Gloria Barnes : Uptown (1973)

Gloria "Towanda" Barnes is an obscure soul sister whom little is known except what can be gleaned from the notes on the back of her Maple album, Uptown, from 1973. She came from Harlem, NYC, and was discovered on Mary Fox's Northern Soul Night on Radio Stoke. Her first release was 'If I Am Guilty’ / 'Oh Darling' on the Groovy Imprint, as Towanda Barnes, but she is best known on the Northern Soul circuit for the tracks 'You Don’t Mean It' (backed by Lewis/Brantley song ‘Find Someone to Love Me’) and 'Love Slips Through My Fingers', interestingly both originally recorded by the Ohio Players. However, it is on her Uptown album that she really shines, showcasing her supreme vocals, particularly on the seven minute opus ‘Old Before My Time’. The record features 8 great songs - a few with Lee Moses and the Desciples Backing -, and mixes upbeat with some fine deep stuff. I included her first recording ‘If I Am Guilty’, as a bonus track. I am sure you will love it!

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