Glenn Jones feat. Eric Nolan & Tony Exum Jr. [2024] - I Wanna Be Closer [Boy Wonder Records]

As Valentine's Day approaches the love ballads are upon us. This one is a collaboration between Glenn Jones, Eric Nolan (O'Jays) and jazz saxophonist Tony Exum Jr.. 

It's a cover of "I Wanna Be Closer", a song written by Jermaine Jackson and Gregory Williams and recorded by Switch in 1978 on their eponymous debut album for Motown imprint Gordy and was also released as the follow up single to their first hit "There'll Never Be" (#6 R&B #36 Hot 100).

Nolan met Jones a few years ago and was invited to perform on stage with him and since then they have worked well together, so Jones suggested that they collaborate on a Valentine's Day single and they came up with the idea of recording this song. It's released on Nolan's Boy Wonder Records today with two versions, the main 4:36 mix and a 4:09 radio edit.

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Boy Wonder Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	12/02/2024
Key/BPM:	10B/67
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Tomorrow's Promise v Glenn Jones - You're Sweet, You're Fine, You're Everything

We are just in the process of compiling some of the best tunes of 2006 for the next instalment of 21st Century Soul which has been dormant for a couple of weeks owing to holidays. This one from Glenn Jones' 2006 album "Forever: Timeless R&B Classics" stood out. 

It's a cover of a song "You're Sweet, You're Fine, You're Everything" written by James Sawyer who was a member of Tomorrow's Promise who recorded it for Capitol in Aug 1973 reaching #31 R&B.  

Sawyer was a Vietnam veteran who served two tours of duty there. Later in life he became a deacon. He died in 2013 aged 68.

It's a very cheap and easy record to pick up on vinyl, depending on condition. If it were rare then this would almost definitely sell for big bucks! Tomorrows Promise released just five singles between 1973-75, three on Capitol followed by two on Mercury,  before disbanding. 

Here are both versions of the song.

We did a feature on Glenn Jones last year for his 60sth birthday, yet somehow managed to miss this gem from the playlist of 30 of his best songs!

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Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Glenn Jones Feat. Y'anna Crawley [2022] - Family Time (Radio Edit) [Talent Room Entertainment]

A new single called "Family Time" from Glenn Jones was released today (14 Nov '22). It features Y'anna Crawley who released an EP "This Is Me" at the end of 2021.  The song is written by James Day (JD's Time Machine). One of the best tunes to come out in recent weeks, even though essentially it's a Christmas song!

A full profile was done on Glenn Jones only on 28 Sep for his 60th birthday so if you wish to learn more about him, or listen to some of his best music, that's where to go.

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Details

Rating:	8.7
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	14/11/2022
Key/BPM:	3B/98
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Glenn Jones - A Profile

Glenn Jones was 60 yesterday. He was born in Jacksonville, FL, on 27 Sep 1962 and started his career as a gospel singer with the Florida-based gospel group The Modulations (not the group from North Carolina who had several tracks from their 1978 Buddah album, "Rough Out There", played on the modern soul scene) who cut two albums on Savoy "With A Made Up Mind" (1978) and "Feel The Fire" (1980).

In the 80s he went secular and solo and featured on Norman Connors 1980 album "Take It To The Limit" singing the excellent "Melancholy Fire" and also duetted with Jean Carn on "Sweet And Wonderful" on PIR in 1981. He hit the ground running with his first two solo singles which were very well received (this side of the pond at least) with the club 'anthem' "I Am Somebody" and the excellent "Keep On Doin'" on which he is joined by the incredible voice of his wife Genobia Jeter who was also a gospel singer with Savoy, having already released three albums for the label at that point ("Heaven" (1979), "Things 'Have' Got To Get Better" (1981) and "Genobia Jeter" (1981)). She released a further album in 1986 and has backed many artists including Luther Vandross, George Benson, Millie Jackson, The O'Jays, Stephanie Mills, Regina Belle, Meli'sa Morgan, James 'D-Train' Williams, Miki Howard and Jonathan Butler.

To date Jones has released ten solo albums and has achieved R&B chart status with 21 singles, 5 of them being top 10 and "Here I Go Again" reaching to top spot in 1991.

As far as chart action in the UK is concerned his only chart entry was with "We've Only Just Begun (The Romance Is Not Over)" in 1987 which got to #85 but was a #2 R&B hit in the US.

His first two gospel album with The Modulations on Savoy are well worth checking out and I've cherry picked a few tracks from them but, as space was limited as wanted to keep the playlist to a maximum 30 tracks, there is a separate playlist with his gospel and pre solo recordings. Also, whilst picking through the albums to select tracks to include, the standout was his 2002 album "Feel Good" with nine of the eleven tracks featured in the playlist.

UK girl group Eternal covered Jones's 1990 track "Stay" as their debut single in 1993 which reached #4 on the UK pop chart.

Album Discography

The Modulations

1978 - With a Made Up Mind [Savoy]

GlennJones & The Modulations

1980 - Feel the Fire [Savoy]

Glenn Jones

1983 - Everybody Loves a Winner [RCA]

1984 - Finesse [RCA]

1986 - Take It from Me [RCA]

1987 - Glenn Jones [Jive]

1990 - All for You [Jive]

1992 - Here I Go Again [Atlantic]

1994 - Here I Am [Atlantic]

1998 - It's Time [SAR Records]

2002 - Feels Good [Peak]

2006 - Forever: Timeless R&B Classics [Shanachie]

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Galaxy / Glenn Jones - You And Me

Yesterday I posted a new version of the modern soul tune 'You And I' by Leroy Allen and commented that after 40 years I was surprised that two versions of the song were released in the same week, by Gil on 16 Apr and Allen on 23 Apr.  

When I originally posted the Gil version I also posted the 1980 Rockie Robbins version which I thought to be the original, but a regular blog reader 'bluesky' has pointed out that it was actually released by a one album, one single band Galaxy in 1978 on their 'Hot, Wet And Sticky' album.

He also informed me that Glenn Jones released a version recently. In fact I've discovered that there are three versions, the original from 17 Oct 2018 followed by two alternate versions, a smooth jazz version and an R&B version in 2019. The latter two versions were subsequently released on a 45 by Expansion in 2020. The R&B version also appeared on Expansion's 'Soul Togetherness 2019' compilation.

So, to close the loop, as it were, here are the other known versions.

Galaxy [1978] - You & Me [Arista #AB 4211]

Glenn Jones [2018] You & Me [Talent Room Entertainment]

Glenn Jones [2020] You & Me (R&B Version) [Expansion #EXS023 A]

Glenn Jones [2020] You & Me (Smooth Jazz Version) [Expansion #EXS023 B]

Glenn Jones - Revisited

I did a post on Glenn Jones back in April highlighting 3 of his best tracks from the 80s (I Am Somebody, Keep On Doin' & Meet Me Halfway There).  I forgot about a track by Norman Connors on which he featured as vocalist on Connors' 1980 Take It To The Limit album before Jones went solo - 'Melancholy Fire' ... and what a classic it is! This has led me to look deeper into his recordings.  Far from a 'household name', (certainly in the UK) but he was a fantastic singer.

By the way Take It To The Limit is a superb album if you're not already familiar with it, which featured several guest vocalists, one of which has been criminally neglected Miss Adaritha (Ada Dyer) who I will also feature soon. She was lead on the title track, Justify and what I presume is the original of David Lasley's classic You Bring Me Joy (which later appeared on Anita Baker's seminal album 'Rapture' in 1986) and also You've Been On My Mind.  She debuted as featured vocalist on Connor's previous album 'Invitations' in 1979.

Glenn Jones has recorded 10 solo studio albums to date between his debut in 1983 up to 2006.  Prior to going solo in 1983 Jones was a member of a gospel group from Jacksonville, Florida, The Modulations (which is not the group with the same name from Durham. Carolina who recorded on Buddah) who recorded a couple of albums in 1978 and 1980, the latter billed as Glenn Jones & The Modulations.

Much of his 80s material was 'quiet storm'. He reached US R&B top 10 with 5 songs: 

Here I Go Again #1

We've Only Just Begun #2

Show Me #3

Stay #6 (1990 version which UK girl group Eternal covered and had a huge UK top 10 pop hit with) 

I've Been Searchin' (Nobody Like You) #8

I've been through his complete singles catalogue and selected another trio of tracks.  The first one is the aforementioned Melancholy Fire and the other two are from the list above.

1980 Melancholy Fire [Arista #AS 0581]

Forty years on and still sounds fresh - and oh so soulful! Now this is my kinda music! An 'anthemic'  lush production and smooth soulful vocals - 4 minutes but still ends too soon.  Reached #20 US R&B.

1987 We've Only Just Begun (The Romance Is Not Over) [Jive #1049-7-J]

Reached #2 US R&B and his only record (so far) to cross over to the pop charts  US #66 UK #85. In parts, this reminds me of Isley Jasper Isleys's Caravan Of Love from 1985!

1990 Stay [Jive #344-1-JD]

The original version of Eternal's UK hit.

In the UK only the 'Brixton Bass Mix' was released as a single with a new jack swing beat in vogue at the time(in UK at least).

Eternal [1993] - Stay [EMI #EM 283]

.... and finally for comparison, here's Eternals #4 UK hit version:

Eternal consisted of Easther Bennett, Vernett Bennett, Kéllé Bryan, Louise Nurding who married England footballer Jamie Redknapp in 1998 and left the group in 1997 to pursue a solo career as Louise.

Glenn Jones - Keep On Doin' / I Am Somebody / Meet Me Halfway There

The 80s often tend to get a 'wide-berth' when it come to quality soul with the advent of synths and the omission of real musicians.  However, there were some great releases, you just have to dig deeper to find them.

Here's 3 of the Glenn Jones' best 80s tracks.

Glenn Jones [1983] - Keep On Doin' [RCA Victor PB 14319]

This is the full lenght 12""/album version.

Live footage of him performing the track live with Meli'sa Morgan replacing Genobia Jeter at the 25th Blackpool Luxury Weekender 3-5 Jan 2020.

Glenn Jones [2018] - I Am Somebody [RCA Victor PD 13436]

His debut single which featured The Jones Girls on backing vocals.

Glenn Jones [2018] - I Am Somebody (Joey Negro Finessed Remix) [Z ZEDDLP045z]

Taken from Remixed With Love Vol. 3

Glenn Jones [1984] - Meet Me Halfway There [RCA Victor NFL1-8036]

Released on 45/12" as flip to Everlasting Love (issues only not on promos) and was also on the Finesse album.