The Philadelphia Signature Soul Sound during the 1980s Pt 4

                                              

                                                 Featuring female solo artist

The album featuring the hit single
"Baby,Be Mine"

Another female artist who achieved success with the “Philadephia Soul sound” of the 1980s was  Miki Howard, who was once signed to Atlantic Records. Her first top five hit single on the Billboard Hot Black Singles Chart was “Baby, Be Mine”, which reached number five , was also produced by Nick Martinelli. It features on her second studio album “Love Confessions”. She also recorded “That’s What Love Is” as a duet with the late Gerald Levert, which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot Black Singles Chart. It was produced by the then up-and-coming production team of Gerald Levert and Marc Gordon who used Sigma Sound Studios as their key recording base and also used both new and old musicians who were instrumental  to development of “The Sound of Philadephia” during its golden era during the 1970s.

"Love Under New Management"
according to Miss Howard

The next monster track was a brilliant Philly classic entitled “Love Under New Management”. The song reached its peak at number two on the Billboard Hot Black Singles Chart week-ending 24^th March 1990 (2 weeks). The track was taken from her self-titled second studio album released in the month of November in1989.

During the same period when both Stephanie Mills and Miki Howard were at top of their game and ruling the top of the chart. Two other female artists, neither originally from Philadelphia, enjoyed tremendous sucesses with both albums and singles partially recorded at Sigma Sound Studios with the help of producers,sound engineers and studio musicians  who resided in Philadelphia during the 1980s.

                                           Researched and compiled by               
                                          Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
                                          ©Signaturesoundsonline2013-2015 

Thom Bell. Important Creative Pillar of The Philly Soul Music (Part 3)

Thom Bell in recent time had successful collaboration with Joss Stone on her multi-platinum album “Mind,

Joss Stone's multi-platinum and UK Pop
number one album

Body & Soul”, which debuted at number one on the UK Pop album charts in 2004. He conducted the string arrangement on the track “Spoiled”, which sees Stone co-writing with the legendary Lamont Dozier and his son Beau Dozier.

The legendary Miami R&;B rhythm section, consisting of Timmy Thomas (organ), Willie “Little Beaver” Hale (guitar) and Benny Latimore(keyboards, piano), played on this session at the famous Hit Factory/Criteria Studios, where Aretha Franklin recorded her “Young Gifted and Black” gold album in the early 1970s, co-produced by Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin, the same producers as on the late Dusty Springfield’s album “Dusty In Memphis”.

The late Dusty Springfield’s 1968 hit “Son of a Preacher Man” was a soulful example of the impact rhythm and blues had on a vast white audience. Springfield’s first album on Atlantic Records recorded in Memphis made use of some of the same musicians and background vocalists as Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett used on some their classic recordings. Son of a Preacher Man” achieved Pop top 10 in the UK  and US chart listings.
                                   
                                            Researched and compiled by               
                                            Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
                                            ©RCM Music/Signaturesoundsonline2013-2014 
                 

Black Gospel Music Phenomenal Growth from 1996 to 1997 Part 1

Prior 1996, industry growth in gospel music industry was estimated at $381 million in 1995.

From 1996 to 1997 the gospel music industry in America experienced a 41% growth compared to 1994 and 1995 when other music industry sectors such as Rock and Pop were experiencing periods of no growth and low sales with the closing of many music divisions across the industry while at the same time the gospel sector generated over half billion dollars in revenue which prompted the big six major records companies at the time to purchase several gospel labels for bigger market shares and revenue.

One of first major black solo artist to experience gold certification during the phenomenal growth of 1996 to 1997 was Donnie McClurkin with his self -title studio album “Donnie McClurkin”.

To understand the tremendous growth level witnessed by the gospel music sector need to a look how record executives were using industry professionals from the urban market to promote gospel recording projects and to expand their customer base(mainly church goers) into secular market. Also labels were spending more money on marketing and promotion. Many albums from black and white artists were beginning to sale over 400,000 units on average. 

                                                                                              

                                                                                                  

                                                 Donnie  McClurkin’s solo to be certified 
                                                  gold in 1996 for over half million units 
                                                      sold in America according RIAA.

                                                                                                                                                 

 Hardliners such as Dottie Peoples and Canton Spirituals averaged about 100,we take a look at Sparrow Communication Group a division of EMI Christian Music Group having six albums from artists on it roster to achieved gold certifications. These are: Carman’s “R.I.O.T”; Andy Griffith’s “I Love to Tell the Story” and “Precious Memories”; BeBe and CeCe Winans’s “Relationships”; “Amazing Grace: A Country Salute To Gospel” and finally “WOW 1996”. This was the most any Christian music company has received in one year!                                                 

                                                                               

     

                           Kirk Franklin’s album “Kirk Franklin and The Family” 
                            became the second live gospel album since Aretha Franklin’s
                          “Amazing Grace” album to go platinum according to 
                            RIAA (Record Industry Association of America).

Another label to experience phenomenal growth was Gospo Centric a black owned label based on the West Coast with the album entitled “Whatcha Lookin’ 4” recorded by Kirk Franklin and The Family that actually went to number one on the Top Contemporary Christian chart for week ending 1^st February 1997 for two solid weeks (total of 38 weeks on chart). Kirk Franklin and The Family was the only black recording act at that time to have two gold albums certifications on the charts at the same time in one year in from 1996 to 1997. The Gospo Centric label was voted as the number one top gospel label and distributing label in America.

                                     “Whatcha Lookin’ 4” album, recorded by
                                       the Kirk Franklin and The Family 
                                     was number one  for over 19 weeks on the 
                                     Top Billboard Gospel Albums chart 
                                      listings in  The album became  their  
                                    second platinum certified according to RIAA.

At the same time EMI Christian Music Group was celebrating the successes of Bill Gaither’s projects: Bill Gaither & Homecoming Friends; videos series, which achieved gold, platinum and multi-platinum status for 19 titles in excess of three and half million units sold, while “The Preacher’s Wife” (Arista 18951) soundtrack at was number one on Billboard R&B chart for 20 weeks, week ending 26^th April 1997. 

                       Written,researched and compiled 
                                    by Kevin Tomlin Music Historian