The Philadelphia Signature Sound in 1986

Did you that over thirty years ago in the month August 1986 two Female artists who dominated the American Billboard R&B Singles Chart for the entire month of August with singles produced and recorded in the city of Philadelphia, at different recording studios. These two female recording solo artists were Shirley Jones and Jean Carne.

Both artists shared the number one position for two weeks each, beginning with Jean Carne taking a run at the top of the Billboard Soul and R&B Singles Chart week-ending 

The album recorded by Jean Carne
featuring the classic hit single "Closer Than Closer"

2^nd August 1986 (2 weeks) with “Closer than Closer” Omni 99531. Which was produced by the late Grover Washington, Jr. Also Jean was once signed to Philadelphia International Records during the 1970s to the early 1980s.

The album by recorded by Shirley Jones  featuring the number one  "Do You Get Enough Love" Shirley Jones achieved the top position on 16th August 1986. Co-Produced by Kenny Gamble and Bunny Sigler. The single “Do You Get enough Love” on Philadelphia International Records 50034, was the second single for Philadelphia International Records to have achieved one during the 1980s, with Patti LaBelle’s single been the first in 1984 for “If Only You Knew”, Philadelphia International Records 04248, 28th January 1984 (4 weeks). The single was extracted “I’m In Love Again” album, been the last gold certified album to be distributed CBS Records for label for PIR (Philadelphia International Records) before expiration of distribution deal with label and CBS Records around 1985.

©Signaturesoundsonline2013-2016

The Philadelphia Signature Soul Sound during the 1980s Pt 8

                                           Featuring female solo artist

Vanessa Williams gold certified album

Actress, fashion model and singer Vanessa Williams became the next female artist to enjoy success with a more updated Philly soul sound. The number one single “Dreamin’” produced by Donald Robinson was taken from her gold-certifed debut album “The Right Stuff” which was released on February 1^st 1988 on Wing/Mercury Records. “Dreamin’” peaked at number one week-ending February 18^th 1989 (2 weeks) on the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Singles Chart.

The gold certified album by Regina Belle

Around this time, when Vanessa Williams was enjoying success with her debut single and album, Jean Carne made her final top forty album “You’re a Part of Me” released by Atlantic/Omni Records (1988). The album features a remake of Aretha Franklin’s classic “Ain’t No Way”, produced by Nick Martinelli, which peaked at number twenty-three on the Billboard Hot Black Singles Chart.

Jean Carne last studio album
 during the 1980s
featuring the soul classic 
Ain't No Way" recorded during 
the 1970s originally by Aretha Franklin

This  was followed by Regina Belle during the same period with her second studio album which went  gold with the help of Nick Martinelli who produced five tracks on the “Stay with Me” album, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Albums Chart week-ending December 2^nd 1989 (1 week).  Taken from the album was the number one single “Make It Like Was” (produced by Nick Martinelli) which peaked at the top  of the Billboard Hot Black Singles Chart week-ending February 3^rd 1990 (1 week).

During that period in the late 1980s, Jean Carne recorded a remake of the Aretha Franklin classic "Ain't No Way" on her solo album "You're a Part of Me" which was released in 1988, using many of  famous session musicians who played on many Philly classic records during the 1970s.

                                    ©Signaturesoundsonline2013-2015   

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 

Significant Events in the music industry (Part 3)

                                       Some Key Facts About Bad Boy Records

The first studio album to 
top the chart for group

The female vocal group Danity Kane, signed to Bad Boy Records, became the first female group in Billboard history to debut all their albums at the top of the Billboard Hot 200 Albums Chart in succession.

The group’s debut self- titled album reached the number-one spot week-ending 3^rd September 2006 (2 weeks). The album was certified platinum according RIAA for one million plus copies sold in America.

A single from the album entitled “Show Stopper” obtained gold certification by RIAA for one million plus copies sold.

 “Welcome To The Dollhouse” became the group's second consecutive album to debut at number-one on the

The second studio 
album to the Billboard
Top 200 Albums Chart

Billboard Top 200 Albums chart week-ending 5^th April 2008.

 The group achieved further success with their recording project with a platinum certified single called “Damaged” for two million plus copies sold in North America.

The following week ending 12^th April 2008 the group Day26, a male vocal group and also a recording act on Bad Boy Records debuted at number-one on the Billboard Hot 200 Albums Chart (1week) making it the third number one album from Making The Band winners.

Self title album "Day26" became
the third studio album released
by Bad Boy Records to top the
Billboard Hot 200 Albums Chart
in the new Century.

                                          Researched and compiled by               
                                         Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
                                                        ©RCM Music/Signaturesoundsonline2013 

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