Gloria Parker

Gloria Parker
Parker in a 1944 advertisement
Background information
Birth name	Gloria Rosenthal
Born	(1921-08-20)August 20, 1921 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	April 13, 2022(2022-04-13) (aged 100) Syosset, New York, U.S.
Genres	Jazz
Occupations	Musician bandleader composer actress radio host
Instruments	Marimba organ glass harp
Years active	1940s–1984

Gloria Parker (née Rosenthal; August 20, 1921 – April 13, 2022) was an American musician and bandleader who had a radio show during the big band era. The Gloria Parker Show was broadcast nightly from 1950 to 1957, coast to coast on WABC. She played the marimba, organ, and singing glasses (glass harp). Dubbed Princess of the Marimba,^[1] she conducted the 21-piece Swingphony from the Kelly Lyceum Ballroom in Buffalo, New York. This was the largest big band led by a female bandleader. Edgar Battle and Walter Thomas were arrangers for the Swingphony.