Gloria Jones facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gloria Jones
Jones in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Gloria Richetta Jones
Also known as	LaVerne Ware
Born	(1945-10-19) October 19, 1945 (age 79) Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	R&B gospel glam rock
Occupations	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals keyboards tambourine
Years active	1960–
Labels	Minit Motown EMI

Gloria Richetta Jones (born October 19, 1945) is an American singer and songwriter. She became very popular in the United Kingdom, where she was known as "The Queen of Northern Soul". She recorded the famous song "Tainted Love" in 1965.

Gloria Jones has worked in many music styles. She was a songwriter and singer for Motown Records. She also sang backing vocals for other artists. She performed in musicals like Hair. In the 1970s, she played keyboards and sang in Marc Bolan's glam rock band T. Rex. She and Marc Bolan had a son together.

Early Life and Music Career

Gloria Jones was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. When she was seven, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. That is where she started singing. At 14, while still in school, she joined a successful gospel group called the COGIC Singers. She recorded an album with them called It's a Blessing.

In 1964, songwriter Ed Cobb discovered Gloria. She signed with his company, Greengrass Productions. She then recorded her first hit song, "Heartbeat Pts 1 & 2". Ed Cobb wrote and produced this song.

Gloria toured the United States and appeared on many TV shows. She performed at a Rock and Soul show at Disneyland in 1965. "Heartbeat" became a popular rhythm and blues song. Later, artists like Dusty Springfield and Spencer Davis recorded it.

Gloria also recorded other songs for Uptown Records. This company was part of Capitol/EMI. One of these songs was "Tainted Love", also written by Cobb. Her music was so loved in Northern England that fans called her "The Queen of Northern Soul".

In 1966, she released an album called Come Go with Me. Gloria also studied piano and earned an advanced degree in classical music. She focused on the works of Johann Sebastian Bach.

In 1968, Gloria joined the play Catch My Soul. This was a rock and soul version of Othello. She also performed in a play called Revolution. Later that year, she joined the Los Angeles cast of the musical Hair.

Working at Motown Records

While working on Hair, Gloria met Pam Sawyer. Pam asked her to write songs for Motown Records. Gloria and Pam wrote songs for many famous artists. These included Gladys Knight & the Pips, Commodores, The Four Tops, and The Jackson 5.

Because Gloria also sang for Motown, she sometimes used the name LaVerne Ware for her songwriting.

Some songs Gloria worked on include:

• "Have I Lost You" for The Supremes.
• "My Mistake (Was to Love You)" for Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross.
• "I Ain't Goin' Nowhere" for Junior Walker.
• "Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life)" for the Four Tops.

In 1970, she sang backing vocals on Ry Cooder's first album. Her most famous song was "If I Were Your Woman" for Gladys Knight and the Pips. This song was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1971. Gloria left Motown in 1973 after releasing her album Share My Love.

After Motown Records

Jones performing with T. Rex in March 1976 in Glasgow, Scotland

Gloria first met Marc Bolan of T. Rex in 1969. They met again in London in 1972. Soon after, she was asked to sing backing vocals for T. Rex.

Gloria joined T. Rex in 1973. She sang backing vocals and played clavinet until 1977. She and Marc Bolan had a son, Rolan Bolan, born in 1975. Her version of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" is a bonus track on T. Rex's album Bolan's Zip Gun. In 1976, Gloria released her album Vixen. Marc Bolan wrote and produced several songs on this album.

In 1977, Gloria worked with the group Gonzalez. She produced some of their songs. She also wrote the disco hit, "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" for them. She toured the UK with Gonzalez, first with Bob Marley and then with Osibisa.

Life After the Accident

Jones with her son Rolan in 2014

In 1977, Gloria was driving a car that crashed. Marc Bolan was a passenger and passed away in the accident. Gloria was seriously injured. She was taken to the hospital in London. After she recovered, she learned that many of their belongings had been taken from their home.

Gloria then moved back to Los Angeles with her son, Rolan. They stayed with her family.

In 1978, she released the album Windstorm. She dedicated it to Marc Bolan's memory. The back cover says, "Special dedication in memory of my son's father, Marc Bolan, whom we miss very much." Her song "Bring on the Love" was a success on the American R&B music chart.

Gloria continued to work in music for several years. In 1981, she released another album called Reunited. She also worked with Billy Preston and the COGIC Singers again for a reunion album in 1984. Since then, she has worked as a music supervisor for films.

In 2010, Gloria and her son Rolan started the Marc Bolan School of Music & Film. It is located in Makeni, Sierra Leone.

Discography

Solo Studio Albums

• 1966 – Come Go with Me
• 1973 – Share My Love
• 1976 – Vixen (not released in the US)
• 1978 – Windstorm
• 1982 – Reunited
• 1996 – Vixen / Windstorm (CD release)
• 2009 – Share My Love (CD release)

With T. Rex

• 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

With The COGIC'S

• 1966 – It's a Blessing
• 1984 – The COGIC'S

US Solo Singles

UK Solo Singles (Selection)

• 1973 – "Tin Can People" / "So Tired"
• 1976 – "Get It On (Part 1)" / "Get It On (Part 2)"
• 1976 – "I Ain't Going Nowhere" / "Simplicity Blues"
• 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)

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Gloria Jones para niños

• List of disco artists (F-K)