Sleepy Hollow was an American art-pop trio from Philadelphia that released a self-titled album on the Family Productions label in 1972. Members: Richard Billay (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Richie Bremen (bass), Joe Zucca (drums) Background Sleepy Hollow formed in Philadelphia, where singer and songwriter Richard Billay teamed with bassist Richie Bremen and drummer Joe Zucca. […]
Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 — Feb. 19, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was born Edward Lee Morgan on July 10, 1938, in Philadelphia, the youngest of four children. As a child, he first took up vibraphone, then trumpet and alto saxophone. For his thirteenth birthday, his sister gave him a trumpet. His […]
The Trammps were an American soul group from Philadelphia, formed in 1972. Early on, the group released a string of singles later compiled on the 1975 Buddah release The Legendary Zing Album. In 1975, the group released a self-titled album on Golden Fleece, followed by six albums on Atlantic between 1976 and 1980. The members […]
The Three Degrees were an American soul group from Philadelphia, formed in 1963. After a string of ’60s-era singles for SWAN and Metromedia, the band released four studio albums on Roulette and PIR between 1970 and 1975. Another round of albums appeared on CBS, Epic, and Ariola during the second half of the ’70s. Members: […]
The Stylistics were an American soul group from Philadelphia, formed in 1966. The group released seven albums on Avco between 1971 and 1975, followed by five albums on H&L during the second half of the decade. Members: Airrion Love (tenor vocals, lead vocals), Herbert “Herbie” Murrell (baritone vocals, lead vocals), Russell Thompkins Jr. (lead vocals, […]
Sister Sledge were an American soul group from Philadelphia comprised of sisters Debbie, Kim, Joni, and Kathy Sledge, who began performing as a vocal quartet in 1971. After a string of singles for Atlantic-subsidiary ATCO during the early 1970s, the group released an album on the label in 1975. The group was shifted to the […]
Rosetta Hightower (June 23, 1944 — Aug. 2, 2014) was an American soul singer from Philadelphia who sang in The Orlons and Zip and The Zippers during the early 1960s. In 1968, she reemerged as a solo artist with two singles on Toast, followed by a surnamesake album on CBS and a second longplayer on […]
Patti LaBelle (born May 24, 1944) is an American soul singer who fronted The Blue Belles during the 1960s. In 1970, they morphed into the soul-funk trio Labelle, which released seven albums between 1971 and 1976, scoring a hit with “Lady Marmalade.” After going solo, she released four albums on Epic, starting with her 1977 […]
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes were an American soul group from Philadelphia, formed in 1954 as The Blue Notes. Members: Harold Melvin (lead vocals), Roosevelt Brodie (1954-72), Jesse Gillis, Jr. (1954-72), Franklin Peaker (1954-72), Bernard Williams (1954-65), John Atkins (1965-70), Teddy Pendergrass (lead vocals, drums, 1970-76), Bernie Wilson (1972-77), Larry Brown (1972-1975), Lloyd Parks […]
First Choice were an American soul-funk vocal group from Philadelphia. Members: Rochelle Fleming, Joyce Jones, Annette Guest, Mulaney Star, Wardell Piper, Ursula Herring, Debbie Martin Discography: Armed and Extremely Dangerous (1973) The Player (1974) So Let Us Entertain You (1976) Delusions (1977) Hold Your Horses (1979) Breakaway (1980)
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, […]
Art Webb is an American flautist primarily active as a jazz-funk sessionist during the 1970s and 1980s. Under his own name he released two albums in 1977. Appearing first on back-to-back albums by Norman Connors — Dance of Magic (1972) and Dark of Light (1973) — Webb’s talents were soon heard on the recordings of […]
The Brecker Brothers were an American jazz-funk duo from N.Y.C. comprised of saxophonist Michael Brecker and trumpeter Randy Brecker, who played on numerous recordings together and separately throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Members: Randy Brecker (trumpet), Michael Brecker (saxophone) Discography: The Brecker Bros. (1975) Back to Back (1976) Don’t Stop the Music (1977) Blue Montreux […]
Stanley Clarke (born June 30, 1951) is an American jazz-funk bassist from Philadelphia who played in the supergroup Return to Forever between 1972 and 1977. He was born Stanley Marvin Clarke on June 30, 1951 in Philadelphia. His mother, a church choir singer, encouraged him to take up music. He started on accordion, then played […]
Sonny Fortune (May 19, 1939 — Oct. 25 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist who rose to prominence via 1972/73 backing stints with Roy Ayers, Leon Spencer, and McCoy Tyner. In 1974, he played in the Miles Davis band, appearing on Get Up With It and three live albums. As a bandleader, Fortune debuted with […]
Raymond Louis Kennedy (Nov. 26, 1946 — Feb. 16, 2014) was an American vocalist and songwriter from Philadelphia who first appeared in the psych-rock band Group Therapy during the late 1960s. In 1976, he recorded two albums for MCA with the blues-rock supergroup KGB. As a solo artist, he released a 1970 self-titled album under […]
Norman Connors (born March 1, 1948) is an American drummer, composer, producer, and arranger from Philadelphia. Connors was born on March 1, 1948, in Philadelphia, where he grew up on the same block as comedian Bill Cosby. Inspired by jazz at an early age, he took up drums in elementary school. His formative influence was […]
Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist from Philadelphia. Discography: You Had Better Listen (1968 • The Jimmy Owens – Kenny Barron Quintet) Sunset to Dawn (1973) Peruvian Blue (1974) Lucifer (1975) Innocence (1978) Europa Jazz (1981 • Sal Nistico, Kenny Barron, Anthony Jackson & Buddy Rich) At The Piano (1982) […]
Dexter Wansel (born Aug. 22, 1950) is an American keyboardist, vocalist, composer, and producer from Philadelphia who cut an album with the funk-psych one-off Yellow Sunshine in 1973. As a solo artist, he released four albums on PIR between 1976 and 1979. He was born Dexter Gilman Wansel on August 22, 1950, in Philadelphia. He […]
Daryl Hall and John Oates — commonly known as Hall & Oates — are an American musical duo that have been active since the early 1970s. The pair initially recorded in an acoustic singer/songwriter mode but soon embraced maximalist-rock experimentation and the lavish orchestralism of their Philly townfolk. Applying their signature vocal trade-offs to a […]
