Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
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Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes | |
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Also known as |
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Origin | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 1954–1996, 2003, 2013, 2015, 2017 |
Labels |
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Past members | Harold Melvin Bernard Williams Don Haney Roosevelt Brodie Jesse Gillis Jr. Franklin Peaker John Atkins Teddy Pendergrass Lawrence Brown Bernard Wilson Lloyd Parks Jerry Cummings Sharon Paige David Ebo Dwight Johnson William Spratley Gil Saunders Robert "Bobby" Cook |
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes was an American
History
Early years
The group formerly known as The Charlemagnes took on the name "The Blue Notes" in 1954, with a line-up consisting of lead singer Franklin Peaker, Bernard Williams, Roosevelt Brodie, Jesse Gillis, Jr., and Harold Melvin.[1] The group recorded for a number of labels without success from its inception into the 1960s. The 1960 single "My Hero" was a minor hit for Val-ue Records,[1] and 1965's "Get Out (and Let Me Cry)" was an R&B hit for Landa Records. During this period, the group's line-up changed frequently, with Bernard Williams leaving the act to start a group called "The Original Blue Notes", and Harold Melvin bringing in new lead singer John Atkins.[1] In 1970, the group recruited Teddy Pendergrass[2] as the drummer for their backing band.[1] Pendergrass had been a member of Philadelphia R&B group The Cadillacs (not the New York group that had hits in the late 1950s) and was promoted to lead singer when John Atkins quit the same year.[1]
Philadelphia International success and Pendergrass Years
This line-up of the group, featuring Melvin, Pendergrass, Bernard Wilson, Lawrence Brown, and Lloyd Parks, was signed to
A 1976 remake of "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Motown artist Thelma Houston was a number-one hit on the US pop chart. The Blue Notes' version on the album, Wake Up Everybody, was not released as a single in the US at the time, but proved to be the group's biggest hit in the UK (number 5) when released there as a single in 1977.[1] The track was finally issued as a single in the US on 12-inch in 1979, coupled with "Bad Luck". The group recorded four albums with Gamble & Huff, all of them going gold (over 500,000 copies), according to RIAA, including To Be True (number 26, Billboard Top 40 albums) and Wake Up Everybody (number 9), both in 1975. Wake Up Everybody and a greatest hits compilation released in 1976, Collector's Item, has now sold over a million copies.
Despite the success, the Blue Notes' line-up continued to change regularly. In 1972, Melvin brought in Jerry Cummings to replace Lloyd Parks and Sharon Paige was added to the line-up at that time, providing solo performances on several recordings. While at the top of their success in 1976, Pendergrass quit after an argument over the money he earned.[1] A year earlier, he had gained billing recognition by having the act renamed to "Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes featuring Theodore Pendergrass", starting from the To be True album. Pendergrass went on to a successful solo career,[1] with four consecutive million-selling albums with Philadelphia International between 1977 and 1981. His career was almost ended by a paralyzing 1982 car accident. He made a triumphant comeback in 1984, signing with Asylum/Elektra Records, and recording the hit LP Love Language and then the platinum-selling Joy LP, released in 1988, which featured the Grammy-nominated title song, an R&B number 1; his comeback was cemented by an appearance at the Live Aid concert in 1985.
Post Pendergrass Years
Melvin replaced Pendergrass with
Gil Saunders took the lead position in 1982, replacing David Ebo. With Gil Saunders, the group had success in the United Kingdom with the Philly World album Talk It Up (Tell Everybody), and singles such 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 lead. Saunders left the act in 1992, and Harold Melvin continued to tour with various line-ups of Blue Notes, until suffering a stroke in 1996.
Melvin died on March 24, 1997, at the age of 57
Lloyd Parks, Jerry Cummings, and Bobby Cook are the sole survivors of the Blue Notes.
Legacy
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes hits have been re-recorded by other artists, including
The band is mentioned on Snoop Dogg's 1993 album Doggystyle. In the intro for "Doggy Dogg World" Snoop says "Bitch, you without me is like Harold Melvin without the Blue Notes, you'll never go platinum!" Former member Jerry Cummings is an ordained minister and has been asked to form Jerry Cummings' Blue Notes but has turned down the offer. As of May 2014 Jerry Cummings became the Music Life Coach and producer of the X Factor superstar Lillie McCloud and Lillie has recorded one of Cummings' songs "The Other Part of Me". Rapper Big Boi uses a sample of "I Miss 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 Pleasure P used a sample of "I Miss You" on his song "Letter to My Ex" recorded in 2013.
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2007.[13]
Neil Young named his This Note's for You backing band The Bluenotes, however, Harold Melvin took legal action, and as such, the band was renamed Ten Man Working, and the album subsequently was credited as a Young solo album, with the backing band's credits removed.
Discography
See also
- Soul music
- R&B
References
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-733-9.
- ^ "Teddy - Teddy Pendergrass - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ "Harold Melvin, 57; Led the Blue Notes to Success in the 70's". The New York Times. March 27, 1997. p. 1. Retrieved November 3, 2011.(subscription required)
- ^ "Original member of Blue Notes dies". 6 ABC News. April 13, 2008. p. 1. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
- ^ "R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass dies at 59". CNN. January 14, 2010. p. 1. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
- ^ Morrison, John (July 14, 2010). "Roosevelt Brodie, an original Blue Note, dies at 75". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 1. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
- ^ "Baritone From Harold Melvin & Blue Notes Dies". ABC News. December 28, 2010. p. 1. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
- ^ "John T Atkins Profile & Photos @". Discomusic.com. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "David Ebo, 43; Sang With The 'Blue Notes'". Articles.philly.com. December 3, 1993. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
- ^ Rizik, Chris (July 5, 2020). "R.I.P. singer supreme Sharon Paige of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes". SoulTracks. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
- ^ Fisher Jack (February 4, 2021). "Gil Saunders: Former Lead Singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes Has Died". Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- ^ "Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes". The Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
External links
- Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes at Legacy Recordings
- Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes at AllMusic
- Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes at AllMusic
- Harold Melvin & Blue Notes at Soul Tracks
- Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes discography at Discogs
- Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes at IMDb
- Listen To A Rare Remix of Prayin'
- Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes at WhoSampled
- Interview with Jerry Cummings on WGBH series Say Brother
- Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes Official Website