{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Gabriel Hardeman | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = Gabriel S. Hardeman | alias = Gabriel S. Hardeman Jr. | birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|12|13|mf=y}} | birth_place = Atlanta, Georgia | death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|6|23|1943|12|13}} | death_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | instrument = Vocals, singer-songwriter, piano | genre = Christian R&B, gospel, traditional black gospel, contemporary R&B, urban contemporary gospel, soul | occupation = Singer, songwriter, pianist | years_active = 1976–2001 | label = Savoy, Crystal Rose, Birthright | associated_acts = Gabriel Hardeman Delegation | website = }}
'''Gabriel S. Hardeman Jr.''' (December 13, 1943 – June 23, 2012), was an American gospel musician, pianist, and leader of the Gabriel Hardeman Delegation that included his wife Annette. He started his music career in 1976, with the release of ''Gabriel Hardeman Delegation'' by Savoy Records. Along with his wife, they formed Birthright Records, and in 1981 they released the album ''Talk'' along with ''Feels Like Fire'' in 1983. His fourth album, ''To the Chief Musician'', released in 2001 by Crystal Rose Records, and this placed at No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' magazine Gospel Albums chart. Hardeman was a noted songwriter along with his wife Annette of such songs as 1987's "I Feel Good All Over" by Stephanie Mills and "Love Under New Management" performed by Miki Howard in 1989.
==Early life== Hardeman was born on December 13, 1943, in Atlanta, Georgia,<ref name="GE">{{cite book|title=Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia|url=https://archive.org/details/uncloudydaysgosp00carp|url-access=registration|first=Bil|last=Carpenter|year=2005|pages=[https://archive.org/details/uncloudydaysgosp00carp/page/176 176]–7|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=9780879308414 }}</ref> as Gabriel S. Hardeman Jr., the son of Reverend Gabriel S. Hardeman Sr, who pastored and founded the Hickman Temple A.M.E. Church in West Philadelphia, and his mother, Daisy.<ref name="PMN">{{cite web|title=Gabriel S. Hardeman Jr., gospel-group founder |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-03-27/news/8501170480_1_rev-marvin-j-yancy-natalie-cole-music-producer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413233048/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-03-27/news/8501170480_1_rev-marvin-j-yancy-natalie-cole-music-producer|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 13, 2015|first=Walter F.|last=Naedele |publisher=Philadelphia Media Network|access-date=April 9, 2015|date=June 24, 2012}}</ref> Hardeman was a pianist at his fathers church as a youth.<ref name="CR">{{cite journal|title=Gabriel S Hardeman: The late gospel man who impacted the world of R&B |url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Gabriel_S_Hardeman_The_late_gospel_man_who_impacted_the_world_of_RB/48945/p1/|first=Tony|last=Cummings|journal=Cross Rhythms|access-date=April 9, 2015|date=July 13, 2012}}</ref> He graduated from High School at William Penn High School, and he went onto graduate from West Virginia State University with a physical education bachelor's degree, where he was a football player and a glee club participant.<ref name="PMN"/> Subsequently, in 1990,<ref name="CR"/> he went to Lutheran Theological Seminary, where he graduated with a master's degree in divinity and became a minister in 1995.<ref name="GE"/><ref name="PMN"/>
==Music career== He began his music recording career in 1976, with the release of ''Gabriel Hardeman Delegation'' by Savoy Records,<ref name="AM Disc">{{cite web |author= |title=Gabriel Hardeman : Discography |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gabriel-hardeman-mn0000186644/discography |access-date=April 9, 2015 |website=AllMusic}}</ref> yet this did not chart.<ref name="AM Awards">{{cite web|title=Gabriel Hardeman : Awards |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gabriel-hardeman-mn0000186644/awards|author=''Billboard''|website=AllMusic|access-date=April 6, 2015}}</ref> His subsequent two albums were released by the label he and his wife started, Birthright Records,<ref name="AM Bio">{{cite web|title=Gabriel Hardeman : Biography |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gabriel-hardeman-mn0000186644/biography|first=Ed|last=Hogan|website=AllMusic|access-date=April 9, 2015}}</ref> and they released in 1981, ''Talk'', along with 1983's, ''Feels Like Fire''.<ref name="GE"/><ref name="AM Disc"/> The next album, ''To the Chief Musician'', was released on May 8, 2001, and it placed on the ''Billboard'' magazine Gospel Albums at No. 12.
Gabriel alongside his wife, Annette, were co-writers on two commercially successful songs, such as 1987's "I Feel Good All Over" by Stephanie Mills and "Love Under New Management" by Miki Howard in 1989.<ref name="GE"/><ref name="PMN"/><ref name="AM Bio"/> Gabriel alone wrote songs on some Teddy Pendergrass albums, ''Joy'' in 1988 and 1991's ''Truly Blessed''.<ref name="GE"/><ref name="PMN"/><ref name="AM Bio"/>
==Personal life== From the late 1980s until their departure for Georgia, Hardeman was a physical education instructor and coached softball at Strawberry Mansion Junior High School. He directed and wrote songs for the Strawberry Mansion Gospel Ensemble. He also worked at South Philadelphia High School.<ref name="PMN"/> In 2000, Hardeman relocated to Aragon, Georgia, so that he could pastor at Bellview A.M.E. Church.<ref name="PMN"/>
Hardeman was married to his wife, Annette, at the time of his death on June 23, 2012, at Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia,<ref name="PMN"/> from Interstitial lung disease that he was diagnosed with in 2000.<ref name="CR"/> Annette was born on November 19, 1954, in Chester, Pennsylvania.<ref name="GE"/> The couple had a son, Michael.<ref name="PMN"/>
==Discography== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of selected studio albums, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions<ref name="AM Awards"/> |- !style="width:3em; font-size:90%"|US<br>Gos |- !scope="row"|''Gabriel Hardeman Delegation'' | * Released: 1976 * {{nowrap|Label: Savoy}} * CD, digital download | – |- !scope="row"|''Talk'' | * Released: 1981 * {{nowrap|Label: Birthright}} * CD, digital download | – |- !scope="row"|''Feels Like Fire'' | * Released: 1983 * {{nowrap|Label: Birthright}} * CD, digital download | – |- !scope="row"|''To the Chief Musician'' | * Released: May 8, 2001 * {{nowrap|Label: Birthright}} * CD, digital download | 12 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardeman, Gabriel}} Category:1943 births Category:2012 deaths Category:African-American songwriters Category:African-American Christians Category:Musicians from Atlanta Category:Musicians from Philadelphia Category:Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Songwriters from Pennsylvania Category:20th-century African-American musicians Category:21st-century African-American musicians