Introduction to Blue Magic Blue Magic is the name of one of the best-known Philly soul groups during the 70s music era. Founded and led by Ted Mills, they generated a handful of Billboard pop and R&B chart smashes such as “Look Me Up,” “Stop to Start,” “Three Ring Circus” and their … Read more
American female vocal ensemble The Three Degrees was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, about 1963. Although the group has had 16 ladies over the years, it has always remained a trio. The current lineup consists of Valerie Holiday and Freddie Pool, with Tabitha King temporarily standing in for Helen Scott, who is now … Read more
Short introduction First Choice were an American all-female vocal trio in 1971. They were a group with a lot of genre ranges to offer, including soul (especially Philly soul), R&B, pop, and disco. Speaking of disco, First Choice scored a lot of dance/disco hits such as “Armed and Extremely Dangerous,” “Smarty Pants,” … Read more
When we think of music in the 70s, most of us think about disco. But in the early 70s, R&B and soul were king. And among the hitmakers of the era are The Stylistics. At their peak, this 70s Philadelphia soul group was the most consistent hitmakers in soul music. They had … Read more
A summary on the Philly soul pioneers The Delfonics were an R&B/soul vocal group, known for pioneering the Philly soul in the 1960s-1970s. Formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the group initially consisted of high-schoolers William Hart, Wilbert Hart, Randy Cain and Ritchie Daniels. Their earliest records were released on local labels in Philadelphia … Read more
Introduction Known for her self-penned Top 10 hit song “Yes, I’m Ready” in 1965, sweet-voiced Barbara Mason exemplified the “Philly soul” during the 60s. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-born Mason mostly wrote her own material which comprised of songs (by the 1970s) that tackled subjects like romance and infidelity with frankness never heard before. … Read more