Glenn, Garry

He was a singer-songwriter and keyboardist born in Detroit, Michigan, whose sister Beverly was a gospel singer. He toured with his sister in his teenage years and later in the 1970s could be heard singing backing for several other groups and artists. During the 1980s he began concentrating on his songwriting and perhaps his most successful composition was "Caught Up in the Rapture" originally written for The Isley Brothers but recorded by the singer Anita Baker, who he would subsequently tour with in her band between 1984 and 1985 as a keyboardist. Other artists that recorded his work included The Dramatics, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Emotions, Freddie Jackson, Eddie Kendricks and Byron Woods and his work was also featured on the movie soundtrack of Police Academy VI. He was also a member of Billy Ocean's touring band and could be heard as a backing vocalist and keyboardist from the late 1970s with acts such as Al Hudson & The Soul Partners and The Gap Band in the recording studio. He would also have his own solo career which saw him releasing his self-titled debut album in 1980 and a further would follow in 1987 entitled Feels Good to Feel Good. Other albums he featured on include Faces by Earth, Wind & Fire, The Gap Band, Best of My Love by The Emotions, Just Like the First Time by Freddie Jackson and Night of Rapture - Live by Anita Baker. Sadly after having suffered a long illness he died as a result of kidney failure in 1991 while he was still only in his mid-thirties and had so much more to offer.

The Gap Band recordings

Baby Baba Boogie (Lonnie Simmons/Charlie Wilson )

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