Louis Allen Rawls was an American singer, record producer, composer and actor. Rawls released more than 60 albums, sold more than 40 million records, and had numerous charting singles, most notably his song "You'll Never Find Another Love like Mine". He worked as a film, television, and voice actor. He was also a three-time Grammy-winner, all for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
Instant Funk were an American 1970s and 1980s disco band, best known for their disco classic, "I Got My Mind Made Up ".
Philadelphia International Records (PIR) was an American record label based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1971 by songwriting and production duo Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff along with their longtime collaborator Thom Bell. It was known for showcasing the Philadelphia soul music genre that was founded on the gospel, doo-wop and soul music of the time. This sound later marked a prominent and distinct era within the R&B genre. During the 1970s, the label released a string of worldwide hits that emphasized lavish orchestral instrumentation, heavy bass and driving percussion.
The Jacksons is the eleventh studio album by the Jacksons, the band's first album for Epic Records and under the name "the Jacksons," following their seven-year tenure at Motown as "the Jackson 5". Jackson 5 member Jermaine Jackson stayed with Motown when his brothers broke their contracts and left for Epic, and he was replaced by youngest Jackson brother Randy. The album was released in 1976 for Epic Records and Philadelphia International Records as a joint venture.
"You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and performed by R&B singer Lou Rawls on his 1976 album, All Things in Time. The song proved to be Rawls' breakthrough hit, reaching number one on both the R&B and Easy Listening charts as well as number four on the dance chart and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. This was the first and only time that one of Rawls' records reached Billboard's pop Top Ten. It was the first big hit for Philadelphia International to feature the reformulated MFSB, after many of the original members left Gamble and Huff for better opportunities. The song started Rawls' live shows from 1977 on.
The Jones Girls were an American R&B vocal trio of sisters from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Consisting of Brenda, Shirley and Valorie Jones, the Jones Girls first signed and recorded for GM Records in 1970. The trio were best known for their singles during the late–1970s through the 1980s; most notably 1979's "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else". After a six–year tenure with GM, they then recorded for Philadelphia International Records with Gamble & Huff.
"If Only You Knew" is a single written and produced primarily by Dexter Wansel and Cynthia Biggs for American singer Patti LaBelle's sixth solo album, I'm in Love Again. It was released as the album's official first single in 1983, spending four weeks at #1 on the U.S. R&B chart during January and February 1984; it reached #46 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Walter "Bunny" Sigler was an American R&B singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer who did extensive work with the team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and was instrumental in creating the "Philly Sound" in the early 1970s.
Dexter Gilman Wansel is an American R&B/jazz fusion singer, arranger, musician, composer, conductor, synthesist and A&R director.
So Full Of Love is a 1978 album by The O'Jays. The album contains the #1 R&B hit "Use ta Be My Girl", and was awarded RIAA Platinum Certification for sales of 1,000,000 copies.
The Spirit's in It is the fifth studio album by American singer Patti LaBelle. It was released by Philadelphia International Records on August 28, 1981, in the United States, her first with the label.
Patti is the seventh studio album released by American singer Patti LaBelle. It was released by Philadelphia International Records on July 3, 1985, in the United States.
Unmistakably Lou is an album by American R&B singer Lou Rawls, released in 1977 on the Philadelphia International Records label. It was Rawls's second PIR album and performed respectably, although its sales fell well short of his 1976 PIR debut All Things in Time. Only one single, "See You When I Git There", was released from the album in the US; alongside "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" and "Lady Love", it remains one of Rawls' best-known PIR songs. Like its predecessor, Unmistakably Lou is a well-regarded album for its mix of high-quality Philadelphia soul songs and other more jazz-influenced tracks. Rawls won the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the album in 1978.
Let Me Be Good to You is an album by the American R&B singer Lou Rawls, released in 1979 on Philadelphia International Records.
Sit Down and Talk to Me is a 1980 album by American R&B singer Lou Rawls, released on the Philadelphia International Records label. All of PIR's major production names contributed to the album, resulting in a diverse set of tracks from dance to urban blues. Although Sit Down and Talk to Me did not produce any major hit singles, its commercial performance was adequate, peaking at #19 R&B and #81 pop.
Cynthia Biggs, lawfully known as Cynthia Biggs El, is an American songwriter, producer, publisher and vocalist who wrote music and lyrics for the Philadelphia International Records label. Her main collaborations were with composers Dexter Wansel, Bruce Hawes, and Theodore Wortham. Cynthia has more than 350 songwriting credits including Patti LaBelle's 1983 single If Only You Knew, which reached number 1 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 R&B Singles chart for four consecutive weeks in January 1984.
Got My Head on Straight is an album by soul singer Billy Paul. It was produced by Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff, arranged by Bobby Martin and Lenny Pakula, and engineered by Joe Tarsia. Released in 1975, it reached #140 on the Billboard Pop Album chart and #20 on the Soul chart. It includes the singles "Be Truthful to Me" #37 R&B; "Billy's Back Home" #52 R&B; and "July, July, July, July" which did not chart.
When Love is New is an album by soul singer Billy Paul. It was produced by Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff; arranged by Bobby Martin, Dexter Wansel, Norman Harris, and Jack Faith; and engineered by Joe Tarsia. Released in December 1975, it reached #139 on the Billboard Pop Album chart and #17 on the Soul chart. It includes the singles "Let's Make a Baby" which hit #83 on the Pop singles chart, #18 on the Soul chart, and #30 in the UK and "People Power" which reached #82 on the Soul chart and #14 on the U.S. Dance chart. The album was reissued on CD in 2010 by the U.K.'s Edsel Records. This was the final album where Paul was backed by MFSB, the house band of Philadelphia International Records (PIR).
"Grammy Family" is the second single from DJ Khaled's debut album, Listennn... the Album. The single features and was written by Kanye West, Consequence and John Legend; Jon Brion assisted West in producing the track. As well as being featured on Khaled's album, the song appears on Consequence's album Don't Quit Your Day Job! (2007). The track's beat was sampled and rapped over by J. Cole on his debut mixtape The Come Up (2007).
Dennis Harris is an American session guitarist, songwriter and arranger. Historically he played a significant part in the Philly Sound, playing on many of the hits during the 1970s. The hits include, "Only the Strong Survive" by Billy Paul, "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead and "Lady Love" by Lou Rawls. He also played the guitar intro on Rawls' hit "You'll Never Find Another Love like Mine". He is a former member of The Philly Groove Orchestra, The Trammps, MFSB and The Salsoul Orchestra. In recent years he has been part of the New MFSB. He is also a guitar teacher.
