All photographs courtesy of Glenn Gordon and Timothy Coles
Glenn “GG” Dale Gordon has felt a burning desire for singing since the age of five. Born in Hemingway, South Carolina, his first stage performances were in small country churches and a school marching band. Hoping to travel the world and possibly gain another outlet for his music, Glenn joined the US Army in 1973. Glenn’s army buddies gave him the nickname GG. He has kept the moniker of GG, using it as his stage name to this day. With a strong conviction to follow his heart and pursue a music career, he formed a band called GG and The Shock Waves.
Later in the 1980s, GG joined the Columbia, SC band “Rush Hour” as a lead vocalist and light percussion player and opened for concert headliners, Bill Pinkey and The Original Drifters and Billy Paul (“Me and Mrs. Jones”). On August 27, 2006, GG AND FRIENDS played the opening at Lakewood in the Atlanta, GA area on the side stage for the Mary J. Blige concert “The Breakthrough Experience.”
He left the military all together, without retiring, in 1988. Shortly after, he started experiencing back problems. The military would not allow him any disability for his back, but they gave him 10% disability for his foot operation while he was still in service. Since Glenn could not get any disability for his back, and the only thing the government would give him is many different back support belts that did not work and extremely strength pain killer pills, he decided to create his own back support belt and that is when “WE GOTCHA BACK” was born.
Today GG resides in Atlanta, GA. For the most part, GG is a solo performer, using his bass guitar as a soulful accompaniment. His sound is an exciting combination of artists like Luther Vandross, Larry Graham, Teddy Pendergrass, Lionel Richie, and the Motown sound. GG adores performing for audiences who like to dance to the sounds of legends such as Kool and the Gang, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Ohio Players, Sly Stone, the Isley Brothers, and Rick James.
With over 20 years in the music business, along with releasing his first single, “I Can’t Live Like This”, GG has been helping musicians, artists, and others to learn how to protect their work. As an expert in copyrights, he conducts workshops and seminars, offers instructional books, kits, and forms, speaks, and presents to panels, and does one-on-one consultations in his areas of expertise.
Support GG and Friends Band’s latest CD Exposures. 10% of all sales go to helping homeless veterans and other homeless individuals.
GO BANG! Magazine: You joined the US Army, like many others in your family, in 1973 at the age of 17. Thank you for your service. Can you please describe how that experience helped mold you into the person that you are today?
GG: I am honored to have served my country and I was already prepared to meet any challenge. I grew up in South Carolina and my dad did many jobs to keep the family fed and farming was one of them. So, to be honest, joining the military was actually a vacation for me because my dad was ex-military. That meant you got up early every morning to go to the fields or unload tobacco barns. Sometimes you would get up at midnight to unload tobacco barns so you could take in tobacco later that day or morning.
The Army gave me the opportunity to deal with individuals of other races, with me being in charge. You had to be 100% on your game because to be given an opportunity by the sergeant for you to be a squad leader/team leader meant that they believe you can be a good soldier and I was. My dad had prepared me from being on the farm overseeing others, some older and some mostly the same age as myself, who would help us gather tobacco. My dad taught me the importance of getting the job done to the best of your ability, while still treating others with respect and fairly. So, I was ready for whatever the Army had to offer, mentally and physically.
GO BANG! Magazine: Your time in the army helped in causing your debilitating backpain. Since the Army would not take responsibility for it, you had to find a solution for yourself and created the “WE GOTCHA BACK” back support belt. How did you manage to invent such a belt?
GG: Well, after complaining to the VA hospital for years about my lower back and their refusing to give me any disability for it, but willing to give me pain shots and dangerous pain killer pills like 800 extra strength Tylenol, I decided I needed to educate myself about the different types of back support belts and the pain that I was experiencing. The back support belts that the VA hospital issued me was not helping and neither was the dangerous drugs. So, for over 30 years, I researched and experiment with many different types of raw materials until I found the right one. I even had filed and received a patent on my first back support belt in year 2000, but the material wasn’t exactly what I thought it was, because it would lose its stability over just a very short period of time. So, it was back to the drawing board for me.
Then after about 15 years, I tried it again, but this time I felt that I found the perfect raw material to create my belt. I felt so good about this raw material that I had the product made and, in the marketplace, before I even filed for the patent. The material felt great, but I wanted to educate myself more about body compression and the type of chronic body pain I was experiencing. I had to create three different back support belts before “WE GOTCHA BACK ” was born. Once I understood how compression helps the body and help reduce chronic pain in the body without so much dangerous pain killer drugs, I then filed for the patent.
GO BANG! Magazine: Besides being an Army veteran, where you were given the stage name “GG”, you are also a gifted musician and vocalist. How would you describe the GG sound?
GG: I actually got the nickname GG from my military buddies when I was going through AIT at Fort Leonard, Wood Missouri in 1973. I got into a fight with another soldier at the on-post club and it was pretty bad. The next day they came looking for Glenn Gordon to report to the company commander, but they got the wrong Glenn Gordon. There was another Glenn Gordon in our barracks which we had never met. The company commander almost punishment the wrong Glenn Gordon until someone said private Glenn Gordon is Black. Ooooops!!! Well from that day, December of 1973, until this very day, everyone calls me GG. I started using GG as my stage name in Mannheim, Germany in 1979 when I formed a band on Turley Barracks named “GG AND THE SHOCK WAVES.”
GO BANG! Magazine: Over the years, you have opened for numerous legendary acts and more recently, you even opened for Mary J. Blige. What would say is the secret to your longevity in the business?
GG: I believe my secret to be given the opportunities I’ve been given over the years is always, always, ALWAYS, keep yourself ready to take advantage of opportunity when it is looking for you. I believe in practicing every chance I get as if I got to perform minutes from now. This is something that I truly believe in because opportunity waits for no one. I was just in the right place at the right time when I opened for Mary J Blige.
I was working behind the music scene on a call by a local labor company in Atlanta name CREW ONE and they were the ones who setup the Mary J. Blige show. I don’t know what happened, but I was asked by the manager would I like to perform on the side stage, as an opening act for Mary, because her opening act either didn’t show or she didn’t have one. Whatever the reason, I was asked to perform on the side stage, and it worked out perfectly. We only had an hour or so to pull everyone together because none of us was expecting anything like this. My band “GG AND FRIENDS ” played almost an hour on the side stage because the people were enjoying it. Some people asked us where the band was from and how long we’ve been traveling with Mary. The fact of the matter is that we were doing Mary a favor because we did not get paid and she did not have an opener. BUT, as far as we the band was concerned, this was truly a blessing. Our band gained new followers. More people now know GG AND FRIENDS BAND. Even my co-workers were shocked when they saw me performing, because they didn’t know me as a songwriter, singer, and bass player. They know me as a forklift, stagehand, climber, steel builder, spotlight operator, and entertainment rigger.
This is what I mean by ALWAYS be prepared to take advantage of opportunity because now I can add MARY J BLIGE’s name to the list of legendary artists I have been given the opportunity to open for.
GO BANG! Magazine: As a veteran in the entertainment industry, you have years of knowledge and wisdom, which you have focused into conducting workshops, instructional books, speaking engagements and one-on-one consultations. Please describe your many different entrepreneurial endeavors to our readers.
GG: I am an old school guy who grew up with bands like BRICK, CON-FUNK-SHUN, EARTH, WIND AND FIRE, COMMODORES, JAMES BROWN, PARLIAMENT, ETC., and I felt that I would’ve made it in the music industry if I never joined the Army. But after meeting some of my music idols, they educated me on how the music industry works and then they shared with me about how many artists were taken advantage of. At that point, I knew I had a lot to learn, and I wasn’t going to get educated by any record label, promoter, manager or an entertainment attorney. So, in year 2000 I decided to take a job working as an independent stagehand, forklift operator, climber, steel builder, supervisor, and rigger for 22 years behind the scenes in the music industry. This is the greatest way for anyone to educate themselves about the music, whether you’re a singer, musician, dancer or just music lover. I encourage you to get a job in the entertainment industry behind the scenes. It’ll make you more aware of where your money is made and how it is spent in the industry.
I’ve made a commitment to help singers, musicians, and bands out who are struggling and don’t even know about the opportunities behind the music scene, that are available to them. I can now focus on just creating my music and inventions. I earn enough income working part-time that I can afford a 5-star publicist, which you absolutely need, to promote you while you’re working and creating your music. I have created an entertainment online rigging course. I help people worldwide earn a good living working in the music industry behind the scenes, while pursuing their dreams, regardless of what their dream might be. Now, granted not everyone will qualify as a rigger, but anyone can qualify as a good stagehand, but you must be properly trained. I don’t have a training course for stagehands, but I have a friend, Kenny Barnwell who is on Facebook, that has a great stagehand book and program.
My advice to all struggling musicians, singers, songwriters, rappers, music producers, etc., is as follows. If you are 100% serious about your dream, work in the industry behind the scenes, educate yourself about the business, learn copyrights, publishing, indie labels, start your own website, and get yourself a 5-star publicist that truly believes in you.
I train individuals at my home and online. If I cannot help them, I refer them to someone who can. Mostly everything I have learned about the music business come from me working behind the scenes. I am in the process of writing a very small, but brief book about the music industry behind the scenes. I advise you to keep your focus on what is your true purpose for working behind the scenes in the music/entertainment industry. I don’t want anyone to get a job working behind the scenes in the industry and abuse a great opportunity by not understanding the rules, like NOT becoming star struck, because that can cost you your job.
GO BANG! Magazine: Your latest musical creation is the “Exposure” CD which contains numerous hits including the single “I Can’t Live Like This.” Please describe that track, the CD and why you chose to donate 10% of all sales to helping homeless veterans and homeless citizens.
GG: I have never ever really told anyone the truth about the ” I Can’t Live Like This ” track but I guess now is as time to tell why I wrote the song. After my divorce, it became difficult trying to date again because I am a father and was missing my children daily. But after about 20 years, I decided to move in with someone who I THOUGHT I was really in love with. Well, all of a sudden things rapidly changed and I blamed myself at first. I hadn’t lived with anyone in years, and I felt that I may have been over-reacting. But then later I realized that I was making an effort and giving 90 % of my time to please her when she was giving less than 10% of her time to the relationship. I told her things had to change or I will learn to love her from a distance. I also had to informed her that I didn’t sign up to be her fool or doormat, so I expect a 50/50 love or there wouldn’t be any love at all. So, when she refused to change her ways and try to meet me halfway with love and affection, that’s when the song “I Can’t Live Like This” was born.
God blessed me, when I was homeless, three different times. I still managed to stay disciplined, focused, and went to worked, when I could find work through the labor pool. I met many people living on the streets who are very intelligent and some use to be school teachers, business owners, etc. But the drugs got to some and others, believe it or not, their pride would not allow them to ask for help, veterans and civilians. My problem was that I was still new to the city and was learning my way around. I am in a much better place now.
My goal is to work with the ones who are in the SALVATION ARMY, because they have been vetted, getting the help they need from drugs and alcohol use, and are in the process of getting their own home. I know this first hand because I came through that system when I needed both hips replaced. I am hoping to get as many sales as possible from my music website and back support website. I need the money to buy hard hats, gloves, and a wrench. They will need these to start work. I will help some get stagehand jobs and I will personally train others who can qualify to be riggers. But I need sales of my music and invention product so I can raise the money for the tools they will need to get the job. I would ask everyone please help me help the homeless veterans and civilians.
GO BANG! Magazine: What current artists or producers would you love to work with if you had the opportunity to and why?
GG: “CON-FUNK-SHUN” because they are about those strong love songs and play real horns. They are also funky. I am hoping to get that opportunity to go into the CON-FUNK-SHUN recording studio this year, 2023. Then there is one of my favorite bands “BRICK” because their funk is a smooth style of funk to me. The kind of laid-back funk, but you can’t stay still when you hear a “BRICK” song. If it wasn’t for JIMMY “HORNMAN” BROWN from “BRICK”, I don’t think I would’ve stuck with my music. I was beginning to think that I was getting too old, because not many know of me or my music in the industry. But Jimmy told me, “Man I am older than you and you have your own style so keep doing what you do.” Jimmy even helped me by arranging and playing all the horns on my cd EXPOSURES which re-energized me immediately. It was definitely motivating to have one of my musical legendary idols tell me to stick with what you’re doing and that you really have something to offer music lovers. There is one other person I would love the opportunity to work with as an opener for her, and that is SADE. When I was working as an entertainment rigger behind the scenes in the music industry, I was fortunate to have rigged many shows from JAY Z, BEYONCE, TAYLOR SWIFT, WILLIE NELSON, BRICK, FRANKIE BEVERLY, STING, CHARLIE WILSON, and many more. But when I rigged and shot spotlight for SADE show in Atlanta, man I fell in love with her smooth style, which is what I would like to do as a male performer. So, these are groups and individuals I hope to get the opportunity to work with soon. I have a first-class publicist and with her, anything is possible. She is truly one of the best in the business, regardless of the product.
GO BANG! Magazine: What can our GO BANG readers, aka the BANGERS, across the world expect from you soon?
GG: Well, I have my interest in a few things right now like my music, inventions, and my online entertainment rigging course that teaches individuals worldwide how to become an entertainment rigger or a better entertainment rigger. So, there is no one thing that I am 100% focused on right now. You can look forward to me doing more music and promoting my invention, the “WE GOTCHA BACK” lumbar compression support belt this year.
Whatever I am doing, you can rest assured that it will be done to the best of my ability. I am going to be following my publicist lead because she is doing a wonderful job in getting me what and where I need to be to fulfill my dreams.
GO BANG! Magazine: In conclusion, please finish this sentence. “Glenn Gordon is……”
GG: …an extremely humble, generous, grateful, honest, and loving human being with integrity, who loves all other human beings, regardless of race or where you’re from. Glenn worships music because it’s the greatest form of communication when you don’t verbally speak or understand a language.
GO BANG! Magazine: Well Glenn, I want to thank you for granting me this interview. I also want to inform you that you have now officially been BANGED!!! GO BANG!
GG: Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to introduce me, my music, and invention to the GO BANG FANS and the world!
You can follow Glenn GG Dale Gordon on social media.
Website: http://www.WeGotchaBack.com
Publicist: Desirae L. Benson / DesiraeBBB@gmail.com
Song “I Can’t Live Like This” video link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E6EpAfa855U
Articles:
https://formidablemen.com/glenn-dale-gordon-aka-gg-a-vietnam-era-disabled-veteran-founder-of-we-gotcha-back-a-back-support-belt-gaining-world-attention/
https://vimeo.com/centerpost/download/555957039/5bb9b807ea
Desirae L. Benson / DesiraeBBB@gmail.com
Entertainment Publicist | Multimedia Journalist
Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the Owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions and the Owner/Publisher of GO BANG! Magazine. Follow him on Facebook @Pierre Andre Evans, Twitter @Playerre, and on Instagram @Pierre_Andre_Evans.
