Discovering The Golden Voice Of Terri Gibbs
We buy alotta records. Not those new fangled vinyls everybody’s talking about these days, you know, the ones that set ya back 50 bucks a pop after tax. Nope. We’re talking a buck a record thrift shop finds!
There’s gold in them here hills. And the solid gold we’re talking about is none other than Terri Gibbs, the earthiest most heartfelt soul flavoured, country cross over you’ve never heard, until now.
In the world of 70s era American country music, a thread of resilience and talent emerged out of the dark through the heart of Terri Gibbs.
Born Teresa Fay Gibbs, June 15, 1954, Terri faced challenges from birth. Premature and weighing just over 2 pounds, she was placed in an incubator where an accident deprived her of her sight.
“At that point in time, they did not know to cover the eyes, and my retinas were damaged,” Gibbs would recall. Undiscouraged, Gibbs learned how to play the piano at age three, the singing would soon follow.
Growing up in Grovetown, Georgia, Gibbs did not allow her blindness to define her. Her lifelong passion for singing and music ignited early as she joined church choirs and won local talent contests, marking her place in the music scene by opening for country western legend Bill Anderson when she was just 17 years old.
After graduating from high school in 1972, Gibbs made the courageous decision to follow her dream all the way to Nashville, Tennessee, Music City. a move suggested to her by country music legend Chet Atkins.
Despite her initial struggles to snag a record deal, Gibbs’ determination shone through as she joined a local band and formed her own trio, performing tirelessly in Augusta and surrounding areas.
Gibbs’ fate changed suddenly after sending a demo tape to MCA Records. Recognizing her potential, producer Ed Penney signed her in 1980, believing that with the right material, her unique voice would resonate beyond the confines of traditional country music.
With the release of her debut album, Somebody’s Knockin’, in 1981, Gibbs burst onto the country music scene with a thunderous arrival. The title track, a crossover marvel, climbed to No. 8 on the U.S. Country charts and even infiltrated the pop charts, landing a spot in the highly coveted Top 20 at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Top 10 in the Adult Contemporary chart at No. 3.
Gibbs’ debut single not only secured her a spot in the hearts of listeners the world over but also garnered her critical acclaim, including the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Female Vocalist award and the inaugural Country Music Association’s Horizon Award. Gibbs also celebrated two Grammy nominations for Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance, firmly establishing her as a formidable newcomer in the industry.
Continuing to build on her early success, Gibbs released the album I’m A Lady in 1981, featuring the hit “Mis’ry River,” which went to No. 12 on the country charts. Two more albums would follow Some Days It Rains All Night Long and Over Easy, producing the hits like “Ashes To Ashes” and “Anybody Else’s Heart But Mine,” respectively.
Early on in her career, Gibbs’ trajectory appeared steady, partnering with country music legend George Jones in 1981 and 1982 and touring frequently. But by the mid 80s, the momentum began to stall.
Transitioning to Warner Bros. Records in 1985, her fifth album, Old Friends, found her at a creative crossroads; the album’s singles didn’t see the kind of commercial success she had previously enjoyed, all three of them failed to enter the Top 40.
Undeterred, Gibbs turned her focus to Contemporary Christian music, veering away from her commercial country stylings of the past into a genre that offered her a wholly different kind of artistic outlet. This pivot paid dividends as she recorded the albums Turn Around and Comfort The People, earning a second Grammy nomination for Best Inspirational Performance.
Throughout her career, Gibbs has released a total of eleven studio albums, including six gospel albums released through various independent record labels,
With release of The Best Of Terri Gibbs in 2014 on CD and streaming services alike, Gibbs’ enduring legacy has been passed down to a new generation of avid music listeners. And while the album serves as a reminder of Gibbs’ early success, her most recent album, Sum It All Up from 2017, showcases her undiminished spirit and fiery will to carry on in spite of it all.
Go ahead. Give her a listen, you’ll be glad you did!