Don Gardner obit

Philadelphia Soul and Jazz Pioneer Donald Gardner Dies at 87

 

Donald Gardner passed away on Sept. 4 at the age of 87, according to a family spokesperson.

He was not on the list.

Donald Gardner, a Philadelphia soul and jazz pioneer who worked with iconic singers and penned the R&B hit, "Need Your Lovin'," has died.

Gardner passed away on Sept. 4 at the age of 87, according to a family spokesperson.

Gardner, who taught himself how to play the drums and sing as a teenager, first began performing solo in 1947. He then created his first music group, the Sonotones in 1953.

In 1962, Gardner wrote and performed the biggest hit of his career, "Need Your Lovin'," which rose to #4 on the R&B charts. The song was covered numerous times by other singers, including Otis Redding, Tom Jones and Jackie Wilson.

Throughout his career he collaborated with several artists including Baby Washington, Dinah Washington, Billy Eckstine and Count Basie. Besides "Need Your Lovin'," his other hits include, "Glory of Love," "Don't You Worry," and "Lay A Little Lovin' On Me."

Gardner continued performing as a solo artist and also became an A&R manager as well as a nightclub owner in the 1980s.

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. By 1953, he formed his own group, the Sonotones, in which he played drums and sang. The group toured on the Chitlin' Circuit, and Gardner also recorded under his own name, for De Luxe Records and the small Junior label.

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). 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. He produced a song written by Gardner, I Need Your Loving (also known as Need Your Lovin'), a "gospel-drenched" 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.