Gloria Lynne Biography

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.

Career

Lynne was born in Harlem in 1929 to John and Mary Wilson, a gospel singer. She grew up in Harlem, and as a young girl, Lynne sang with the local African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Choir. 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 as well as with Ella Fitzgerald, she recorded as part of such groups as the Enchanters and the Dell-Tones, in the 1950s. She recorded as a soloist under her birth name, though most of her work was released under her stage name on the Everest and Fontana labels. In 1958, she was signed to Everest.

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 left virtually penniless, saved by the fact that she was able to work steadily and earn her money from performances "? a victim of unpaid royalties.

In the 1960s, she had several hits including "June Night", "Love I Found You", "I'm Glad There Is You", 1964's "I Wish You Love", which became her signature song, and "You Don't Have To Be a Tower of Strength", her answer to Gene McDaniels's "Tower of Strength" and a pop hit that proved how versatile she could be in the studio. After her time with Everest Records, she moved back to Fontana and recorded such albums as Soul Serenade, Love And A Woman, Where It's At, and Here, There And Everywhere, demonstrating her versatility in jazz, RnB, soul and melodic "pop."

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 and duets with Billy Eckstine. As Lynne moved into jazz in her later career she performed with many jazz musicians, including Quincy Jones, Bobby Timmons, Philly Joe Jones, Harry "Sweets" Edison.

She wrote lyrics for "Watermelon Man" with Herbie Hancock, and "All Day Long" with Kenny Burrell. New York City proclaimed July 25, 1995 as Gloria Lynne Day.

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). On May 6, 2008, Lynne was presented with a special award for Outstanding Achievement In Jazz, at the New York MAC Awards. On October 22, 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.

Personal life

She and her husband, Harry Alleyne, had a son, Richard. Gloria and Richard Alleyne ran a production company, Family Bread Music Inc. Gloria and Harry Alleyne divorced in 1968.

Death

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

Discography

Charted Singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions		Label
		US Pop	US R&B
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

Single Discography

(As A Member of the Dell Tones)

Brunswick Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1953	Yours Alone/My Heart's On Fire	Brunswick	45 r.p.m.	84015

(As A Member of the Delltones)

Rainbow Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1954	Little Short Daddy/I'm Not In Love With You	Rainbow	45 r.p.m.	244

Solo Recordings

Josie Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1954	When I Say My Prayer/The Uncloudy Day	Josie	45 r.p.m.	767

Everest Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1959	June Night/Perdido	Everest	45 r.p.m.	19303
	But Not For Me (song)/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 Him			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 My To The Moon/The Night Has A Thousand Eyes			2055
	Out Of This World/Squeeze Me			2058
	Lonely Street/Try A Little Ternderness			2059
	Folks Who Live On The Hill/That's A Joy			2061
	My Devotion/I'm Glad There Is You			2062

Seeco Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1959	Little Boy Blues/Way Beyond The Hills	Seeco	45 r.p.m.	6037
1961	Is There Someone For Me/I'm Not Afraid Anymore			6077

Fontana Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1964	Be Anything (But Be Mine)/Soul Serenade	Fontana	45 r.p.m.	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/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

Hi Fi Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1966	I Wish You Love/A Long Long Story	45 r.p.m.	5103

Canyon Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1970	If You Don't Get It Yourself/Love's Finally Found Me	45 r.p.m.	36

Roker Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1970	Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong/Take You All The Way	Roker	45 r.p.m.	504

Mercury Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1972	Never My Love/Summer Knows	Mercury	45 r.p.m.	73267
	Just Let Me Be Me/Kickin' Life			73294

Impulse Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1976	Out Of This World/Thank You, Early Bird	Impulse	45 r.p.m.	31003

Album Discography

Everest Records

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			EV-5137
	Gloria Blue			EV-5203
1963	Gloria Lynne at the Las Vegas Thunderbird			BR-5208
	Gloria, Marty, and Strings			BR-5220
	After Hours			BR-1230
1964	I Wish You Love			BR-5226
1966	Go! Go! Go!			BR-5237

Fontana Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1965	Intimate Moments	Fontana	LP	SRF 67528
	Soul Serenade			SRF 67541
1966	Love And A Woman			SRF 67546
	Where It's At			SRF-67555
1967	Gloria			SRF-67561
	The Other Side Of Gloria Lynne			SRF-67571
1968	Here, There and Everywhere			SRF-67577

Canyon Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1970	Happy And In Love	Canyon	LP	7709

Mercury Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1972	A Very Gentle Sound	Mercury	LP	SRM-1-633

ABC/Impulse Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1977	Love's Finally Found Me (with Stanley Turrentine)	Versatile Records	LP	NED-1122

Muse Records

Recorded	Title	Label	Format	Catalogue No.
1993	No Detour Ahead	Muse Records	CD	MCD5414