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.

Gloria Lynne
Birth nameGloria Wilson
Also known asGloria Alleyne (married name)
Born(1929-11-23)November 23, 1929
Harlem, New York City, U.S.
DiedOctober 15, 2013(2013-10-15) (aged 83)
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresJazz
InstrumentSinging
Years active1958–2007
LabelsEverest, ABC

Early life

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Lynne was born in Harlem in 1929 to John and Mary Wilson, a gospel singer.[1][2] She grew up in Harlem, and as a young girl, Lynne sang with the local African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Choir.

Career

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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,[3] and Fontana labels.

Although showing much promise early on, especially after TV appearances, including the Harry Belafonte Spectacular, her development suffered through poor management. Some unscrupulous recording executives profited while she was 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.[4]

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.[5] 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."[6]

Personal life

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She and her husband, Harry Alleyne, had a son, Richard. Gloria and Richard Alleyne ran a production company, Family Bread Music Inc.[7]

She died of a heart attack on October 15, 2013, in Newark, New Jersey, at the age of 83.[8]

Awards

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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).[7] 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

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Year Single Chart Positions Label
US
Pop
[9]
US
R&B
[10]
1961 "The Jazz in You" 109 Everest
"He Needs Me" 111
"Impossible" 95 16
"You Don't Have To Be A Tower Of Strength" 100
1964 "I Wish You Love" 28 3
"I Should Care" 64 47
"Be Anything (But Be Mine)" 88 40 Fontana
"Don't Take Your Love From Me" 76 Everest
1965 "Watermelon Man" 62 8 Fontana

Discography

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As a member of the Dell-Tones

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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

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Recorded Title Label Format Catalogue No.
1954 "When I Say My Prayer"/"The Uncloudy Day" Josie 45 r.p.m. 767
1959 "June Night"/"Perdido" Everest 19303
"But Not for Me"/"Just in Time" 19308
1960 "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" 19390
1961 "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" 19428
1962 "And This Is My Beloved"/"I'm Glad There Is You" 19431
"I Know Love"/"It Just Happened to Me" 2008
1963 "I'll Buy You a Star"/"Record Company Blues" 2023
"Humming Blues"/"Stormy Monday Blues" 2030
1964 "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" 2051
1965 "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" Seeco 6037
1961 "Is There Someone for Me"/"I'm Not Afraid Anymore" 6077
1964 "Be Anything (but Be Mine)"/"Soul Serenade" Fontana 1890
1965 "The Touch of Your Lips"/"Intimate Moments" 1507
"Watermelon Man"/"All Alone" 1511
"Whisperers"/"I Understand" 1523
1966 "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" 1560
1967 "Love Is"/"It's Not the Truth" 1567
"Foolish Dreamer"/"I Can't Stand It" 1594
1968 "Down Here on the Ground"/"I've Never Been Loved Before" 1617
"The Guy Who Lived Up There"/"Hold Back the Dawn" 1627
1969 "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 Fi 5103
1970 "If You Don't Get It Yourself"/"Love's Finally Found Me" Canyon 36
"Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong"/"Take You All the Way" Roker 504
1972 "Never My Love"/"The Summer Knows" Mercury 73267
"Just Let Me Be Me"/"Kickin' Life" 73294
1976 "Out of This World"/"Thank You, Early Bird" ABC Impulse 31003
2012 "I Wish It Would Snow" (LC Wells, LC Wells Music, LLC) [11][12]

Albums

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Recorded Title Label Format Catalogue No.
1958 Miss Gloria Lynne (with Wild Bill Davis and His Group) Everest LP BR-5022
1959 Lonely And Sentimental BR-5063
1960 Try A Little Tenderness BR-5090
Day In, Day Out (with Ernie Wilkins and His Orchestra) BR-5101
1961 I'm Glad There Is You BR-5126
He Needs Me BR-5128
This Little Boy Of Mine BR-5131
1962 Gloria Lynne At Basin Street East (with the Earl May Trio) BR-5137
Gloria Blue (compilation) BR-5203
1963 Gloria Lynne At The Las Vegas Thunderbird (with the Herman Foster Trio) BR-5208
Gloria, Marty & Strings (with Marty Paich and His Orchestra) BR-5220
1964 I Wish You Love (compilation) BR-5226
Glorious (reissue of Miss Gloria Lynne) BR-5228
After Hours (reissue of Lonely And Sentimental) BR-5230
The Best Of Gloria Lynne (compilation) BR-5231
1964 Intimate Moments Fontana SRF-67528
1965 Soul Serenade SRF-67541
Love And A Woman SRF-67546
1966 Go! Go! Go! (reissue of Day In, Day Out) Everest BR-5237
Where It's At Fontana SRF-67555
1967 Gloria SRF-67561
The Other Side Of Gloria Lynne SRF-67571
1968 Here, There & Everywhere SRF-67577
1969 The Best Of Gloria Lynne (compilation) SRF-67589
1970 Happy And In Love Canyon 7709
1972 A Very Gentle Sound Mercury SRM-1-633
1974 Gloria Lynne Greatest Hits By Popular Demand Paul Winley LP-122
1976 I Don't Know How To Love Him ABC Impulse ASD-9311
1977 Love's Finally Found Me (with Stanley Turrentine) Versatile NED-1122
1993 No Detour Ahead Muse CD MR-5414
1994 A Time for Love MR-5381
1997 This One's On Me HighNote HCD 7015
2007 From My Heart to Yours HCD 7162

References

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  1. ^ Gloria Lynne obituary, New York Times, October 19, 2013.
  2. ^ Yanow, Scott. "Gloria Lynne". allmusic. Rovi. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  3. ^ Billboard Magazine, December 1, 1958, p. 7.
  4. ^ David Hinckley. New York Daily News, May 26, 2004.
  5. ^ Billboard Magazine, November 28, 1960, p. 14.
  6. ^ "Dany Doriz". Trumpetsjazz.com. July 25, 1995. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Remarks by the Hon. John Conyers Jr., Congressional Record, Extension of Remarks Vol. 153, Pt. 10, May 22, 2007, p. 13571.
  8. ^ "Jazz vocalist Gloria Lynne dies at 83". CNN. October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2013.
  9. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955-2002. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
  10. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995. Record Research. p. 96.
  11. ^ "I Wish It Would Snow". Soundcloud.com.
  12. ^ own a copy of the album
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