Happy Birthday, Thom Bell! Thomas Randolph Thom Bell (born January 26, 1943 in Kingston, Jamaica) is an American songwriter, arranger and producer, best known as one of the creators of the Philadelphia style of soul music in the 1970s. He moved to Philadelphia as a child. Biography Bell was classically trained as a musician, but as a teenager had sung with Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates fame). Bells first big break in soul music came with Cameo Records in Philadelphia where he worked as a session player and arranger. In 1967, he was introduced to a local group called The Delfonics, producing two singles for them on subsidiary label, Moonglow. Bell brought a smooth, lush style to soul music and his production talents yielded several big hits for the group on the Philly Groove label, run by their manager Stan Watson. These included La-La (Means I Love You) and Didnt I (Blow Your Mind This Time), the latter nominated for a Grammy Award in 1970. Bell had also joined the fast-growing record production company operated by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff in Philadelphia, working as an arranger for acts such as Jerry Butler, Archie Bell & The Drells, The OJays and Dusty Springfield. He also arranged some of the early big hits, including the OJays Back Stabbers, on Gamble & Huffs own record label, Philadelphia International, which they launched in 1971. He also joined the two in setting up a music publishing company for their songs, Mighty Three Music. By 1971, Bell had moved on to produce another local group, The Stylistics, this time on Avco Records. By then, he had teamed up with the Philadelphia-born songwriter, Linda Creed and this partnership, along with Russell Thompkins, Jr., the lead singer of the Stylistics, generated three albums full of memorable tracks. Bell and Creed became one of the eras dominant soul songwriting teams, penning hits such as Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart), You Are Everything, Betcha by Golly, Wow, Break Up to Make Up, and You Make Me Feel Brand New. In 1972, Bell agreed to produce The Spinners for Atlantic Records. The group, who had long been with Motown Records, had joined Atlantic after failing to get the attention they wanted. It was the start of a hugely successful collaboration that lasted for seven years and eight original albums. Bell revitalized the group, producing five gold albums that included chart success with singles such as Mighty Love, Ghetto Child, Ill Be Around, Could It Be Im Falling in Love, and The Rubberband Man. In 1975, he was awarded a Grammy for Best Producer of the Year. In 1975, Bell produced an album with Dionne Warwick called Track of the Cat, one year after he had teamed her with the Spinners on the song, Then Came You, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and reached #2 on the R&B chart. He also worked with acts such as Johnny Mathis (two albums), Billy Paul, Ronnie Dyson, Anthony & The Imperials and New York City in the mid to late 1970s, but generally with less commercial appeal. Subsequently, Bell had success with Deniece Williams, including her R&B #1 and Top 10 re-make of The Royalettes Its Gonna Take a Miracle) in 1982; James Ingram with I Dont Have the Heart in 1990 (Bells second #1 pop hit); and Elton John, whose EP, The Thom Bell Sessions, featured back-up by the Spinners and produced the Top 10 hit, Mama Cant Buy You Love, in 1979. Other artistes Bell produced in the 1980s included The Temptations, Phyllis Hyman, Dee Dee Bridgwater and he even re-united briefly with the Stylistics in 1981 on Philadelphia International subsidiary, TSOP. It is for his success with the Philadelphia sound in the 1970s, particularly with the Stylistics and Spinners, that he is remembered best. In June 2006, Bell was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. A December 2008 interview with Bell featured on the Philly Soul box set, Love Train, states he will soon compose a piece for the Philadelphia Orchestra. Past Orchestra members played in MFSB, the house band who played on many Bell productions. Production and/or songwriting highlights 1968: La-La (Means I Love You) - The Delfonics 1969: Ready or Not Here I Come (Cant Hide from Love) - The Delfonics 1970: Didnt I (Blow Your Mind This Time) - The Delfonics 1971: Hey Love - The Delfonics 1971: Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart) - The Stylistics 1971: You Are Everything - The Stylistics 1971: Betcha by Golly, Wow - The Stylistics 1972: People Make the World Go Round - The Stylistics 1972: Im Stone in Love with You - The Stylistics 1972: Ill Be Around - The Spinners 1972: Could It Be Im Falling in Love - The Spinners 1973: Im Doing Fine Now - New York City 1973: One of a Kind (Love Affair) - The Spinners 1973: Ghetto Child - The Spinners 1973: Break Up to Make Up - The Stylistics 1974: You Make Me Feel Brand New - The Stylistics 1974: Mighty Love (Part I) - The Spinners 1974: Then Came You - The Spinners (with Dionne Warwick) 1975: They Just Cant Stop It the (Games People Play) - The Spinners 1976: The Rubberband Man - The Spinners 1979: Are You Ready for Love - Elton John (with the Spinners) 1979: Mama Cant Buy You Love - Elton John 1981: Silly - Deniece Williams 1982: Its Gonna Take a Miracle - Deniece Williams 1990: I Dont Have the Heart - James Ingram wikipedia.thetimetube/?q=Thom+Bell&lang=en
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 15:41:08 +0000
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