Ruby Glover

RUBY INEZ JACKSON GLOVER: Affectionately known as “The Godmother of Jazz,” was born on December 6th, 1929. She was the eldest daughter of the late Inez Regina Edwards and the late William Jackson. She departed this life unexpectedly on October 20th, 2007. Ruby was raised in East Baltimore on Madison Street for most of her early life into her teens. Her musical years began with her mother “Miss Inez, the singing barmaid” who took her to work with her, sat her on the bar and let her sing to the patrons. She spent her early years listening and learning from local jazz musicians giving her the foundation of musical dedication and discipline she continued to impart to her students today. She attended Baltimore City Public Schools and graduated from Dunbar High School in 1947. She was married to her high school sweetheart James W. Glover, Jr. (1947-1959) which ended in divorce. Out of this union are three daughters, Carla, Ira, and Toni. In 1951, Ruby joined her first band (which was a big band), “Doug’s Blue Notes.” This was the beginning of an awesome legacy. Ruby was an innovator, activist, a philanthropist, and was blessed with the ability to sing, perform, and captivate audiences. She was an integral part of the musical family in Maryland and was world renown. In 1962, she married James H. Perkins, ending in divorce. Out of this union are two sons, Dana and Aaron. In 1972, she married Lonnie Penny and inherited two lovely step-daughters, Deneen and Allison, this union ended in divorce. Ruby made the decision to further her education and attended Antioch University (currently Sojourner Douglass College) and graduated with a BA degree in Business Administration. From her rendition of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz (at the age of eight) to her memorable performances at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre and Lyric Opera House, Ruby Glover was the consummate professional and performer no matter the venue or audience size. She performed with such notable jazz artists as: Ethel Ennis, Art Blakey, Sonny Stitt, Keter Betts, Doug Carne, Charles Covington, Cyrus Chestnut, Mickey Fields, Shirley Fields, Jimmy Wells, Claude Bailey, Freddie Thaxton, Jimmy McGriff, Hank Crawford, and Freddie Hubbard, just to name a few. She performed in numerous bands and ensembles, such as, Cornell Muldrow and the Bim-Bam-Boo Trio, The Fuzzy Kane Trio, The Ruby Glover Jazz Trio, and The Ladies of Jazz—featuring Brenda Alford, Karen Braithwaite-Yarn, Lady Rebecca and herself. She credited Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, and Ella Fitzgerald as her primary musical influence. She has recorded on the Columbia Records and the Elysium2 Records labels. In addition to her experiences in the music field, Ruby Glover was a professor of Jazz History and Appreciation at Sojourner-Douglass College in Baltimore, Maryland, Vocal instructor and professor of Jazz Studies at Towson State University in Towson, Maryland, and mentor to many up and coming jazz performers: Dontae Winslow, Lafayette Gilchrist, Michael Austin, Pearlie Homicile, Sarah Jones, Lorretta Reddy, Brenda Alford, Lady Rebecca, Lea Gilmore, Sheila Ford, Sandi Clay, plus hundreds of others. She was instrumental in establishing the Mayor’s Billie Holiday Vocal Competition designed to memorialize the unique singing style of Billie Holiday and to identify, encourage and support emerging new talent seeking a career in music through funding, exposure, and recognition. Ruby Glover is featured in the Smithsonian Museum Jazz exhibit, the Reginald Lewis African American Museum, and the African American Fundamentals of Jazz History. She is founder of Jazz Sweets, Inc., an organization dedicated to assisting the growth of local musical talent, As well as share the history of jazz. She contributed to a host of jazz-based projects. Her professional engagements included travels to England, and Kingston Jamaica. Ruby Glover is survived by a sister, Peggy Cevis (Darlington, Md.), daughters: Carla Logan, Ira Glover, and Toni Glover, step-daughters: Pastor Deneen Penny and Allison Penny, sons: Dana Perkins, and Aaron Perkins, grandchildren: Edward Canty, Jr., Melissa Logan, Jeaneen Logan, Ariel Perkins-Fenwick, Zachary Perkins, Bryan Jones, Andrew Perkins, Dalyn Perkins, Jalisa Perkins and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family members and devoted friends.

Tributes

Ruby Glover

December 6, 1929 - October 20, 2007