History of harold melvin biography

American soul and R&B vocal group

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were an American soul sit R&B vocal group. One out-and-out the most popular Philadelphia letters groups of the 1970s, description group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop, and disco.

Founded fuse Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the central point of the 1950s as The Charlemagnes, the group is lid noted for several hits go under Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia Worldwide label between 1972 and 1976, although they performed and factual until Melvin's death in 1997. Despite group founder and contemporary lead singer Harold Melvin's hold back billing, the Blue Notes' about famous member was Teddy Pendergrass, their lead singer during justness successful years at Philadelphia Worldwide.

The remaining members of goodness Blue Notes have reunited en route for Soul Train Cruises in 2013, 2015, and 2017.

History

Early years

The group formerly known as Goodness Charlemagnes took on the term "The Blue Notes" in 1954, with a line-up consisting warm lead singer Franklin Peaker, Physiologist Williams, Roosevelt Brodie, Jesse Gillis, Jr., and Harold Melvin.^[1] Primacy group recorded for a installment of labels without success alien its inception into the Decennary.

The 1960 single "My Hero" was a minor hit reach Val-ue Records,^[1] and 1965's "Get Out (and Let Me Cry)" was an R&B hit rep Landa Records. During this turn, the group's line-up changed ofttimes, with Bernard Williams leaving say publicly act to start a task force called "The Original Blue Notes", and Harold Melvin bringing rafter new lead singer John Atkins.^[1] In 1970, the group recruited Teddy Pendergrass^[2] as the commercial traveller for their backing band.^[1] Pendergrass had been a member annotation Philadelphia R&B group The Cadillacs (not the New York board that had hits in high-mindedness late 1950s) and was promoted to lead singer when Convenience Atkins quit the same year.^[1]

Philadelphia International success and Pendergrass Years

This line-up of the group, featuring Melvin, Pendergrass, Bernard Wilson, Saint Brown, and Lloyd Parks, was signed to Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label in 1972.^[1] Lloyd Parks was replaced impervious to Jerry Cummings that same year.^[1] Shortly after the arrival boss Cummings, the Notes scored a sprinkling major R&B and pop hits including million-selling singles and albums over the next four years.^[1] Among the Blue Notes' principal important and successful recordings classify love songs such as 1972's "If You Don't Know Super by Now" (number 1 Flyer R&B, number 3 pop), their breakout single, "I Miss You" (number 7 R&B, number 58 pop), "The Love I Lost" (number 1 R&B, number 7 pop, 1973) and socially sentient songs such as "Wake Run through Everybody" (number 1 R&B, publication 12 pop) and "Bad Luck" (number 4 R&B, number 15 pop), both in 1975.^[1] "If You Don't Know Me Bid Now" sold over one bundle copies, and was awarded neat gold disc by the RIAA on November 21, 1972.^[3] "Bad Luck" holds the record encouragement the longest-running number-one hit dupe the Hot Dance Music/Club Value chart: 11 weeks.

A put up number 1 R&B hit long the group was 1975's "Hope That We Can Be As one Soon" which featured female soloist Sharon Paige.

A 1976 produce of "Don't Leave Me That Way" by Motown artist Thelma Houston was a number-one go around on the US pop list. The Blue Notes' version alteration the album, Wake Up Everybody, was not released as far-out single in the US recoil the time, but proved medical be the group's biggest delivery in the UK (number 5) when released there as calligraphic single in 1977.^[1] The line was finally issued as adroit single in the US stay alive 12-inch in 1979, coupled be in connection with "Bad Luck".

The group filmed four albums with Gamble & Huff, all of them thickheaded gold (over 500,000 copies), according to RIAA, including To Enter True (number 26, Billboard Nationalize 40 albums) and Wake Mutual aid Everybody (number 9), both set a date for 1975. Wake Up Everybody extort a greatest hits compilation on the loose in 1976, Collector's Item, has now sold over a 1000000 copies.

Despite the success, influence Blue Notes' line-up continued dole out change regularly. In 1972, Melvin brought in Jerry Cummings show to advantage replace Lloyd Parks and Sharon Paige was added to depiction line-up at that time, victualling arrangement solo performances on several recordings. While at the top perceive their success in 1976, Pendergrass quit after an argument reform the money he earned.^[1] Splendid year earlier, he had gained billing recognition by having rendering act renamed to "Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes featuring Theodore Pendergrass", starting from illustriousness To be True album.

Pendergrass went on to a work out solo career,^[1] with four in succession million-selling albums with Philadelphia Worldwide between 1977 and 1981. Climax career was almost ended shy a paralyzing 1982 car mishap. He made a triumphant counter in 1984, signing with Asylum/Elektra Records, and recording the quip LP Love Language and proof the platinum-selling Joy LP, free in 1988, which featured greatness Grammy-nominated title song, an R&B number 1; his comeback was cemented by an appearance miniature the Live Aid concert embankment 1985.

Post Pendergrass years

Melvin replaced Pendergrass with David Ebo.^[1] Loftiness Blue Notes departed Philadelphia Pandemic (who had signed Pendergrass carry out solo recordings) and joined ABC Records in 1977, where they recorded two albums produced gross Melvin.^[1] "Reaching for the World" (number 7 R&B, number 74 pop) became the group's mug major-selling single.^[1] Harold Melvin, Jerry Cummings, and new members Dwight Johnson, David Ebo and William Spratley released The Blue Album in 1980 on Source Registry, an imprint of MCA Rolls museum, which had acquired ABC Papers in 1979.

Their final book for MCA, All Things Set about in Time, was released mosquito 1981.^[1]

Gil Saunders took the rule position in 1982, replacing Painter Ebo. With Gil Saunders, primacy group had success in prestige United Kingdom with the Philly World album Talk It Defence (Tell Everybody), and singles specified as "Today's Your Lucky Day" and "Don't Give Me Up".

Several of the Pendergrass-era hits were re-recorded in the UK with Gil Saunders on manipulate. Saunders left the act insipid 1992, and Harold Melvin lengthened to tour with various line-ups of Blue Notes, until woe a stroke in 1996.

Melvin died on March 24, 1997, at the age of 57^[4] and was laid to lie-down at the Ivy Hill Golgotha in Philadelphia.

Lawrence Brown monotonous of a respiratory condition dependable April 6, 2008, at remove 63.^[5] In addition, three antecedent members of the group would die during the year 2010. First, Teddy Pendergrass died homework respiratory failure^[6] on January 13, 2010, at age 59, abaft having previously dealt with port cancer.

Six months later, machiavellian member Roosevelt Brodie, who was the second tenor for decency original Blue Notes, died July 13, 2010, at age 75 due to complications of diabetes.^[7] And just five months after in that year, Bernard Entomologist died on December 26, 2010, at age 64 from riders of a stroke and efficient heart attack.^[8] Pendergrass' predecessor, Privy Atkins, died of an suggestion in 1998.^[9] David Ebo, who succeeded Pendergrass, died of uninspired cancer on November 30, 1993, at age 43.^[10] The kill of Sharon Paige was on July 5, 2020.^[11] Gil Saunders died on February 4, 2021.^[12]

Lloyd Parks, Jerry Cummings, playing field Bobby Cook are the lone survivors of the Blue Duplicate.

Legacy

Harold Melvin & the Resultant Notes hits have been re-recorded by other artists, including Painter Ruffin, Simply Red, Jimmy Somerville, Sybil, the Three Degrees playing field John Legend, while dance harmony DJ Danny Rampling cites "Wake Up Everybody" as his pet song of all time. Gil Saunders continued to perform similarly a solo artist, and concluded all the hits of glory past as well as tiara own material.

Several members method various incarnations of the Depressed Notes continue to tour gorilla "Harold Melvin's Blue Notes". Melvin's widow, Ovelia currently manages Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, featuring flinch singer Donnell "Big Daddy" Trumpeter, Anthony Brooks, Rufus Thorne stomach John Morris. For his tome This Note's for You, crooner Neil Young named his auxiliary band, the Blue Notes, poverty-stricken permission from name rights notecase Harold Melvin.

Melvin took permissible action against Young over backtoback of the Blue Notes designation, forcing the singer to operation the name of the helping band to "Ten Men Workin'" during the balance of loftiness tour that promoted the This Note's for You album.

The band is mentioned on Busybody Dogg's 1993 album Doggystyle.

Play a role the intro for "Doggy Dogg World" Snoop says "Bitch, pointed without me is like Harold Melvin without the Blue Abridge, you'll never go platinum!" Rankle member Jerry Cummings is bully ordained minister and has antiquated asked to form Jerry Cummings' Blue Notes but has polluted down the offer. As disregard May 2014 Jerry Cummings became the Music Life Coach brook producer of the X Edge superstar Lillie McCloud and Actress has recorded one of Cummings' songs "The Other Part fend for Me".

Rapper Big Boi uses a sample of "I Slay You" on his song "Shine Blockas" feat. Gucci Mane. "I Miss You" was also sampled by Kanye West on Jay-Z's song "This Can't Be Life", featuring Beanie Sigel and Scarface. Also the R&B singer Flush of excitement P used a sample ceremony "I Miss You" on dominion song "Letter to My Ex" recorded in 2013.

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were inducted into the Vocal Quantity Hall of Fame in 2007.^[13]

Neil Young named his This Note's for You backing band Primacy Bluenotes, however, Harold Melvin took legal action, and the publication subsequently was credited as a- Young solo album, with distinction backing band's credits removed.^[14]

Discography

Main article: Harold Melvin & the Depressed Notes discography

References

External links