Donald Gardner (May 9, 1931 – September 4, 2018) was an American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, and drummer. His records included the 1962 hit "I Need Your Lovin'", with Dee Dee Ford.
Don Gardner
Don Gardner at the Clef Club of Jazz in Philadelphia in 2012
Born in Philadelphia, Gardner started out as a professional musician in 1947 while still at school. He first recorded as a singer on the Gotham label in 1949.[1] By 1953, he formed his own group, the Sonotones, in which he played drums and sang. The group toured on the Chitlin' Circuit,[2] and Gardner also recorded under his own name, for De Luxe Records and the small Junior label.[1]
Keyboardist Richard "Groove" Holmes left the Sonotones in early 1960, and was replaced by Dee Dee Ford (aka Dottie Ford, married name Wrecia Holloway, née Wrecia Mae Ford, 1936–1972).[3][4][5][a] She had lived in Newark, New Jersey and sang and played organ in church. When the Sonotones played at the Smalls Paradise club in Harlem, New York, they were heard by blues performer Arthur Crudup, who recommended them to the Fire record label owner Bobby Robinson.[1] He produced a song written by Gardner, I Need Your Loving (also known as Need Your Lovin'), a "gospel-drenched"[1]call-and-response number in the mold of Ike & Tina Turner, and the song became their biggest hit, rising to number 4 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1962 and number 20 on the pop chart.[6] The song was later recorded by Otis Redding, Alexis Korner, Tom Jones, Jackie Wilson, and many others.[7]
KC Records, Gardner and Ford's previous record company, then released "Glory of Love", which made number 75 on the pop chart,[8] before Fire released the official follow-up, "Don't You Worry", which reached number 7 on the R&B chart and number 66 pop.[6] After recording an LP for Fire, Need Your Lovin', Gardner and Ford left the label, and – following the death of Gardner's wife in an accident – toured Sweden for a change of scene. They recorded a live album, Quintet in Sweden, released by Sonet Records in 1965 and described as having "a solid R&B base with jazzy overtones that is veering towards early soul", and also recorded several tracks with Freda Payne for her album Freda Payne in Stockholm.
When they returned to the US, Gardner and Ford went their separate ways. Ford wrote the song "Let Me Down Easy", a hit for Bettye LaVette in 1965,[9] but soon retired from the music industry.[1] Gardner continued to perform and record throughout the 1960s and 1970s, releasing a string of singles on various labels including Jubilee, Verve, and Tru-Glo-Town. In the early 1970s, he recorded with Jeanette "Baby" Washington, and their recording on the Master 5 label of "Forever", a minor hit in 1963 for the Marvelettes, reached number 30 on the R&B chart in 1973.[6]
Death
Gardner continued to work as a jazz musician, and had been part of the management of the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts in Philadelphia since 1985, serving as executive director. Lovett Hines, the current Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, was at the hospital when Gardner died, playing the artist's music. "And I just held the telephone to his ear on YouTube," Hines said. "And you could see his reaction with his eyes moving and moving his hand. So he responded to the music, and I'm glad that was the last thing he heard." Gardner died on September 4, 2018 at age 87.[10][11][12]
Discography
Albums
The Don Gardner Trio featuring Jimmy Smith and Bill Davis (recorded 1955, issued 1963)
Need Your Lovin' (Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford, 1962)
The Don Gardner and Dee Dee Ford Quintet in Sweden (1965)
The Exciting Jimmy Smith with the Don Gardner Trio (1969)
Lay a Little Lovin' on Me (Baby Washington & Don Gardner, 1973)
Very Best of Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford (1999)
As guest artist
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (September 2011)
^New Jersey State Archives, Trenton. Marriage Indexes; Index type: Bride; Year range: 1955; Surname range: A–K. "New Jersey, U.S., Marriage Index, 1901–2016". Lehi, Utah: Ancestry.com. Retrieved December 22, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Marriage license data
Bride:
Wrecia M. Ford (née Ford)
Groom:
Calvin Holloway
Marriage date:
March 1955
Marriage place:
Newark, New Jersey
Certificate no.:
5998
^ abcdWhitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995. Record Research. p. 165.
^"I Need Your Loving". SecondhandSongs.com. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
^ abWhitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955-2002 (1st ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 271. ISBN0-89820-155-1.
^"Songs written by Dee Dee Ford". MusicVf.com. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
^"Philly jazz artist Don Gardner passes away at age 87".
^"Philadelphia Soul and Jazz Pioneer Donald Gardner Dies at 87". NBC 10 Philadelphia. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
^"Donald Gardner, 87, executive director of the Philadelphia Clef Club". phillytrib.com. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
External links
Don Gardner discography via soulfulkindamusic.net
August 23, 2023
gardner, writer, want, christmas, front, teeth, donald, yetter, gardner, american, football, player, american, football, donald, gardner, 1931, september, 2018, american, rhythm, blues, singer, songwriter, drummer, records, included, 1962, need, your, lovin, w. For the writer of All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth see Donald Yetter Gardner For the American football player see Don Gardner American football Donald Gardner May 9 1931 September 4 2018 was an American rhythm and blues singer songwriter and drummer His records included the 1962 hit I Need Your Lovin with Dee Dee Ford Don GardnerDon Gardner at the Clef Club of Jazz in Philadelphia in 2012Background informationBirth nameDonald GardnerBorn 1931 05 09 May 9 1931Philadelphia Pennsylvania U S DiedSeptember 4 2018 2018 09 04 aged 87 Philadelphia Pennsylvania U S GenresRhythm and bluesOccupation s Singer drummer bandleader songwriter Contents 1 Biography 2 Death 3 Discography 3 1 Albums 3 1 1 As guest artist 3 2 Chart singles 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 References 5 External linksBiography EditBorn in Philadelphia Gardner started out as a professional musician in 1947 while still at school He first recorded as a singer on the Gotham label in 1949 1 By 1953 he formed his own group the Sonotones in which he played drums and sang The group toured on the Chitlin Circuit 2 and Gardner also recorded under his own name for De Luxe Records and the small Junior label 1 Keyboardist Richard Groove Holmes left the Sonotones in early 1960 and was replaced by Dee Dee Ford aka Dottie Ford married name Wrecia Holloway nee Wrecia Mae Ford 1936 1972 3 4 5 a She had lived in Newark New Jersey and sang and played organ in church When the Sonotones played at the Smalls Paradise club in Harlem New York they were heard by blues performer Arthur Crudup who recommended them to the Fire record label owner Bobby Robinson 1 He produced a song written by Gardner I Need Your Loving also known as Need Your Lovin a gospel drenched 1 call and response number in the mold of Ike amp Tina Turner and the song became their biggest hit rising to number 4 on the Billboard R amp B chart in 1962 and number 20 on the pop chart 6 The song was later recorded by Otis Redding Alexis Korner Tom Jones Jackie Wilson and many others 7 KC Records Gardner and Ford s previous record company then released Glory of Love which made number 75 on the pop chart 8 before Fire released the official follow up Don t You Worry which reached number 7 on the R amp B chart and number 66 pop 6 After recording an LP for Fire Need Your Lovin Gardner and Ford left the label and following the death of Gardner s wife in an accident toured Sweden for a change of scene They recorded a live album Quintet in Sweden released by Sonet Records in 1965 and described as having a solid R amp B base with jazzy overtones that is veering towards early soul and also recorded several tracks with Freda Payne for her album Freda Payne in Stockholm When they returned to the US Gardner and Ford went their separate ways Ford wrote the song Let Me Down Easy a hit for Bettye LaVette in 1965 9 but soon retired from the music industry 1 Gardner continued to perform and record throughout the 1960s and 1970s releasing a string of singles on various labels including Jubilee Verve and Tru Glo Town In the early 1970s he recorded with Jeanette Baby Washington and their recording on the Master 5 label of Forever a minor hit in 1963 for the Marvelettes reached number 30 on the R amp B chart in 1973 6 Death EditGardner continued to work as a jazz musician and had been part of the management of the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz amp Performing Arts in Philadelphia since 1985 serving as executive director Lovett Hines the current Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz amp Performing Arts was at the hospital when Gardner died playing the artist s music And I just held the telephone to his ear on YouTube Hines said And you could see his reaction with his eyes moving and moving his hand So he responded to the music and I m glad that was the last thing he heard Gardner died on September 4 2018 at age 87 10 11 12 Discography EditAlbums Edit The Don Gardner Trio featuring Jimmy Smith and Bill Davis recorded 1955 issued 1963 Need Your Lovin Don Gardner amp Dee Dee Ford 1962 The Don Gardner and Dee Dee Ford Quintet in Sweden 1965 The Exciting Jimmy Smith with the Don Gardner Trio 1969 Lay a Little Lovin on Me Baby Washington amp Don Gardner 1973 Very Best of Don Gardner amp Dee Dee Ford 1999 As guest artist Edit This list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items September 2011 Patrick Stanfield Jones A Heart and an Open Road 2010 Chart singles Edit Year Single Chart positionsUS Pop 8 US R amp B 6 1962 I Need Your Loving Don Gardner and Dee Dee Ford 20 4 Glory of Love Don Gardner and Dee Dee Ford 75 Don t You Worry Don Gardner and Dee Dee Ford 66 71966 My Baby Likes to Boogaloo b 1973 Forever Baby Washington and Don Gardner 30 denotes releases that did not chart References EditNotes Edit Wrecia Ford in March 1955 at Newark New Jersey married Calvin Holloway Ancestry com My Baby Likes to Boogaloo did not reach the Hot 100 but peaked at number 26 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 References Edit a b c d e Don Gardner and Dee Dee Ford Black Cat Rockabilly Retrieved November 4 2016 Transcription of Interview with Donald Gardner of the Philadelphia Clef Club WestPhillyMusic Retrieved November 4 2016 Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Santa Barbara Praeger Publishers p 309 ISBN 978 0313344237 Ford Dee Dee 1936 1972 Library of Congress Authorities Retrieved December 22 2020 LCCN no00 65708 New Jersey State Archives Trenton Marriage Indexes Index type Bride Year range 1955 Surname range A K New Jersey U S Marriage Index 1901 2016 Lehi Utah Ancestry com Retrieved December 22 2020 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Marriage license dataBride Wrecia M Ford nee Ford Groom Calvin HollowayMarriage date March 1955Marriage place Newark New JerseyCertificate no 5998 a b c d Whitburn Joel 1996 Top R amp B Hip Hop Singles 1942 1995 Record Research p 165 I Need Your Loving SecondhandSongs com Retrieved November 4 2016 a b Whitburn Joel 2003 Top Pop Singles 1955 2002 1st ed Menomonee Falls Wisconsin Record Research Inc p 271 ISBN 0 89820 155 1 Songs written by Dee Dee Ford MusicVf com Retrieved November 4 2016 Philly jazz artist Don Gardner passes away at age 87 Philadelphia Soul and Jazz Pioneer Donald Gardner Dies at 87 NBC 10 Philadelphia Retrieved September 11 2018 Donald Gardner 87 executive director of the Philadelphia Clef Club phillytrib com Retrieved December 19 2018 External links EditDon Gardner discography via soulfulkindamusic net Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Don Gardner amp oldid 1149764161, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
