Gamble & Huff Signature Sound (Part 1 )

Its Impact On Popular Culture Across The World

Gamble & Huff
The original musical architects of  "The Sound of Philadelphia"

Gamble and Huff became known as the architect of the “Philadelphia Sound” with their business partner Thom Bell joint  owners of the Mighty Three Publishing company, a powerful brand that is heard every 13 minutes  some  where around the global on radio, movie soundtracks , television and in advertising campaigns according to Executive Vice President Chuck Gamble.

Thom Bell

These two individuals have celebrated over 40 years of creative partnership with the founding of their label; Philadelphia International Records base at 309 South Broad Street in the down town of Philadelphia next to the international known Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts were many performance have been conducted over many decades and also key centre for the cultural and entertainment community of Philadelphia.

Gamble and Huff, were recent receipts of the prestigious Ivor Novello Award presented on 25^th May 2006 by the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters in association with The Performance Right Society. Gamble and Huff also inducted into the Songwriters Hall Fame in New York in 1995.

As you look back to the 1989 when they received a Grammy award for “Best Rhythm & Blues Song” for “If You Don’t Know Me by Now” (performed by the group Simply Red) at 32^nd Annual Awards Ceremony. The song peaked at the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, 15^th July 1989

(1 week) and also peaked at number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Singles Chart, 24^th July 1989 (6 weeks).

Gamble and Huff are first R&B record producers to actually achieved R&B number ones over three decades starting from 1967 when they had first number one on the Billboard Soul and  R&B Singles chart listings for “Cowboys To Girls” Gamble 214 , 11^th May 1967 (1week) performed by The Intruders on the Gamble label jointly owned by Gamble and Huff. Their  last one number as producer and songwriters  was 20 years later for “Loving You”, Philadelphia International 50084  on the Billboard Soul and R&B Singles chart listings for 1 week on 7^th November 1987, performed the O’Jays

Philadelphia International Records is the second black record label behind Motown Records  to have achieved number one hit records on the  Billboard  Soul and R&B Singles listings  over three decades starting from 1972 to 1991 with the late  Phyllis Hyman’s only number one of entire career on 21^st September 1991, (1 week)14005 PIR /Zoo Entertainment, produced by Nick Martinelli with Gamble and Huff as executive producers.

                                            Researched and compiled by               
                                            Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
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