A woman only human - DOWNTOWN 102

Gloria Williams

“Sister Funk” has deservedly won plaudits on the dance floor for it’s insitent pulsating rhythm, clipped horns and fine tenor solo. But as so often the vocalist is pretty much irrelevant and on that song Gloria chants her way through rather than sings. A much better way to listen to her is to flip the 45 over to the top side and check out ListenA Woman Only Human. For her age – she was only 14 or 15 at the time – she gives a pretty convincing performance of a woman wronged in love, sobbing and crying out her pain. The instrumentation is pretty sparse – no horns – and she has only infrequent and rather quiet help from a female chorus, which makes her vocal all the more impressive.

Co-producer Eddie Lanehart was working with Geater Davis in a studio in Little Rock, AR when writer/producer Calvin Rhodes brought Gloria into the studio. The guys put the disc out on their own local Downtown label but sales were pretty much non-existent. A sad outcome really as Gloria easily had enough talent to warrant further records.

Discography

ListenA woman only human / Sister funk ~ DOWNTOWN 002

 

 

Back to artist index | Top of Page