Philadelphia Portal

Kenneth Gamble (born on August 11, 1943 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and Leon Huff (born in 1942 in Camden, New Jersey) are an American songwriting and record production team. Both of African-American origin, Gamble and Huff have, both separately and together, written and produced over 170 gold and platinum records and were pioneers of Philadelphia soul and the in-house creative team for the Philadelphia International record label. Liberty Bell; public domain. ... August 11 is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... The City of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey in the United States. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the performers, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes . ... An African American (also Afro-American or Black American) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has sold a certain number of copies. ... Philadelphia (or Philly) soul, sometimes called the Philadelphia Sound, is a style of soul music characterized by lush instrumental arrangements often featuring sweeping strings and horns. ... Philadelphia International Records is a record label founded by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971. ...

History

Early years

Kenneth Gamble's childhood in Philadelphia shaped his adult life: he recorded himself on various arcade recording machines, assisted the morning show DJs on WDAS, operated a record store, and sang with The Romeos. In 1964, Gamble teamed up with Leon Huff for the first Gamble/Huff song, performed by Candy & The Kisses. A penny arcade can be any type of venue for coin-operated devices, usually for entertainment. ... WDAS-AM is a Philadelphia Gospel music station that can be found at 1480 AM. WDAS-AM is operated under the same management as WDAS-FM, which operates under the Urban Adult Contemporary format. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...

In 1967, the team struck gold. "Expressway To Your Heart" by The Soul Survivors became their first top 5 hit, and the die was cast. Working for Atlantic Records, the team worked with Archie Bell & the Drells, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, and Jerry Butler, scoring numerous hits along the way. 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... The Soul Survivors were an American R&B group, known for their 1967 hit Expressway to Your Heart, which was the first hit by Philadelphia soul producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. ... Atlantic Records (Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American record label that operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... Archie Bell (born in Henderson, Texas on September 1, 1944) & the Drells were a Philadelphia soul vocal group, one of the main acts on Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huffs Philadelphia International Records. ... Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American R&B and soul singer. ... Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American gospel, soul and R&B singer born in Memphis, Tennessee, but raised in Detroit, Michigan. ... Jerry Butler Jerry Butler, Jr. ...

Philadelphia International

With a solid track record now behind them, Gamble and Huff formed Philadelphia International Records in 1971 as a rival to Berry Gordy and Motown. CBS Records backed the venture and distributed Philadelphia International's records. Aided and abetted by in-house arrangers Thom Bell and Bobby Martin, Philadelphia International released a number of the most popular soul music hits of the 1970s, including "If You Don't Know Me by Now" by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, "Back Stabbers" and "Love Train" by the O'Jays, and the Grammy-winning "Me and Mrs. Jones" by Billy Paul. Philadelphia International Records is a record label founded by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Berry Gordy, Jr. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... Columbia Records is the oldest continually used brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888. ... Thom Bell was the record producer behind much of the Philadelphia soul subgenre of soul music in the 1970s. ... Bobby Martin is a young man who was born without legs, he plays varsity football for his High School Colnel White High. ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... If You Dont Know Me By Now is a song by the Philadelphia soul musical group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, which became their first hit after being released as a single in 1972. ... Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American singing group, one of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. ... Back Stabbers is an August 1972 album by the Philadelphia soul group The OJays and is widely considered their best album. ... Love Train is a 1973 hit record for the The OJays. ... The OJays were a 1970s Philadelphia soul group, originally consisting of Walter Williams, Bill Isles, Bobby Massey, William Powell and Eddie Levert. ... Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music... Me and Mrs. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia soul sound evolved from the simpler arrangements of the late-1960s into a style featuring lush strings, thumping basslines, and sliding hi-hat rhythms -- elements that soon became the distingushing characteristics of a new style of music called disco. By 1975, Philadelphia International and the Philadelphia soul genre it helped define had largely eclipsed Motown and the Motown Sound in popularity, and Gamble and Huff were the premiere producers of soul. Philadelphia (or Philly) soul, sometimes called the Philadelphia Sound, is a style of soul music characterized by lush instrumental arrangements often featuring sweeping strings and horns. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ... Martin EB18 Bass Guitar in flight case. ... The hi-hat stand has changed little since its invention. ... This article is becoming very long. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The Motown Sound is a style of soul music with distinctive characteristics, including the use of tambourine along with drums, bass instrumentation, a distinctive melodic and chord structure, and a call and response singing style originating in gospel music. ...

It should be noted that nearly all of the Philadelphia International records featured the work of the label's in-house band of studio musicians, MFSB. MFSB cut a number of successful instrumental albums and singles written and produced by the Gamble & Huff team and arranged by Bobby Martin, including their 1974 #1 hit "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", now best known as the theme song from the American television show Soul Train. MFSB (short for, officially, Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, although some claimed that it actually stood for Mother Fuckin SonovaBitch, according to the book Last Night A DJ Saved My Life [Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton, Grove Press, 2000, ISBN 0-8021-3688-5]) were a loose conglomeration of studio musicians... Bobby Martin is a young man who was born without legs, he plays varsity football for his High School Colnel White High. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) is a 1974 hit single by MFSB for the Philadelphia International label, which features vocals by The Three Degrees. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... Soul Train is a long-running American music-related syndicated television program. ...

Gamble's humanitarian work

Through the 1970s, Gamble and Huff continued to work with some of the biggest stars in the music industry, and Gamble in particular began his continuing work to clean up the inner cities and help African-American youth. He also contributed his time and energy to the T.J. Martell Leukemia Foundation and The AMC Cancer Research Center and Hospital. His charitable works and civic efforts continue today. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Philadelphia Music Foundation, which honors the artists, songwriters, and producers from Philadelphia. His Universal Companies have opened a restaturant, a bookstore, a mosque, low-income housing, and a charter school. These buildings, mostly built by labor hired locally, have served as the beginnings of a resurgence in the neighborhood. He also helped start the "Clean Up The Ghetto" project, which involved the youth of blighted communities helping with the clean-up and repair of damaged or neglected properties. PRI recorded a song using many of their popular artists in support of the project. Started in Philadelphia, "Clean Up The Ghetto" spread to Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Chicago, and similar events have been held throughout the country. The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca as it exists today A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... Los Angeles, L.A., and LA redirect here. ... Nickname: Hotlanta, The Big Peach, The ATL, A-Town Location in Fulton County in the state of Georgia Coordinates: Country United States State Georgia Counties Fulton, Dekalb Mayor Shirley Franklin (D) Area    - City 343. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ...

Later years

In 1975, Philadelphia International became involved in a payola scandal; Gamble was fined and Huff was not. By the late-1970s, however, the popularity of the Philadelphia soul sound began to decline. Disco had suffered a backlash, R&B was going back toward the ballad, and rock had returned to the American charts. Still, the label had its share of late 1970s success. Among the later hits were "Enjoy Yourself" by The Jacksons in 1976, and "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" by McFadden and Whitehead in 1979. It has been suggested that Pay to Play#In Music be merged into this article or section. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... A ballad is a story, usually a narrative or poem, in a song. ... Rock is a form of popular music from the mid 20th century which typically features a vocal melody (often with vocal harmony) that is supported by accompaniment of electric guitars, a bass guitar, and drums, often with a strong back beat. ... The cover to the Jackson 5s first LP, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, released on Motown Records in 1969. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Gene McFadden and John Whitehead (1949-2004) were an American songwriting, production, and recording duo, primarily associated with Gamble and Huffs Philadelphia International soul music record label during the 1970s. ... For the Smashing Pumpkins song, see 1979 (song). ...

In 1982, Philadelphia International's biggest star, former Blue Notes singer Teddy Pendergrass, became paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident, and the future of the label came to be in doubt. That year, Philadelphia broke its ties with CBS and made a new deal with EMI. Although the hits had by now dried up, Gamble and Huff continued to write and produce for the label's artists. 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Theodore DeReese Pendergrass, Sr. ... The EMI Group is a music company comprising the major record label, EMI Music, based in Brook Green in London, England, and EMI Music Publishing, based on Charing Cross Road, London. ...

1990 finally saw Gamble and Huff recognized with a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song, awarded for Simply Red's cover of the Blue Notes' 1972 hit "If You Don't Know Me By Now". In 1999, Gamble and Huff were honored with the Grammy Trustees Award, joining musical luminaries like Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, and Walt Disney. Their career output of over 3000 songs places them among the most prolific professional songwriters of all time. This article is about the year. ... The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song (sometimes known as the R&B Songwriters Award) has been awarded since 1969. ... Simply Red are a British pop band. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Grammy Trustees Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to individuals who, during their careers in music, have made significant contributions, other than performance, to the field of recording [1]. Through 1983, performers could also receive this award. ... Sinatra redirects here. ... The Beatles were a highly influential English rock n roll band from Liverpool, Merseyside. ... Walter Elias Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966), was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, visionary, and philanthropist. ...

Today, Kenneth Gamble continues to write, often with Leon Huff, and Philadelphia International continues. He still lives in South Philadelphia, and remains active in his community.

On September 19, 2005 Gamble and Huff were inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame for their outstanding achievements as producers at a ceremony held in New York City. The Dance Music Hall of Fame was created in 2004 by music industry veteran Daniel Glass to honor the creators and innovators of dance music. ...

Trivia

• According to an interview on BBC Radio Four on 28 June 2006, Gamble and Huff were inspired to write Me and Mrs. Jones after seeing someone they knew who appeared to be involved in an affair meeting a woman in a cafe frequented by the songwriters.

BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of chiefly spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. ...

Selected discography

• "Expressway To Your Heart" - Soul Survivors
• "Cowboys To Girls" - The Intruders
• "I Can't Stop Dancing" - Archie Bell & the Drells
• "Only The Strong Survive" - Jerry Butler
• "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" - Dee Dee Warwick, later covered by Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations
• "One Night Affair" - The O'Jays
• "(We'll Be) United" - The Intruders
• "Silly, Silly Fool" - Dusty Springfield
• "Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You" - Wilson Pickett
• "Slow Motion" - Johnny Williams
• "Me And Mrs. Jones" - Billy Paul
• "Regina" - Bunny Singler
• "The Bells" - Laura Nyro and LaBelle
• "Drowning In The Sea Of Love" - Joe Simon (musician)
• "If You Don't Know Me By Now" - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
• "992 Arguments" - The O'Jays
• "You're The Reason Why" - The Ebonys
• "I Miss You" - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
• "When The World's At Peace" - The O'Jays
• "That's How Long I'll Be Loving You" - Bunny Sigler
• "Back Stabbers" - The O'Jays
• "Love Train" - The O'Jays, later covered by Bunny Sigler
• "The Love I Lost" - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
• "Now That We Found Love" - The O'Jays
• "Yesterday I Had The Blues" - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
  
• "I'll Always Love My Mama" - The Intruders
• "For The Love Of Money" - The O'Jays
• "Bad Luck" - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
• "Don't Call Me Brother" - The O'Jays
• "Zach's Fanfare (I Hear Music)" - MFSB
• "Love Is The Message" - MFSB
• "Am I Black Enough For You" - Billy Paul
• "Sunshine" - The O'Jays
• "When Will I See You Again" - The Three Degrees
• "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" - MFSB featuring The Three Degrees
• "Livin' For The Weekend" - The O'Jays
• "Wake Up Everybody" - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
• "Enjoy Yourself" - The Jacksons
• "I Could Dance All Night" - Archie Bell & the Drells
• "I Love Music" - The O'Jays
• "Love Epidemic" - The Trammps
• "Stairway To Heaven" - The O'Jays
• "Show You The Way To Go" - The Jacksons
• "Do It Any Way You Wanna" - Peoples Choice
• "My One And Only Love" - MFSB
• "Rich Get Richer" - The O'Jays
• "Hope That We Can Be Together Soon" - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
• "Ooh Child" - Dee Dee Sharp

The Soul Survivors were an American R&B group, known for their 1967 hit Expressway to Your Heart, which was the first hit by Philadelphia soul producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. ... The Intruders were a Philadelphia Soul musical act, most popular during the 1960s and the 1970s. ... Archie Bell (born in Henderson, Texas on September 1, 1944) & the Drells were a Philadelphia soul vocal group, one of the main acts on Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huffs Philadelphia International Records. ... Im Gonna Make You Love Me is a soul song, written in 1967 by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Jerry Ross. ... Dee Dee Warwick is an African-American soul singer, the sister of Dionne Warwick. ... Reissue album cover showing The Supremes in 1966. ... The Temptations (often abbreviated as The Tempts or The Temps) are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary. ... The OJays are a popular Philadelphia soul group, originally consisting of Walter Williams, Bill Isles, Bobby Massey, William Powell and Eddie Levert. ... The Intruders were a Philadelphia Soul musical act, most popular during the 1960s and the 1970s. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American R&B and soul singer. ... John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932) is one of the most widely recognized composers of film scores. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Laura Nyro (born Laura Nigro) (October 18, 1947 – April 8, 1997) was an American songwriter and singer, one of the most influential musicians to emerge in the 1960s. ... Labelle (with the b written in small caps, while the spelling LaBelle exclusivelly refers to the stage surname of the groups lead vocalist, Patti LaBelle) was an American R&B/soul group, who successfully melded dance music with funk and glam rock, resulting in such memorable songs as Lady... Joe Simon (born September 2, 1943, Simmesport, Louisiana), like so many other African-American artists from the era, began singing in his fathers baptist church. ... Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American singing group, one of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. ... Bunny Sigler (born Walter Sigler on March 27, 1942 in Philadelphia, PA) is a pop and R&B song writer and producer who has done extensive work with the team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and who was instrumental in creating the Philadelphia Sound in the early 1970s. ... The Three Degrees are a female Philly soul and disco vocal musical group formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) is a 1974 hit single by MFSB for the Philadelphia International label, which features vocals by The Three Degrees. ... Enjoy Yourself was a hit recording for the The Jacksons when it was released in 1976. ... The cover to the Jackson 5s first LP, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, released on Motown Records in 1969. ... The Trammps, based in Philadelphia, were one of the first disco bands. ... Dee Dee Sharp was born Dione LaRue in Philadelphia Pennsylvania on September 9, 1945. ...

External links

Official Website[1]