Gloria Roe

{{Short description|American composer, pianist and singer}}

Gloria Ann Kliewer Roe Robertson (5 January 1935 – 20 January 2017) was an American composer, pianist and singer who was best known for her compositions and performances of sacred music.{{Cite book |last=Cohen |first=Aaron I. |title=International Encyclopedia of Women Composers |date=1987 |publisher=Books & Music (USA) |isbn=978-0-9617485-0-0 |pages=592–593 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=26 January 2017 |title=Arkansas Democrat Gazette |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/obituaries/2017/jan/26/gloria-roe-2017-01-26/ |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=www.arkansasonline.com |language=en}} She published and performed as Gloria Roe.

Roe was born in Bakersfield, California, to Peter and Sarah Bartel Kliewer. Her first composition, a hymn, was published by Word Publishing Company when she was a senior in high school. She studied piano with Frances Zulawinski{{Cite book |last=Claghorn |first=Charles Eugene |title=Women composers and songwriters: a concise biographical dictionary |date=1996 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-3130-8 |location=Lanham, Md |pages=184–185}} and attended the Hollywood School of Music, Pasadena College (today Point Loma Nazarene University), the Screen Guild School of Music, and Trinity College London.

Roe made her piano debut at Carnegie Hall at age 11. She married Ted Samuel Roe in 1953. They had two children, and performed and recorded together.{{Cite web |last=Roe |first=Gloria |title=Gloria Roe Recordings |url=https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gloria+roe |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=www.youtube.com}} She later married Mr. Robertson and had two more children. Roe worked at several different churches in northwest Arkansas, including University Baptist Church, Central United Methodist Church, and Covenant Presbyterian Church.

In 1977, Roe was elected to the Sacred Music Hall of Fame. She also received the Bank of America Fine Arts Award. She performed with the Stockholm, London, and Israel Symphonies and with Eddie Cantor, the Billy Graham Crusades, and Al Jolson.{{Cite web |title=Gloria Roe › Tunes {{!}} Hymnary.org |url=https://hymnary.org/person/Roe_Gloria |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=hymnary.org |language=en}} Her compositions have been performed by Anita Bryant, Tennesse Ernie Ford, and Billy Joel.{{Cite web |title=Artist: Gloria Roe {{!}} SecondHandSongs |url=https://secondhandsongs.com/artist/194071/all |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=secondhandsongs.com}}{{Cite book |last=Thomas |first=James |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YgU3AQAAIAAJ&dq=gloria+roe+composer&pg=PA322 |title=Copyright Law Revision: Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninetieth Congress, First Session, Pursuant to S. Res. 37, on S.597 |date=1967 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |pages=322 |language=en}}

Roe's LP records were produced by RCA Victor and Word Records.{{Cite web |last=Roe |first=Gloria |title=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/1745798-Gloria-Roe |access-date=29 July 2024 |website=discogs.com}} Her compositions (words and music) were published by Rodeheaver, Hall Mack Company{{Cite web |last=Congress |first=The Library of |title=Gloria Roe |url=https://id.loc.gov/search/?q=Gloria%20Roe |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=id.loc.gov}} and Word Publications, Inc.{{Cite book |last=Stewart-Green |first=Miriam |title=Women composers: a checklist of works for the solo voice |date=1980 |publisher=G.K. Hall |isbn=978-0-8161-8498-9 |series=A Reference publication in women's studies |location=Boston, Mass |pages=61}} and included: