR-5101 1961I'm Glad There Is You (with the Earl May Trio) BR-5126He Needs Me (with Jimmy Jones and His Orchestra) BR-5128This Little Boy Of Mine BR-5131 1962Gloria Lynne At Basin Street East (with the Earl May Trio) BR-5137Gloria Blue (compilation) BR-5203 1963Gloria Lynne At The Las Vegas Thunderbird (with the Herman Foster Trio) BR-5208Gloria, Marty & Strings (with Marty Paich and His Orchestra) BR-5220 1964I Wish You Love (compilation) BR-5226Glorious (reissue of Miss Gloria Lynne) BR-5228After Hours (reissue of Lonely And Sentimental) BR-5230The Best Of Gloria Lynne (compilation) BR-5231 1964Intimate MomentsFontanaSRF-675281965Soul SerenadeSRF-67541Love And A WomanSRF-675461966Go! Go! Go! (reissue of Day In, Day Out) Everest BR-5237 Where It's At FontanaSRF-67555 1967Gloria SRF-67561The Other Side Of Gloria LynneSRF-67571 1968Here, There & EverywhereSRF-67577 1969The Best Of Gloria Lynne (compilation) SRF-67589 1970Happy And In LoveCanyon7709 1972A Very Gentle SoundMercurySRM-1-633 1974Gloria Lynne Greatest Hits By Popular DemandPaul WinleyLP-122 1976I Don't Know How To Love HimABC ImpulseASD-9311 1977Love's Finally Found Me (with Stanley Turrentine)VersatileNED-1122 1993No Detour AheadMuseCD MR-5414 1994 A Time for Love MR-53811997 This One's On MeHighNoteHCD 70152007 From My Heart to YoursHCD 7162
References
External links
at Soulfulkindamusic.com at Verve Records at Afrocentricnews.com