The Philadelphia Signature Soul Sound during the 1980s Pt 6

                                            Featuring female solo artist

"Sweet and Wonderful" classic album

Jean Carne followed in 1981 with her album “Sweet and Wonderful” on TSOP Records, a subsidiary imprint of Philadelphia International Records. The album featuring a stunning remake of the Spinners' ballad classic “Love Don’t Love Nobody”, which went to number thirty-five on the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Singles Chart. The album also entered the top forty of the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Albums Chart.

The album containing the
 Philly class "Yes I'm Ready"

Philly great Barbara Mason (known for her 1965 Philly classic gold record  “Yes I’m Ready”) released an album on WMOT Records in 1980 entitled “A Piece of My Life”. The album’s title track “Yes I’m Ready” benefits from an updated treatment, with an early 1980s sound. Butch Ingram was the main producer and arranger, while his brother James Ingram conducted arrangements.

The by Phyllis Hyman album
 containing the Philly classic "Old Friend"

The late Phyllis Hyman recorded a come-back album after she signed to Philadelphia International Records in 1985. “Living All Lone” was released in 1986. The title track, produced by Dexter Wansell, peaked at number twelve on the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Singles Chart. It was followed by another excellent track entitled “Old Friend” which was written by the late Linda Creed and produced by Thom Bell. The song went to number fourteen on the Billboard Hot Soul and R&B Singles Chart. It was reported by Billboard Magazine in 1986 that album sold close to half a million copies in America. This was the best performance for Phyllis Hyman since her 1979-released album “You Know How to Love Me” on Arista Records which nearly achieved gold status. Interestingly the album was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in New York City by the same production team, James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, who co-produced Stephanie Mills’ three gold albums and one gold single. Many of the produced in Philadelphia recording studios featured the brilliant string and horn arrangements conducted by the late Don Renaldo, a key figure in the development of  "The Sound of Philadelphia"
 signature sound that was popular during the 1970s. He was a key member of the MFSB studio band responsible for many of hits that came out of Philadelphia during it golden era.

                               

                              
                         ©Signaturesoundsonline2013-2015 



                                                  

                                                

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