Northern Soul, Modern Soul, Soul, Motown, TamlaMotown, Tamla, Keep the Faith, Keep on keepin on

Philadelphia is often referred to as the "City of Brotherly Love", "The City that loves you back" and even "The Birthplace of America", but perhaps it should also be known as "The City of Soul Music" considering it has had an amazing influence not only on Northern Soul, but on the development of soul music as a whole. Philadelphia soul artists, writers and producers have worked for many labels, including: Cameo, Cameo Parkway, Crimson, Benn X, Sonata, Franette, Gamble, Excel, Capitol, Columbia, Decca, Janus, Jamie, Date, Mercury, MGM, ABC, RCA, MCA, VJ, H&L, A&M, WMOT, ARC, Arctic, Curtom, Prelude,  Roadshow, Epic, Blue Note, Philly Groove, Philly World, Philadelphia Int, Phil L.A., TSOP, Harthon, Tower, People, Dynamo, Golden Fleece, Thunder, Babylon, Master, United Artists, Haven, Avco, Spring, Neptune, Wand, Chelsea, Buddah, Casablanca, Old Town, Omni, Fantasy, Tommy Boy, Salsoul, Universal Love and even Tamla, Motown, OKeh,  Atlantic, ATCO and I am sure there must be others I have missed.
 

The list of artists who have worked with writers, producers and musicians from Philadelphia is nothing short of prolific and includes: The Orlons, Bunny Sigler, Chubby Checker, Major Harris, Larry Clinton, The GTO's, Dee Dee Sharp, Christine Cooper, Janie Grant, Frank Beverly, The Butlers, Eddie Levert, Jackson Reese, Vickie Baines, Bobby Marchan, Bobby Paris, Johnny Maestro, Leon Huff, Arthur Prysock, Don Covay, Barbara Mason, The Cameos, The Larks, Candy & the Kisses, Evie Sands, The Five Stairsteps, Lee Andrews,  Bernard Williams, Tony Stante, The Bronzettes, The Stylettes, The Body Motions, The Olympics, Eloise Laws, Melba Moore, Bonnie & Lee, McFadden & Whitehead, Marlena Shaw, Gloria Gaynor, The Volcanos, The Trammps, The Tymes, Ronnie Banks, The Dramatics, The Manhattans, Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes, Teddy Pendergrass, Irma & the Fascinators, Al Hudson, Solomon Burke, The Soul Partners, The Vibrations, Benzine, The Ebonys, Jerry Butler, Jerry Jackson, George Jackson, Archie Bell & the Drells, The Main Ingredient, Baby Washington, Little Anthony & the Imperials, The Delfonics, The Stylistics, Sylvia, Joe Simon, Lou Rawls, Deniece Williams, Madelaine Bell, The Jones Girls, Jane Grant, Peaches & Herb, Linda Clifford, First Choice, The Three Degrees, MFSB, New York City, Blue Magic, The Soul Survivors, Billy Paul, Dee Dee Warwick, Patti Labelle, Phyllis Hyman, Thelma Houston, Cindy Scott, Johnny Williams, The O'Jays, The Sweet Inspirations, Ronnie Dyson, The Intruders,  The Whispers, War, Percy Sledge, Jackie Moore, Millie Jackson, Wilson Pickett, Johnny Daye, The 'Detroit' Spinners, Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack, Tammi Terrell, Shirley Jones, Philly Cream and even Aretha Franklin, Martha Reeves, Eddie Kendricks, The Temptations, Eddie Holman, Bobby Marchan, The Jacksons, Dusty Springfield, Elton John, Simply Red, now the incredible Shirley Slaughter and I am sure there must be others that I have missed.

The Philadelphia sound became very popular in the United Kingdom in the early seventies, mainly due to the influence of Gamble and Huff.  Many Philly based artists such as The Intruders, The Three Degrees, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and MFSB had big chart hits and received lots of radio airplay. Prior to this however the Northern Soul scene had saved many Philadelphia tracks from extinction and artists such as Bunny Sigler, Frank Beverly & the Butlers, Christine Cooper, Lee Andrews, The Larks et al had been popular on the underground Northern Soul movement.

Philadelphia had a massive influence on the development of American music which commenced as early as the 1940's and helped develop in the 1950's and 60's Rhythm and Blues and also the "new' rock" & roll sound as well as "popular" music. The Philadelphia music scene embraced both black and white artists and they worked in harmony producing music enjoyed by all races and all ages. The spearheads of the early Philadelphia music scene were record labels such as Swan, Jamie-Guyden, Chancellor and the hugely successful Cameo Parkway label formed in 1957 by writers Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann and which had a flying start in 1957 when Charlie Gracie went straight to No 1 with "Butterfly" and was responsible for no less than 120 top 100 chart hits in the decade from 1957 to 1967. The hugely popular "American Bandstand" program originated in Philadelphia and was a massive influence on the teenage record buying public of the USA. The early 1960's and the American Bandstand show with Dick Clark embraced the era of Rock & Roll, and the Philadelphia influence of the era came from great artists such as Chubby Checker, Bill Haley & the Comets, The Rays, Danny & the Juniors, Bunny Sigler, The Orlons, The Dovells, Don Covay, Bobby Rydell, Lee Andrews & the Hearts, The Tymes, Solomon Burke and Dee Dee Sharp who at just fifteen years of age had a smash hit with her first solo single "Mashed Potato Time" in 1962 and who would later marry Kenny Gamble. Working behind the scenes in the eraly 1960's making it all happen were label owners Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann and writers, producers and arrangers Joe Tarsia, Billy Jackson and Dave Appell. Why was Philadelphia and the close surrounding areas responsible for so much talent and such a thriving music scene? I guess no-one will really ever be able to provide a definitive answer, but it is felt that the unique kinship and camaraderie that existed in the area greatly contributed, along with the way black and white musicians worked together, perhaps the link between love and music was the vital ingredient in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love.  

Whereas there is a strong connection with Philadelphia music industry and the UK, in particular on the soul and Northern soul music fronts, the influence from the UK has not always been a good thing for Philadelphia artists. Ironically it was because of the UK that the hugely successful Cameo Parkway label was forced out of existence. This was not because of Northern Soul, but due in part to the "British Invasion" of the US recording industry in the 1960's spearheaded by groups such as The Beatles. Like most times in life, just when you think you have got it made, something new, something seen as bigger and better comes along, the bar is raised and a new standard or trend is set, often leaving the unsuspecting or those unwilling to change in it's wake. For Cameo Parkway and other US recording companies this came in the form of UK artists and the "British Invasion" who would soon push aside local US artists and dominate the US charts and radio stations. Local artists would find it increasingly difficult to get a look in as the Beatles performed "Yesterday" on the Ed Sullivan show and within a week had sold a million records in the US alone. The Philadelphia Swan label had the rights to the Beatles "She loves You" and released it, whilst at the same time deciding to cease production of material from any new local Philadelphia artists, deciding instead to concentrate on The Beatles. Almost overnight and unbelievably it was good bye to excellent performers like Bunny Sigler and hello to British groups like the Beatles and Freddy & the Dreamers.

The pressure on local artists in the US continued and by the mid 1964's more than half the records played on US radio were from UK artists such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five, Herman's Hermits and Freddy & the Dreamers. Black music had however been finally accepted in the US mainstream, not via Philadelphia though, but through the Motor City in Detroit, Michigan. Berry Gordy and his Motown label had created a different kind of "American" sound and along with the "British Invasion" dominated the US airwaves. With the majority of US record sales now going to UK artists and Motown the hits for the Cameo Parkway label had all but dried up and in 1964 they had only one artist produce a record that made the Top 40 charts (Chubby Checker). Consequently the owners were forced to sell the label to a Group of investors in 1965. Ironically for Cameo Parkway black music then continued to forge ahead and history shows that in the decade from 1961 to 1971 Motown had more than 100 US top ten chart hits. After being king hit by the "British Invasion" and then double whammied with the increasing popularity of Motown and the danceable Motown Sound, the Cameo Parkway label continued to struggle and was again sold in 1967 to Allen Klein, who shortly after decided to cut his losses and cease all the labels operations. This was extremely bad timing for Bunny Sigler, as he and the Cameo Parkway label had just broken through with a rare hit record for the label with "let the good times roll", but on news of the label closing the radio stations immediately stopped playing the record and It was all over for the Cameo Parkway label. Like other recording companies of the era they had succumbed to the "British Invasion", and the new Motown sound of 'Young America".

Although the Cameo Parkway label had been a victim of a change of era and ensuing change of sound, the Philadelphia Rhythm and Blues movement was still alive and well, even though somewhat in the limelight. It would be Weldon McDougal III who would perhaps unknowingly commence the revival of Philadelphia's soul music, if not the whole of America's music scene in general when he put together a new production team named "Dynodynamic" and help form the Harthon record label with Luther Randolph and Johnny Stiles.

Many believe it was the Motown sound that helped conquer the "British Invasion", but history shows the two ran almost concurrently and the real breakthrough putting US music back on the map came when the Dynodynamic team recorded in the Arctic Studios a track written by a young female singer. The track had a new fresh sound which would embody the new sound of America, it would be the forerunner to Philadelphia sound and like the British Invasion and the Motown Sound before it, was a new sound, ready for a new era. The track was very different from the Motown sound, in that it was a smoother, modern, but still soulful. It was then, Barbara Mason and her song "Yes I'm ready" on Arctic 105 that would see the US music scene take a different direction and one that would reach out to soul and music lovers alike and which would unknowingly set the scene for the Philadelphia sound of the 1970's and beyond.

The Dynodynamic team began producing a Philadelphia Group named the Volcanos, who had a singer by the name of Eddie Holman. Eddie was also a writer for the Harthon label, but his trademark falsetto voice saw him also record with the Larks "This Can't be true Girl" and 'Storm Warning" with the Volcanos.  Providing the backing on these tracks were the Dynodynamic musicians Ronald Baker, Norman Harris and Earl Young (BHY) who later recorded as the Trammps after also forming with other Philadelphian studio musicians the group MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother). MFSB later had a hit in their own right with the track TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) and  provided much of the backing material for the Philadelphia International label and also formed their own label as a subsidiary of PIR called Golden Fleece. 

Philadelphia International Records was founded in 1971 by the most famous of all Philadelphian production  teams Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, who also in 1974  founded the TSOP label. The Philadelphia International label would change the definition of Soul music, no longer was it raw gospel inspired music, but instead a smooth as silk sound, supported by an army of studio musicians with harmonies provided by large vocal backing groups comprised of both male and female singers. The Philadelphia sound not only revolutionised soul music, but also set the scene for modern (or 70's) soul and laid the early foundation for what would become another new sound in the form of the massive disco movement. Gamble & Huff formed their first label in the early 1960's naming it Excel records, which later was aptly named "Gamble Records".

Their best success in the 1960's on the Gamble label came with a male Group who like Gamble and Huff were also destined to gain most of their success in the early 1970's. The Group was "The Intruders" with members Sam Brown, Eugene Daughtry, Robert Edwards and Phil Terry. Gamble & Huff had to work hard to achieve success and it wasn't until 1965 that the breakthrough came with The Intruders and the release of "Gonna' be strong" and then their biggest hit to date came in 1967 with "Cowboys to Girls, which went No 1 on the R&B charts and also crossed over to the popular charts peaking at No 6.  The came Jerry Butler's "Only the strong survive" in 1969, so it can be seen Gamble and Huff had been very busy prior to their success in the 70's on the Philadelphia label and they also had been working hard not only with acts on their own label such as the Intruders, but also writing and producing for performers such as the successful Philadelphia white group "The Soul Survivors" producing "Express Way to Heart on the Crimson label, and "I can't stop dancing" for Archie Bell & the Drells on the Atlantic label and another for Jerry Butler on the Mercury label "Moody Woman".

It was this success that in 1970 led Columbia records to offer Gamble & Huff the chance to start a new Columbia affiliated record label and so Philadelphia International Records was born with  US$75,000 backing from Columbia. This might have seemed like a lot of money in 1970, but the Philadelphia Records unique  orchestra based full sound was achieved at a cost and using the PIR house band "MFSB" which soon comprised of more than 50 musicians. Also creating the Philadelphia sound along with Gamble and Huff was the prolific song writer, arranger and producer Thom Bell who was a perfectionist, it was this combination of Gamble & Huff's way of allowing their singers to use their own creativity (this is why some of the PIR productions records a 3 minutes and longer), combined with Thom Bell's structured orchestral arrangements that together created the unique, full and soulful "Philly" sound.    

Once again a new day was dawning on the music scene, the music buying population were ready for something fresh and new, ready for a new direction. The Philadelphia International Record label was not only in the right place at the right time, but had developed a slick new sound that was ideal for the 1970's era. The early 1970's would be the era of Billy Paul, The Intruders, Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, Theodore "Teddy" Pendergrass, The Three Degrees, a new look O'Jays, soul music would hit the mainstream big time, not only in the USA. Transistor radio sets all over the world would be playing the Philadelphia sound, as would discotheques, the Philly sound was unlike anything else before it, smooth, structured, but still soulful, the sound was whole and complete, these were not records produced by tiny recording companies to strict budgets, but  sounds produced using a methodology of whatever it takes, including full orchestral movements.

Some of the big tracks included the unforgettable and still as popular as ever "Me and Mrs Jones" from Billy Paul, "Backstabbers" and "Love Train"  from the O'Jays,  Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes with "The Love I lost" "I miss You" and "If you don't know me by now" featuring the incredibly soulful voice of Teddy Pendergrass. There was the Intruders with "I'll always love my Mama", The Three Degrees with heart tugging "When will I see you again", this was the in sound, the Philadelphia sound was big and in demand. Even the Philadelphia Record labels backing musicians got in on the act releasing a single in their own right which went massive in the form of TSOP by MFSB. Gamble & Huff were also writing and producing for other labels and creating hits for First Choice singing "Smarty Pants" on the Philly Groove label as well as for The Delfonics, The Persuaders and Eddie Kendricks recording on the Atlantic and ATCO labels.   

Nothing succeeds like success and so the Gamble label was resurrected and additional subsidiary labels were founded in the form of  TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) and Golden Fleece to cash in on what appeared to be never ending appetite from music lovers all over the World for the Philly Sound.   

 To be continued........