Jessie Glover brings a deep, soulful groove to “Hard Times.”
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Welcome to Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments. I’m Robert Darden.
It’s an old, old story, not just in gospel music, but all kinds of music. A talented young singer leaves their small town for the big city. Sometimes they hit it big. But most of the time, they’re quickly swallowed up, lost in the mists of time. Perhaps Jessie Glover was one such young man.
We know he left Selma, Alabama, in the late ‘60s or early ‘70s. He ends up in Chicago. He catches the ear of one of thousands of struggling, hustling entrepreneurs who can be found in every major city. In this case, it was a man named Ty Daniels, who owned Daniels 8 Records. Daniels likes what he hears, records Glover, and releases a handful of 45s. They go nowhere and – as far as I can tell – that’s the end of the story.
But Glover’s songs are mature, thoughtful, and funky in that deep soul way that can only come from a well of pain and talent. “Hard Times” is a stripped down gospel song, with a strong singer, strong backing vocals and talented band – but it could also be autobiographical. It’s hard to tell. But it’s worth a listen. And it reminds us that you don’t have to be famous to be gifted.
MUSIC: “Hard Times,” Jessie Glover, 45
I’m Robert Darden … “Shout! Black Gospel Music Moments” is produced by KWBU, the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project at Baylor University Libraries and is funded by generous support from the Prichard Foundation.
