Blue Magic

Blue Magic were an American soul group from Philadelphia that released five albums on ATCO between 1974 and 1978, followed by an album apiece on Capitol and Omni during the early 1980s.

Members: Keith “Duke” Beaton (tenor vocals), Ted “The Wizard” Mills (lead vocals, 1972-90, 2012-present), Wendell Sawyer (baritone vocals, tenor vocals, lead vocals, 1972-77, 1981-present), Vernon Sawyer (tenor vocals, baritone vocals, 1972-77, 1981-2008), Richard Pratt (bass vocals, 1972-81), Michael Buchanan (baritone vocals, 1977-81), Walter Smith (tenor vocals, 1977-81)

Blue Magic were culled from an unrecorded vocal group called Shades of Love, which featured Keith Beaton, Richard Pratt, Vernon Sawyer, and his brother Wendell. In 1972, they were summed by songwriter and vocalist Ted Mills to cut material in lieu of his prior act, Toppicks. (Mills cut an earlier single, “Win All Your Love,” with female four-piece The Cooperettes.)

That year, Blue Magic premiered with the Mills-Penned single “Guess Who” (b/w “Spell”), released on Atco and produced by Norman Harris. It was followed in 1973 by two further Atco singles: “Look Me Up” (b/w “What’s Come Over Me”) and “Stop to Start” (b/w “Where Have You Been”). In 1974 they issued the R&B chart-topper “Slideshow” (b/w “Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely”).

Their debut album, featuring all but two of the aforementioned sides, appeared in January 1974 on Atco.

Discography:

• Blue Magic (1974)
• The Magic of the Blue (1974)
• Thirteen Blue Magic Lane (1975)
• Mystic Dragons (1976)
• Live! (1976 • Blue Magic / Major Harris / Margie Joseph)
• Message From the Magic (1977)
• Welcome Back (1981)
• Magic # (1983)
• From Out of the Blue (1989)

Sources:

• Discogs: Blue Magic