Harold Melvin

小簡介
來自費城的Harold Melvin從小熱愛靈魂音樂,15歲就組成了"藍音符"合唱團,由他親自擔任主唱,并在1960年以后以一首"MY Hero"首度打進排行榜,其后陸續(xù)有其他R&B的暢銷曲,雖然擁有不少支持者,不過始終不上不下,不能算是十分的走紅,團員的陣容也幾度變更.1970年,他們吸收了一名新的鼓手Teddy Pendergrass ,同時開始跟制作拍當Kenny GAMBLE與Leon Huff合作,才開始出現轉機.
?? 同樣來自費城的Kenny Gamble是"費城之聲"的主要功臣,本身擅長作曲的他,也是玩樂隊出身的,但是逐漸轉向幕后,跟同樣是作曲高手的Leon Huff成為拍當,陸續(xù)捧紅了幾個藝人和團體.1970年,他們得到哥倫比亞唱片公司的支持,成立了比照MOTOWN唱片,專門發(fā)行靈魂音樂的子公司"費城國際唱片",雖然公司給他們的預算很有限,只預支了七萬五千元讓他們制作十五首單曲,更限定他們每張專輯制作費用不地超過兩萬五千元,但是他們憑著過人的才華和制作能力,讓這個公司很快崛起.
?? "藍音符"樂隊是他們最早網羅的團體之一.Gamble與Huff先是把"藍音符"改名為"Harold Melvin&The blue notes",接著更發(fā)覺Teddy Pendergrass的歌喉比鼓技更出色,于是安排他擔任主唱,先是以"I Miss You"引起了注意,接著更因為"If You Don't Know Me By Now"而造成轟動.可惜的是,Teddy Pendergrass 在1975年決定獨立,"Harold Melvin&The Blue Notes"的風光歲月也隨之結束.
by Steve Huey
Harold Melvin was one of the driving forces behind Philadelphia soul, leading his group the Blue Notes to the top of the charts during their stint on Kenny Gamble and Leon Huffs Philadelphia International label. Despite Melvins billing out front, the Blue Notes focal point was lead singer and onetime drummer Teddy Pendergrass, whose surging baritone graced the Blue Notes recordings during their glory years of 1972-1975 and gave them a truly distinctive sound. Their output ranged from sweeping, extended proto-disco dance tracks to silky, smoldering ballads, all wrapped up in Gamble and Huffs lushly orchestrated production. When Pendergrass left for a solo career, Melvin & the Blue Notes commercial fortunes largely reverted to the pre-Pendergrass days (of which there were quite a few), although they did continue to record for a time. They never really disbanded, and by the time Melvin passed away in 1997, hed been leading the Blue Notes for over four decades.
Melvin was born June 25, 1939, in Philadelphia. A self-taught pianist, he began singing doo wop as a teenager with a group called the Charlemagnes, and put together the very first edition of the Blue Notes in 1954. The original lineup was a quintet featuring Melvin as the lead singer (for a time), songwriter, arranger, and choreographer; ironically, he would mostly relinquish those duties by the time the group achieved its greatest success. The Blue Notes cut their first single, If You Love Me, for Josie in 1956, and scored R&B chart hits in 1960 with My Hero and again in 1965 with Get Out (And Let Me Cry). Numerous personnel shifts kept the group in flux despite steady recording activity, and Melvin kept assembling new versions of the Blue Notes. During the late 60s, the group toured often with the Cadillacs, whose young drummer Teddy Pendergrass would prove to be Melvins greatest discovery.
Pendergrass first joined the Blue Notes backing band, but demonstrated so much vocal talent that Melvin soon elevated him to the post of lead singer. This move helped them land a deal with Gamble and Huffs Philadelphia International label in 1972, just as the company was taking its place as soul musics new epicenter. With Gamble and Huff now supplying top-quality material and production, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes would become one of the most popular groups in R&B over the next few years. They ran off a string of hits and topped the R&B charts with the classic ballad If You Dont Know Me By Now (1972), the string-laden dance track The Love I Lost (1973), a duet with Melvin discovery Sharon Paige called Hope That We Can Be Together Soon (1975), and Wake Up Everybody (also 1975). By that time, tension was building within the group. The heavily spotlighted Pendergrass was hungry for separate billing, but Melvin, still the groups chief organizing force, turned him down. In 1976, Pendergrass left the Blue Notes for a solo career, which signaled the end of Melvins relationship with Philadelphia International. Melvin soldiered on, helming several more albums of new material for several labels up through 1984, although his group only managed one more significant hit, 1977s Reaching for the World. Melvin continued to tour with versions of the Blue Notes steadily into the 90s. Sadly, he suffered a stroke and never fully recovered; he passed away on March 24, 1997, in his beloved hometown of Philadelphia.