Will Glover facts for kids

Will Glover, also known as Willie Glover, is a talented musician and songwriter. He comes from Southern California. He was part of a cool surf music band called The Pyramids. Will is special because he might be the only Black musician in surf music history!

Early Life and Music

Will Glover was born in North Carolina. His dad was in the Navy, so his family moved a lot. They finally settled down in Long Beach, California. Will's dad wanted him to join the military too. But when Will was 12, he said no! He loved music instead. He had been singing in Boy Scouts. He also started playing the guitar when he was just 9 years old.

A book called The History of Surfing says Will Glover is surf music's only Black musician. This makes him very unique. He was also a left-handed guitar player.

Music Career

The Pyramids Band

The Pyramids started in Long Beach in 1962. The band members were Skip Mercier on lead guitar, Will Glover on rhythm guitar, Steve Leonard on bass, Ken McMullen on drums, and Tom Pitman on saxophone.

Will Glover and Skip Mercier formed the band. They were both students at Long Beach Polytechnic High School. They taught each other songs by another famous band, The Ventures. The Pyramids were known for their cool entrances. They would sometimes arrive at shows in a helicopter! Other bands, like The Beach Boys, would arrive in limousines.

Will Glover also wrote songs for The Pyramids. He wrote "Here Comes Marsha." This song was on the B-side of their big hit single, "Penetration" in 1963. He also wrote "I Don't Wanna Cry" for the group.

After The Pyramids

The Pyramids band stopped playing in the 1960s. But Will Glover kept making music into the 1970s. He joined a club band called The Family Cat. This band had other musicians from Long Beach. They played in nightclubs around the Orange County area. The Family Cat played together until 1973.

Later, Will got married and moved to a ranch. He decided to leave the music business for a while. He needed a steady job. So, he worked at a gas station. After that, he started his own construction company.

Later Music Years

In the late 1980s, Will hadn't played music in years. A friend took him to see a singer named Jann Browne. This made Will want to sing again! Jann Browne even invited him to play with her. He also entered some talent shows. He became popular in country music. From then on, he continued his music career.

In the mid-1990s, Will Glover was still running his construction business. In 2019, Will Glover played at a special concert. It was a benefit show to honor Dick Dale, a famous surf guitarist. Will played with other surf musicians like Bob Berryhill from The Surfaris and Bob Spickard from The Chantays. The concert was at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, California.

Solo Albums

Will Glover's first solo album was called Standing in the Line of Fire. It came out in 1997. It had a folk roots style. The album included songs like "In Times Like These." This song sounded a bit like the Doobie Brothers. It also had a fun blues song called "Cold Hearted Lover." His second album, The Will Glover Experience, was released in 2014.

Live Performances

1990s Shows

In March 1997, Will Glover played at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, California. He performed with the Kari Gaffney Band and the Anthony Rivera Band. He also headlined at the Crazy Horse Steak House. He played there on Tuesday nights starting in mid-May. He returned to the Crazy Horse again on October 19, 1999.

2000s Shows

On December 10, 2013, Will Glover performed a tribute to Chuck Berry. Will had even performed with Chuck Berry in the past!

Discography