Gloria Smyth was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. Her first public appearance was in January 1951, when she appeared at the Apollo Theater with the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra. From there Gloria went to deejay Bill Cook’s Club Caravan in Newark, New Jersey where she sang for over a year backed by such greats as Max Roach and Calvin Jackson. The year 1956 found Gloria working in Miami at The Beachcomber along with Billy Eckstine and Sophie Tucker. While in Miami she also worked the Singapore Lounge. In 1958 Gloria joined Steve Gibson and The Red Caps in Wildwood, New Jersey. She replaced Damita Jo who left to go out on her own. Gloria toured with Gibson most of ‘58, wound up in Las Vegas at The Sands Hotel. Frank Sennes, the owner of the Moulin Rouge and Ciro’s in Hollywood, discovered Gloria while she was appearing with Steve Gibson at The Sands.

Sennes formed a group for Gloria and put her in The Stardust Lounge opposite Billy Daniels. After Vegas, she came to Los Angeles where she played Jack Denison’s with Pianist Eddie Cano’s group and The Jazz Seville opposite Ahmad Jamal where Richard Bock, president of World-Pacific, heard Gloria and signed her to a recording contract. After the Jazz Seville engagement, Gloria went back to Las Vegas; this time with Lionel Hampton to play the Riviera; then to Mr. Kelly’s in Chicago with Lenny Bruce; on to The Village Vanguard in New York City opposite Teddy Wilson; then out west again for an engagement at Fack’s No. 2 in San Francisco. After Gloria completed the recording of this album, she flew to Chicago in May 1960 to play the Music Operators Convention where she was the hit of the show, followed by two months at The Embers Club in Melbourne, Australia.

-Jordi Pujol (From the inside liner notes of FSRV 112)