Gloria Belle Flickinger (June 9, 1939 – May 5, 2023) was an American bluegrass vocalist and musician, playing the

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...

, bass, and

mandolin A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...

. She was probably the first female lead singer in bluegrass, having begun her music career as early as 1957.

Life and career

While not a native of the area, Belle's early career centered on east

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

and western

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. She was a performer on the Cas Walker show in

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Tennessee, Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Di ...

, in the early 1960s, beginning that position in September 1960. In 1965, she played with

Raymond Fairchild Raymond Fairchild (March 15, 1939 – October 13, 2019) was an American banjo player from North Carolina in the Great Smoky Mountains. He was widely known for his fast playing, his fancy and intricate picking, and his ability to mimic the sounds o ...

Maggie Valley, North Carolina Maggie Valley is a town in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,150 at the 2010 census. A popular tourist destination, it is home to Cataloochee Ski Area and the former Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park. Maggie ...

, at the

Ghost Town in the Sky Ghost Town Village (formerly "Ghost Town in the Sky at Ghost Mountain Park") is an abandoned Wild West-themed amusement park in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, United States that is currently, as of October 2019, under contract for possible sal ...

. The next year, she made regular appearances on the Wheeling Jamboree in

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

, performing with Betty Amos's All-Girl Band. Most notably, she performed as a member of

Jimmy Martin James Henry Martin (August 10, 1927 – May 14, 2005) was an American bluegrass musician, known as the "King of Bluegrass". Early years Martin was born in Sneedville, Tennessee, United States, and was raised in the hard farming life of rural ...

's Sunny Mountain Boys during 1968–1975. With Jimmy, she sang lead and high baritone on multiple recordings, as well as played bass. She later toured the festival circuit with

Charlie Monroe Charlie Monroe (July 4, 1903 – September 27, 1975) was an American country and bluegrass music guitarist. Charlie performed with his brother, Bill, as part of the Monroe Brothers. He later formed his own group, Charlie Monroe & the Kentucky P ...

in 1973. She toured Japan with Martin during 1975. In regards to her playing, Martin said jokingly, "She’s not very good, but we let her sing with us ‘cause we feel sorry for her." Belle died on May 5, 2023, at the age of 83.

Awards and distinctions

In 1999, Belle was presented with the Distinguished Achievement Award by the

International Bluegrass Music Association The International Bluegrass Music Association, or IBMA, is a trade association to promote bluegrass music. Formed in 1985, IBMA established its first headquarters in Owensboro, Kentucky. In 1988 they announced plans to create the International ...

(IBMA) and became one of the few females to ever earn that award. In 2001 she also received an IBMA award for Recorded Event of the Year for Follow Me Back To the Fold: A Tribute to Women in Bluegrass. Another IBMA award came in 2009 through her work with the Daughters of Bluegrass. She received a Recorded Event of the Year award with this group for "Proud to be a Daughter of Bluegrass." She fronted the band Tennessee Sunshine, which she formed in 1990. She married guitar luthier Mike Long of Mike Long Guitars on September 23, 1989. They resided in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

Discography

Solo albums

* 1968: ''Sings and Plays Bluegrass in the Country'' (

Rebel A rebel is a participant in a rebellion. Rebel or rebels may also refer to: People * Rebel (given name) * Rebel (surname) * Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution * American Southerners, as a form of self-identification; ...

R-1479) * 1978: ''A Good Hearted Woman'' (Southern Belle SB-51978) * 1986: ''The Love Of The Mountains'' ( Webco WLPS-0122)

Gloria Belle and Tennessee Sunshine

* 1992: ''Living the Right Life Now'' (Southern Belle SB-110892) * 1993: ''Dixieland for Me'' (Atteiram API-CD-1689) * 1996: ''unknown title'' (Southern Belle SB-6996) * 2000: ''He Leadeth Me'' (Southern Belle SB-6900) * 2001: ''Let My Life Be a Light'' (Southern Belle SB-6901)

Also appears on

* 1969:

- ''Free Born Man'' (

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...

) * 1975:

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country rock band formed in 1966. The group has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California. Between 1976 and 1981, the band performed and recorded as the Dirt Band. Constant ...

- ''

Will the Circle be Unbroken (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album) ''Will the Circle be Unbroken'' is the seventh studio album by American country music group The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, with collaboration from many famous bluegrass and country-western players, including Roy Acuff, "Mother" Maybelle Carter, D ...

'' (

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the studi ...

) - track 2-20, "

Will the Circle Be Unbroken "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" is a popular Christian hymn written in 1907 by Ada R. Habershon with music by Charles H. Gabriel. The song is often recorded unattributed and, because of its age, has lapsed into the public domain. Most of the cho ...

" * 2000: Mark Newton - ''Follow Me Back to the Fold'' (Rebel)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Belle, Gloria 1939 births 2023 deaths American bluegrass musicians American women singers 21st-century American women