David Curtis Glover (October 7, 1939 – May 29, 2019), better known as Tony "Little Sun" Glover, was an American blues musician and music critic. He was a harmonica player and singer associated with "Spider" John Koerner and

Dave "Snaker" Ray Dave "Snaker" Ray (August 17, 1943 – November 28, 2002) was an American blues singer and guitarist from St. Paul, Minnesota, United States, associated with Spider John Koerner and Tony "Little Sun" Glover in the early Sixties folk revival. Tog ...

during the early 1960s

folk revival The American folk music revival began during the 1940s and peaked in popularity in the mid-1960s. Its roots went earlier, and performers like Josh White, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Big Bill Broonzy, Billie Holiday, Richard Dyer-Benn ...

. Together, the three released albums under the name Koerner, Ray & Glover. Glover was also the author of diverse "harp" (blues harmonica) songbooks and a co-author, along with Ward Gaines and Scott Dirks, of an award-winning biography of

Little Walter Marion Walter Jacobs (May 1, 1930 – February 15, 1968), known as Little Walter, was an American blues musician, singer, and songwriter, whose revolutionary approach to the harmonica had a strong impact on succeeding generations, earning hi ...

, ''Blues with a Feeling: The Little Walter Story''.

Biography

Glover was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1939. As a teenager he performed in various local bands, playing guitar before taking up the

blues harp The Richter-tuned harmonica, or 10-hole harmonica (in Asia) or blues harp (in America), is the most widely known type of harmonica. It is a variety of diatonic harmonica, with ten holes which offer the player 19 notes (10 holes times a draw and ...

. In 1963 he joined

John Koerner "Spider" John Koerner (born August 31, 1938, in Rochester, New York, United States) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as a guitarist and vocalist in the blues trio Koerner, Ray & Glover, with Dave Ray and Ton ...

and Dave Ray to form the blues trio Koerner, Ray & Glover. From 1963 to 1971, either solo or in some combination of the trio, they released at least one album a year. The group never rehearsed together or did much at all together. Ray referred to the group as "Koerner and/or Ray and/or Glover".''Blues, Rags and Hollers: The Koerner, Ray & Glover Story''. 1995. Latch Lake (Video documentary) In the late sixties, Glover was an all-night underground disc jockey on KDWB-AM in Minneapolis before forming the band Nine Below Zero. He also often performed as a duo with Ray and with Koerner, Ray & Glover reunion concerts. In 2007, he produced a documentary video on the trio, titled ''Blues, Rags and Hollers: The Koerner, Ray & Glover Story''. Glover was the author of several blues harp songbooks and a co-author, along with Ward Gaines and Scott Dirks, of an award-winning biography of

, ''Blues with a Feeling: The Little Walter Story'', published in 2002. Glover was a prolific rock critic, having written articles for the ''Little Sandy Review'' (1962–1963), ''

Sing Out! ''Sing Out!'' was a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that was published from May 1950 through spring 2014. It was originally based in New York City, with a national circulation of approximately 10,000 by 1960. Background ''Sing Out ...

'' (1964–1965), ''Hullabaloo/

Circus A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclis ...

'' (1968–1971), ''

Hit Parader ''Hit Parader'' was an American music magazine that operated between 1942 and 2008. A monthly publication, it focused on rock and pop music in general until the 1970s, when its focus began turning to hard rock and heavy metal. By the early 1980s ...

'' (1968), ''

Crawdaddy The Crawdaddy Club was a music venue in Richmond, Surrey, England, which opened in 1963. The Rolling Stones were its house band in its first year and were followed by The Yardbirds. Several other notable British blues and rhythm and blues acts a ...

'' (1968), ''Eye'' (1968), ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' (1968–1973), '' Junior Scholastic'' (1970), ''

Creem ''Creem'' (often stylized in all caps) is a monthly American music magazine, based in Detroit, whose main print run lasted from 1969 to 1989. It was first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. Influential crit ...

'' (1974–1976), ''Request'' (1990–1999), Twin Cities Blues News (1996-2006), MNBlues.com (1999–present) and the ''Twin Cities Reader'' and '' City Pages''. He also wrote liner notes for albums by John Hammond, Sonny Terry, John Lee Hooker, Michael Lessac, Sonny & Brownie, Willie & the Bees, The Jayhawks, and for '' The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert''. Glover taught harmonica to

David Johansen David Roger Johansen (sometimes spelled ''David Jo Hansen''; born January 9, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal proto-punk band the New York Dolls. He is also known for his work under ...

and

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

Death

Glover died on May 29, 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota at the age of 79. In 2020 an auction of his memorabilia and effects netted $495,000.

Awards and honors

Koerner Ray & Glover - First Avenue Star

In 1983 the Minnesota Music Academy named Koerner, Ray and Glover "Best Folk Group" and in 1985 inducted them into the MMA Hall of Fame. In 2008, Koerner, Ray & Glover were inducted into the Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame under the category Blues Recordings for ''Blues, Rags and Hollers''. Koerner, Ray & Glover has been honored with a star on the outside mural of the

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

nightclub First Avenue, recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue. Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh.

Discography

*with Koerner, Ray & Glover **'' Blues, Rags and Hollers'' (1963) **''

Lots More Blues, Rags and Hollers ''Lots More Blues, Rags and Hollers'' is an album by the blues trio Koerner, Ray & Glover, released in 1964. History Between this release and their next, Dave Ray and John Koerner each recorded a solo album, ''Snaker's Here'' and '' Spider Blue ...

'' (1964) **'' The Return of Koerner, Ray & Glover'' (1965) **'' Good Old Koerner, Ray & Glover'' (1972) **'' One Foot in the Groove'' (1996) * with Dave Ray ** ''Legends in Their Spare Time'' (1987) ** ''Ashes in My Whiskey'' (1990) ** ''Picture Has Faded'' (1993) *with John Koerner **'' Live @ The 400 Bar'' (2009) *with V3 (w. Galen Michaelson and Jon Rodine) **''V3'' (2004)

References

External links

Tony Glover official web page

*
Koerner, Ray & Glover discovery at Discogs

Credits at allmusic.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glover, Tony 1939 births 2019 deaths Musicians from Minneapolis American male singers Songwriters from Minnesota American blues singers American blues harmonica players American blues guitarists American male guitarists Singers from Minnesota Guitarists from Minnesota 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American male songwriters