Diagnosed with retrolental fibroplasia at just 6 months old, Terri Gibbs has no memory of having eyesight. That didn’t stop her from rising through the ranks of country music, however, scoring a long list of hits that included “Somebody’s Knockin’”, “Rich Man”, “Mis’ry River”, “Ashes to Ashes” and “Anybody Else’s Heart but Mine.” Today, we’re celebrating the legacy of Terri Gibbs, born on this day (June 15) in 1952 in Miami, Florida.
Terri Gibbs Opened For This Opry Legend as a Teenager
Following her premature birth, doctors placed the 2-lb., 11-oz Teresa Fay Gibbs into an incubator. At the time, no one thought to protect her eyes, resulting in retina damage. At six months old, she was declared blind.
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After losing her eyesight, Terri Gibbs clung to music. Growing up in Augusta, Georgia, she listened to early rock & roll, pop, and soul (particularly Ray Charles), along with the Grand Ole Opry radio show.
In spite of her disability, Gibbs learned to play the piano at just three years old. She honed her singing skills in the church choir and talent contests, opening for Grand Ole Opry Bill Anderson at age 17.
Getting Started
After graduating from Butler High School in 1972, Terri Gibbs continued performing around the Augusta area. Like many country artists who got their start in the 1970s, she bumped into Chet Atkins backstage. The legendary producer advised her to move to Nashville and pursue a singing career.
Failing to land a record deal, Gibbs returned to Miami, where she played keyboards in a band called Sound Dimension. Eventually, she returned to Augusta and formed the Terri Gibbs Trio. She sent her demo tape to producer/songwriter Ed Penney, who signed her to MCA in 1980.
Penney co-wrote and produced Gibbs’ debut single, “Somebody’s Knockin’”. The song was a crossover success, reaching No. 8 on the country charts, No. 13 on the pop charts and No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary charts.
Her debut album of the same name won Gibbs the Top New Female Vocalist award from the Academy of Country Music, along with the Country Music Association’s first-ever Horizon Award. She also earned two Grammy nominations for Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
Terri Gibbs has released 13 studio albums throughout her career, with the most recent LP, Sum It All Up, coming in 2017.
Featured image by David Redfern/Redferns