Glide Memorial’s Bobby Kent
(Olympia 6052N2) 1976
The San Francisco Bay Area was the scene for much of what made the 1960’s and 1970’s what they were, and this album is right in the groove of that.
Glide Memorial is one of the premier black liberal churches in the U.S. It was in the forefront of many causes in the 1960’s, including homosexual rights.
Like the church, this album is a mould breaker. Black gospel, like the older forms of country and western music, had many specific rules about what was acceptable and what wasn’t. Bobby Kent set out to push the envelope, and the result is a fast moving, delightful combination of what Ken Scott refers to as “Two parts black gospel, one part rock ‘n’ roll and one part blues.”
But there are other unique parts of this album. The first is that, for an album that screams “black music,” Bobby Kent was white, a sort of Jimi Hendrix in reverse. Beyond that, the theology that gets put forth in this music is not only very “unliberal,” (there are some great traditional hymns here) but gets into the realm of prosperity teaching! He called his group the “Cadillac Christians,” and in a ecclesiastical/political environment where good things come from the government, that’s quite a statement.
Bobby Kent is still with us and active; he has two more albums which you can obtain here.
The songs:
- My Soul Is Satisfied
- I Can’t Help But Serve The Lord
- The Lord Is Blessing Me/Jesus Woke Me Up
- Christian Automobile
- Dr. Jesus
- Come To The Fountain
- Hallelujah, ‘Tis Done
- Livin’ In The Last Days
- Power In The Blood
Positive Infinity 
My picture is on the back of this album! Would love to get in touch with Bobby. We sang in the Glide choir for years and hung out and partied all the time! He traded me a piano for an oak cabinet!!! My kids who were little…are not 44 and 45!!!
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yes Linda! those were the days! the oak cabinet was antiqued green as i recall…hhaha bobbycoyote@hotmail.com be nice to hear from you
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i AM STILL IN TOUCH WITH JACKIE WHO WAS IN CHOIR ALSO. SHE IS IN REMISSION WITH OVARIAN CANCER. SHE LIVES IN SACRAMENTO. WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT OUR DAYS WITH GLIDE. YES, THAT CABINET WAS GREEN!!! PAUL GOT THE PIANO WHEN WE SPLIT UP. WHERE ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING THESE DAYS? LKRAL@CABLEONE.NET.
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I just found a copy of this LP. Still great stuff!
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i am amazed tht any copies re yet to be found of this album! It was a very limited pressing! i still have a couple of unopened ones hehe Thanks for that nice comment i could give you a link to my 2 CD’s if you like to her recent music..?
Sincerely: Bobby Kent
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Bobby, I think I’ve got a link above to your two other albums, but if you have another one, will be glad to post it too.
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I have an old music poster from the 60’s which has Bobby Kent’s name on it. It was for a show at Golden Gate Theater on Dec 17 and produced by Shoestring Productions. Buena Vista and Pearl were also on the same billing. Would love to find out more about the year he played there.
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it was the 70’s. i designed the poster and it was a gret show..i loved playing with my friends in Buena Vista on the same bill. i still have poster from that night as well.if you;ike a link to gospel recorded in 2000 & 2003 rite me an email at:
bobbycoyote!hotmail.com thankls! Bobby
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OMG, I can’t believe I found this! This is Micki…I sang on this album! Hi Bobby and LInda and anyone else who remembers. Wow, those were the good old days. I still sing along with this album and am so proud to have been part of this and so happy to remember. In 1979 I moved to Las Vegas and danced in 3 major production shows, returned to Marin County and worked at the college of Marin for years, and am now happily retired in a charming mountain village in Mexico. I no longer have any vinyl records, but I burned my favorites into CDs, including this one, of course. My brother “in law” did the artwork on this album. What memories to see it again! I’d love to hear from anyone from back in the Day.
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Micki!!!! haha so good to hear word of you and what you been up to ..i have been in touch with Linda and she has sent me pics of the good ole dys of passing the hat between services at glide and communion with MD2020 hha she sent old pics and burned me a CD of that album! i had run out of vinal! Mexico eyy?! what a nice place to retire!
here’s link for new music:
http://www.flyingsnail.com/bobbykent.html
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Hey Bobby, so good to hear from you! The miracle of the internet! No one can hide!! 🙂 I’m going to post this on my new baby FB page which is not under my real name of Micki but is sort of bilingual “Tengo Kay Duitt”. mickimexico@aol.com I’m singing karaoke in the next village. There are no other venues for me here, only some lousy but very loud gringo rock bands. 😦
We have a lot to catch up on, send me a message! Infinite blessings and blissings! -m
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Another Glide Ensemble alum checking in: Hey Bobby, Micki and Linda, it’s Gary Lambert! Remember me? I’m back living in my beloved hometown of New York City after a nice 30-year visit to the Bay Area. Such wonderful memories of singing with the choir on all those early, early Sunday mornings, and some of our extracurricular activities as well – like opening for Marvin Gaye and Quincy Jones at the Cow Palace. What a nice surprise to find you here!
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Allright Gary! yeah then were the good ole dayz ey! we did have some awsome extracurrixylar outings with the choir! mickey is in mexico linda’s in new mexico i think .if i ewmwmbwr correctly and i’m in Omaha nice to be home after such an extended visit to the bay area huh?! haha enjoy life! we’re still here!! Bobby Kent
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Hola Gary and Bobby!! This is so cool, this little obscure blog…I tried to put a link to this on my FB page (see above) but it wouldn’t stick, or whatever. Gary, how the heck are ya? So many lifetimes since then! Those sure were some good ol days, no?? I still have pictures from Carol’s party in Lagunitas…and many more cool memories. And stuff in our neighborhood in Oakland. I never forgot any of this because I still love gospel and sing along with my CDs here in MX. I’m on a total cosmic journey now, see my FB page – Tengo Kay Duitt to understand. What are you doing in NY now, Gary? Are you guys on FB? maybe we could chat via skype, or something, we should talk!!! Take very good care, infinite blessings and blissings!! -m.
PS, come down and visit my very cool pueblo here!! I used to have a foto page with 13,000 fotos of this area, but the site got dismantled, sorry! wish I could send a link.
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Bobby,I will never forget moving the mighty Whirlitzer organ and speakers and the excitement during and after a Russian River concert
Or a visit to the local baptist church,
Steve Moore
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hey steve! thanks for your nice reminiscent comment! yeah Russian River concerts were very exciting for me too. i loved the music and beatin that tambourine to it and singing! Baptist churches! oh yeah sounds like we did some hangin out together. be nice to hear some more from you i love connecting with good memories of my past! bobbycoyote@hotmail.com be nice to hear from you…Bobby
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I just want to leave this message to this site! I started attending Glide around 1975 or so. My daughter, Amber was about 5 and used to sit on the stairs next to the stage. Bobby Kent’s album has always been a part of my soul’s journey. I have lived in San Francisco since 1969
(except for a few years away in Manhatten and Santa Fe) but otherwise in SF since 1975. I have lived in Haight Ashbury for last 39 years in same apt.. I randomly discussed “My Soul Is Satisfied ” to my boyfriend this past Sunday and how the words were and still are an inspiration. I just randomly googled his name today and found him and his music. My apt. is being sold and you know the feelings this kind of experience can raise. Bobby’s songs have always been a source of comfort during challenging times. I know I will get through this with my Creator’s help so I am not worried but this is where our Spiritual resources come in. I had 40 brokers walk through my apt. today. Anyway, I am so glad Bobby Kent is still among us on this earth plane and I want to thank him for his great voice and talent! He is a true treasure for
our spirits and historically –our hearts! Olga Osborne (Raven)
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Olga, I enjoyed reading your comments! Infinite blessings to you! I’m still getting so much joy from this album, and still sing along with it! Take very good care, -m.
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