Theodore DeReese Pendergrass was an American singer. Born in Kingstree, South Carolina and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he initially rose to musical fame as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. After leaving the group in 1976, Pendergrass launched a successful solo career under the Philadelphia International label, releasing five consecutive platinum albums. Pendergrass's career was suspended after a March 1982 car crash left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Pendergrass continued his successful solo career until announcing his retirement in 2007. Pendergrass died from respiratory failure in January 2010.
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American soul and R&B vocal group. One of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s, the group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the middle of the 1950s as The Charlemagnes, the group is most noted for several hits on Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International label between 1972 and 1976, although they performed and recorded until Melvin's death in 1997. Despite group founder and original lead singer Harold Melvin's top billing, the Blue Notes' most famous member was Teddy Pendergrass, their lead singer during the successful years at Philadelphia International. The remaining members of the Blue Notes have reunited for Soul Train Cruises in 2013, 2015, and 2017.
McFadden and Whitehead were an American R&B duo, best known for their signature tune "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now". They wrote and produced some of the most popular R&B hits of the 1970s, and were primarily associated with the Gamble and Huff record label, Philadelphia International Records.
Domenico Nicola Aniello Scotti is an American actor, model and singer.
Gene McFadden was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as one of the key members of the Philadelphia International record label, and was one-half of the successful team of McFadden & Whitehead with John Whitehead.
The Temptin' Temptations is the third studio album by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1965. The album includes several of the group's hits from 1965, and also includes a handful of singles that were not included on the Temptations' first 1965 album, The Temptations Sing Smokey. Among these are the 1964 singles "Girl " and "I'll Be in Trouble"; and the 1965 singles "Since I Lost My Baby", and "My Baby". Seven of the album's 12 tracks had previously been released as singles and their B-sides, though "My Baby" preceded the album only by a month.
Wake Up Everybody is an album released by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes on the Philadelphia International record label in November 1975. It was produced by Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff. This would be the last album to include Teddy Pendergrass before he left the group for a solo career.
"If You Don't Know Me by Now" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and recorded by the Philadelphia soul musical group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. It became their first hit after being released as a single in September 1972, topping the US R&B chart and peaking at number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Still Ghetto is the second studio album by American R&B singer Jaheim. It was released by Divine Mill Records and Warner Bros. Records on November 5, 2002 in the United States. Released to favorable reviews, it debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200 and number three on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, with first-week sales of 111,000 copies, eventually reaching platinum for selling a million domestic copies.
"Don't Leave Me This Way" is a song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert. It was originally released in 1975 by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass, an act signed to Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label. "Don't Leave Me This Way" was subsequently covered by American singer Thelma Houston in 1976 and British duo the Communards in 1986, with both versions achieving commercial success.
"Fabulous" is a song by American singer Jaheim, featuring guest vocals by Tha' Rayne. It served as the first single from his second studio album Still Ghetto (2002). It was produced by KayGee and Eddie Berkeley, containing a sample from "Wake Up Everybody" by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. "Fabulous" peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, also reaching number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as number one on the Adult R&B Songs for three weeks from February 1, 2003 to February 22, 2003. An accompanying music video for was shot in August 2002 in New Jersey and includes appearances by Mary J. Blige and Tha' Rayne.
Wake Up Everybody was a compilation album released to coincide with the 2004 presidential election in the U.S. It featured a variety of musical stars, primarily hip hop and R&B artists, who sing songs to urge young Americans to vote. The executive producers of the album were Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Tracey Edmonds, Russell Simmons and Jonathan Lewis. The project was a collaboration with America Coming Together, a political group with the goal of defeating incumbent President George W. Bush. Despite this connection, the album was portrayed by its producers as a non-partisan project.
"Wake Up Everybody" is an R&B song written by John Whitehead, Gene McFadden and Victor Carstarphen.
I Miss You is the debut album by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, released on Philadelphia International in August 1972. It was produced by Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff.
Gil Saunders was an American soul singer who came to fame as lead singer with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.
Life is the soundtrack to the 1999 film, Life. It was released on March 16, 1999 through Rock Land/Interscope Records and was almost entirely produced by R&B singer R. Kelly, with Wyclef Jean and Jerry Duplessis producing four tracks on the album. The soundtrack was a huge success, making it to No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It spawned the hit single "Fortunate" by Maxwell, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The soundtrack was certified platinum on June 18, 1999, while "Fortunate" was certified gold on June 2 that same year. "What Would You Do?", by City High, would go on to chart in 2001. A version of the classic Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes song "Wake Up Everybody" plays during the film's opening credits.
Lloyd Parks is an American R&B/soul singer born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. He is an original member of the Philadelphia International Records group, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. Lloyd is noted for his high tenor and falsetto vocal leads and harmonies. He is also a founding member of The Epsilons who backed Arthur Conley on his Atco Records hit single "Sweet Soul Music". He is also one of the last survivors of The Blue Notes, with Robert “Bobby” Cook, being the last original member.
Bernard Wilson was a second tenor and baritone R&B, funk and soul music vocalist, who was a member of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and thus helped to define the “Sound of Philadelphia” in the 1970s.
Collectors' Item: All Their Greatest Hits! is a compilation album released by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes on the Philadelphia International record label in July 1976. It includes all of their biggest hits with the label recorded between 1972 and 1975, such as "If You Don't Know Me by Now", "The Love I Lost", Bad Luck", and "Wake Up Everybody". Many of the songs were in extended versions. The album, produced by Gamble & Huff, sold over a million in the USA. The UK album release also included the track, "Satisfaction Guaranteed" which had been a big hit for the group there.
Cary Grant Gilbert was an American lyricist who wrote songs with Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff at Philadelphia International Records in the 1970s. Among the songs he co-wrote are the international #1 hits "Me and Mrs. Jones" and "Don't Leave Me This Way."
