The Philadelphia Signature Soul Sound during the 1980s Pt 2

Two Female artists who dominated the American Billboard R&B Singles Chart for the entire month of August 1986 with singles produced and recorded in the city of Philadelphia, at different recording studios were Shirley Jones and Jean Carne.

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

  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.

Shirley Jones achieved the top position on 16^th August 1986. Co-Produced by Kenny Gamble and Bunny Sigler. The single “Do You Get enough Love” 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, 28^th 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.

      Researched and compiled by 
                   Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
           ©Signaturesoundsonline2014-2015

The Philadelphia Signature Soul Sound during the 1980s Pt 1

                                                Featuring female solo artist

By the 1980s, “The Sound of Philadelphia” was no longer the dominating musical force in the music industry, but it still managed to record outstanding tracks of high quality and impact. The sound was eventually overtaken by the “Minneapolis Signature Sound” according to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who were responsible for Janet Jackson major success and other artists.

The album containing the hit single.

During 1980s several Philadelphia based record producers managed to produce bona fide classic hits as early as 1982, starting with Deniece Williams hit single “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle” which peaked at number-one on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles Chart week-ending 15^th May 1982 (2 weeks) .Both the single and the entire album "Niecy" was produced by the legendary Thom Bell ( one of the key music architect of Philadelphia Sound) and supported by many of the musicians who worked at the famous Sigma Sound Studios during the golden era of the “Philadelphia Soul Sound”. 

The gold certified album "I'm In Love Again"

The following single to make 

 it to the number-one position on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles Chart was a song recorded by Patti LaBelle entitled “If Only You Knew”. The single was produced and co-written by Dexter Wansel with Cynthia Biggs and Kenny Gamble. The song was extracted from Patti LaBelle’s first gold album of her career. The album “I’m In Love Again” was the last Top 40 album on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart listing for Philadelphia International Records and the first for Patti LaBelle. The single “If Only You Knew” peaked at number-one week-ending 28^th January 1984 (4 weeks). Also Patti LaBelle was the first female solo artist on the world famous record label to have a gold album and a number-one single on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles Chart. 

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

Quinton Joseph (Part 5)

 "The R&B and Soul Music Drummer with a Signature Touch"

The Philadelphia Years:

He played drums on another million-selling track released in 1979, co-produced by Gamble and Huff for the Jones Girls, called “You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else”.

The "T P" multi-platinum
 album
 that features
 "Love TKO" classic
 hit record.

As executive producers both Gamble and Huff allowed Joseph to collaborate with Dexter Wansel on another classic track on Pendergrass’ “TP”, a multi-platinum album released in 1980. 

The track is entitled “Love TKO”, which was co-produced by Cecil Womack (co-author of the track with his wife Linda Womack and Cecil Womack brother of the late Bobby Womack), Dexter Wansel and Cynthia Biggs. Joseph also contributed his drumming techniques to the second track on the A-side on “Take Me In Your Arms Tonight”, featuring Stephanie Mills performing with Pendergrass. On the first track on the B-side of the album he played drums on “Quite Storm”, one of the most requested Soul and R&B songs on radio, and “Feel The Fire”, also performed by Teddy  Pendergrass and Stephanie Mills.

In 1980 Joseph also played drums on the gold-certified live “Teddy Live Coast To Coast” album co-produced by Gamble and Huff. This was the final album that he played on for Pendergrass before Pendergrass’ horrific auto accidence in March 1982 whilst signed to Philadelphia International Records.

Between 1978 and 1981 Joseph played both drums and percussion instruments on four out of five of Pendergrass’ multi-platinum albums in succession. He was the first African-American drummer to achieve such a feat in music history. He went on to play drums on the last Gamble and Huff-produced number-one single for the O’ Jays before they parted from PIR (Philadelphia International Records) in 1987. The chart-topping single was “Lovin’ You”, which peaked at number-one on week -ending  7^th November 1987 (1 week ), preceded by the late Michael Jackson’s million selling single “Bad”. The strings arrangement by the late Jack Faith has a classic and timeless quality, a beautiful soulful emotional feeling that was missing on many studio recordings at that time that used fewer strings and horns and more electronic instruments. This made you want to listen to the track over and over again. It was not a surprise when it reached the summit of the R&B and Soul Billboard Singles Chart without video support! 


                                  Researched and compiled by               
                                   Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
                                  ©RCM Music/Signaturesoundsonline2013-2014

Quinton Joseph (Part 4)

"The R&B and Soul Music Drummer with a Signature Touch"




The Philadelphia Years:

"So Full of Love", 
multi-platinum 
certified  album
for O'Jays.

While Joseph was on tour during the late 1970s, a singer friend invited him to play on a session for Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records. This led to him becoming a member of the PIR studio session band at Sigma Sounds Studios, after demonstrating his excellent signature drumming techniques to Gamble and Huff and other producers, arrangers and songwriters employed on staff by the label.

Pendergrass' second 
multi-platinum album.

Joseph first success was with the O’ Jays on their multi-platinum album “So Full Of Love”, recorded in 1978, which featured the million-selling single “Use Ta Be My Girl”, that topped the Billboard Hot Soul Singles Chart on 27^th May 1978 (5 weeks), which was produced jointly by Gamble and Huff with arrangement conducted by the late Jack Faith. This was quickly followed by another chart-topping performance with the late Teddy Pendergrass on the gold-certified single “CloseThe Door”, which was number-one on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles Chart on 8^th July 1978 ( 2 weeks ), also co-produced by Gamble and multi-platinum Huff and with excellent arrangements by Thom Bell. Both related albums, Pendergrass’  “Life Is a Song Worth Singing” and the O’ Jays’ “So Full of Love”, sold over 2 million copies each and also peaked at number-one in 1978 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums Chart, with “So Full Of Love” at number-one on 3^rd June 1978 (3 weeks) and “Life Is a Song Worth Singing”  at number-one on 12^th August 1978 (2 weeks).

Pendergrass' third multi-platinum
 certified album.

Joseph also collaborated on the O’ Jays’ next platinum-certified album, released in 1979, with dynamic drum performances on tracks “Sing a Happy Song”, “Identify Yourself”, “Forever Mine” and finally “I Want You Here With Me”. All these tracks were produced by Gamble and Huff. He repeated the same performance on Pendergrass’ final multi-platinum number-one album of his career, simply entitled “Teddy”,

"Identify Yourself", 
platinum certified album.
  

which peaked on 21^st July 1979 (8 weeks) which showcased Joseph’s powerful contribution on drums, especially on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles Chart number-two classic track “ "Turn Off The Lights”, a favourite for the ladies worldwide, which helped the album sell over 2 million copies in North America alone.

                                   Researched and compiled by               
                                   Mr K Tomlin Music Historian                   
                                  ©RCM Music/Signaturesoundsonline2013-2014