MFSB, officially standing for "Mother Father Sister Brother", was a pool of more than 30 studio musicians based at Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up such groups as Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O’Jays, the Stylistics, the Spinners, Wilson Pickett, and Billy Paul.
Thomas Randolph Bell is a Jamaican-born American singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer, known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. Bell is best known for his success with the Philadelphia sound in the 1970s, particularly with the Delfonics,Stylistics and Spinners. In June 2006, Bell was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2016, Bell was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.
Kenneth Gamble and Leon A. Huff are an American songwriting and production team credited for developing the Philadelphia soul music genre of the 1970s. In addition to forming their own label, Philadelphia International Records, Gamble and Huff have written and produced 175 gold and platinum records, earning them an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the non-performer category in March 2008.
Philadelphia International Records (PIR) is an American record label that is based in Philadelphia, USA. It was founded in 1971 by the writer-producer duo, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, along with their long time collaborator Thom Bell. It was famous for showcasing the Philadelphia soul music genre that was founded on the gospel, doo-wop, and soul music of the time. This 'Philly Soul' sound later became a prominent and distinct era within the R&B genre itself. During the 1970s the label released a string of worldwide hits which emphasized lavish orchestral instrumentation, heavy bass, and driving percussion.
Archie Lee Bell is an American solo singer and former lead singer of Archie Bell & the Drells.
Archie Bell & the Drells was an American R&B vocal group from Houston, Texas, and one of the main acts on Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records. The band's hits include "Tighten Up", "I Can't Stop Dancing", "There's Gonna Be A Showdown", "Girl You're Too Young" (1969), "Here I Go Again", "Soul City Walk" (1975), "Let's Groove", "Everybody Have A Good Time" (1977), and "Don't Let Love Get You Down" (1976).
Paul Williams, known professionally as Billy Paul, was a Grammy Award-winning American soul singer, known for his 1972 No. 1 single "Me and Mrs. Jones", as well as the 1973 album and single War of the Gods, which blends his more conventional pop, soul, and funk styles with electronic and psychedelic influences.
Gonna Take a Miracle is the fifth album by New York City-born singer, songwriter and pianist Laura Nyro, with assistance by vocal trio Labelle. It was released on Columbia Records in November 1971, one year after its predecessor, Christmas and the Beads of Sweat. The album is Nyro's only all-covers album, and she interprets mainly 1950s and 1960s soul and R&B standards, using Labelle as a traditional back-up vocal group.
Vincent Montana Jr., known as Vince Montana, was an American composer, arranger, vibraphonist, and percussionist, best known as a member of MFSB and as the founder of the Salsoul Orchestra. He has been called "the Godfather of disco". Montana was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2016.
The Ice Man Cometh is Jerry Butler's eleventh album, released in 1968.
The Three Degrees Live is a 1976 live album by Philadelphia-based female vocal trio The Three Degrees who scored major international success with 'When Will I See You Again?'. The album charted at #34 in the US R&B Album chart and at #199 in the Billboard Top 200.
I Can't Stop Dancing is a 1968 album by American funk band Archie Bell & the Drells, released by the record label Atlantic.
I Miss You is the debut album released by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes on the Philadelphia International record label in August 1972. It was produced by Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff.
Introducing the Jaggerz is the debut studio album by the Pittsburgh rock/pop band the Jaggerz, released in 1969. The album is the first release for The Jaggerz on Gamble Records.
Identify Yourself is a 1979 album by American R&B group The O'Jays, released on the Philadelphia International Records label. It was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, with four tracks produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, three by group members Eddie Levert and Walter Williams and one by the esteemed Philadelphia producer and composer Thom Bell.
Going East is an album by soul singer Billy Paul. The album was arranged by Bobby Martin, Lenny Pakula and Thom Bell.
360 Degrees of Billy Paul is an album by soul singer Billy Paul. It was produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and arranged by Bobby Martin, Lenny Pakula and Norman Harris. Released in 1972, it includes the Grammy Award-winning number 1 pop and soul single "Me and Mrs. Jones" and its follow-up "Am I Black Enough for You?" which reached number 29 on the soul chart and number 79 on the pop chart. The album was expanded and remastered by Big Break Records for compact disc in 2012 with three bonus tracks, new liner notes by Andy Kellman, and new quotes from Billy Paul.
MFSB: The Gamble & Huff Orchestra is the sixth album to be released by Philadelphia International Records houseband MFSB.
"Never Give You Up" was a single by Jerry Butler that reached no. 20 in the Billboard chart in 1968. It was written by Gamble & Huff. Butler was also credited as co-composer. The song has also been covered by Eddie Floyd, Buddy Greco, Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers, Leonard Julien III, Rod Stewart and The Black Keys.
Now I'm a Woman is a studio album by Nancy Wilson, released on Capitol Records in July 1970. It marked a transition in Wilson's career towards R&B-oriented material that she would record over the next decade. The production team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, known for developing Philadelphia soul, wrote songs for Wilson and used their staff of arrangers-conductors, including Bobby Martin and Thom Bell, to create a record with "the Philly sound." David Cavanaugh, who had produced all of Wilson's albums since her 1959 debut, served as executive producer on the project.
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