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The Softones
The Softones are an American male singing group from the city of Baltimore, Maryland, best known for their 'sweet' soul recordings of the 1970s. History They recorded for the New York-based Avco Records label (later renamed H&L Records) from the early 1970s, releasing three albums and about a dozen singles. The most popular tracks were "My Dream", "Can't Help Falling In Love", "I'm Gonna Prove It", and "That Old Black Magic" (#29 Billboard R&B, #2 Disco; 1976). Their first single, "Any Street", was picked up from tiny Baltimore label Thereway, along with a few other early recordings including "My Dream". They were initially known as "The Soft Tones" until the release of their first album in late 1973. Like later recordings for Avco by The Stylistics, The Softones were produced by label owners, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and arranger/producer Van McCoy, whose orchestra, comprising some of the top New York session players of the time, served as the house band for many of thei ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was designated an independent city by the Constitution of Maryland in 1851, and today is the most populous independent city in the United States. As of 2021, the population of the Baltimore metropolitan area was estimated to be 2,838,327, making it the 20th largest metropolitan area in the country. Baltimore is located about north northeast of Washington, D.C., making it a principal city in the Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area (CSA), the third-largest CSA in the nation, with a 2021 estimated population of 9,946,526. Prior to European colonization, the Baltimore region was used as hunting grounds by the Susquehannock Native Americans, who were primarily settled further northwest than where the city was later built. Colonis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. Baltimore is the largest city in the state, and the capital is Annapolis. Among its occasional nicknames are '' Old Line State'', the ''Free State'', and the '' Chesapeake Bay State''. It is named after Henrietta Maria, the French-born queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, who was known then in England as Mary. Before its coastline was explored by Europeans in the 16th century, Maryland was inhabited by several groups of Native Americans – mostly by Algonquian peoples and, to a lesser degree, Iroquoian and Siouan. As one of the original Thirteen Colonies of England, Maryland was founded by George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, a Catholic convert"George Calvert and Cecilius Calvert, Barons Baltimore" William Hand Browne, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Soul Music
Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became popular for dancing and listening, where U.S. record labels such as Motown, Atlantic and Stax were influential during the Civil Rights Movement. Soul also became popular around the world, directly influencing rock music and the music of Africa. It also had a resurgence with artists like Erykah Badu under the genre neo-soul. Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps and extemporaneous body moves, are an important feature of soul music. Other characteristics are a call and response between the lead vocalist and the chorus and an especially tense vocal sound. The style also occasionally uses improvisational additions, twirls, and auxiliary sounds. Soul music reflects the African-American identity, and it stresses the importance of an African-Ameri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avco Records
Avco Records was a record label started by music producers/composers Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore together with film and TV producer Joseph E. Levine in 1968 as Avco Embassy Records. History Hugo and Luigi had previously worked together from the late 1950s for a number of labels, including Mercury, Roulette, and RCA Victor, where they were involved with acts such as Elvis Presley, the Tokens, and Sam Cooke. Levine was the head of Avco Embassy Pictures following a long career in the film industry. Avco's best-known artists were the R&B/soul groups the Stylistics, who had a series of major hits in the pop and R&B charts mainly produced by Thom Bell, and Little Anthony & the Imperials. One of the most memorable albums recorded for Avco was 1975's ''Disco Baby'' by top producer/arranger/writer Van McCoy. This featured the classic disco hit "The Hustle", a million-seller that topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B chart, as well as charts worldwide (#3 in the UK). The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
H&L Records
H&L Records (1976–1979) was a record label founded by Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore after they left Avco Records. They took The Stylistics with them. History Releases The dual artist record, "That Old Black Magic" by The Softones backed with "Love is the Answer" by Van McCoy was released on a single. By October 1978, the backing band for The Manhattans, 98.6 were signed to the H & L label. Later years In 1984, the H&L masters and those from Avco were acquired by Amherst Records.Both Sides Now Publications Amherst Label Discography/ref> See also * List of record labels File:Alvinoreyguitarboogie.jpg File:AmMusicBunk78.jpg File:Bingola1011b.jpg Lists of record labels cover record labels, brands or trademarks associated with marketing of music recordings and music videos. The lists are organized alphabetically, b ... References American record labels Soul music record labels {{US-record-label-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
That Old Black Magic
"That Old Black Magic" is a 1942 popular music, popular song written by Harold Arlen (music), with the lyrics by Johnny Mercer. They wrote it for the 1942 film ''Star Spangled Rhythm'', when it was sung by Johnnie Johnston, Johnny Johnston and danced by Vera Zorina. The song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1943 but lost out to "You'll Never Know". It was first recorded by Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra on July 9, 1942. Shortly thereafter, on July 26, 1942, Judy Garland recorded her own version, which was released as a single in January 1943 – just after the movie's release on December 30, 1942. Five other recordings (also made in 1942) were released as singles within the next two weeks. Composition The song was published in 1942 in music, 1942 and has become an often-recorded pop standard, standard, with versions that include the original single release by Glenn Miller, by the singers Margaret Whiting, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Merc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Stylistics
The Stylistics are an American, Philadelphia soul group that achieved their greatest chart success in the 1970s. They formed in 1968, with a lineup of singers Russell Thompkins Jr., Herb Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith and James Dunn. All of their US hits were ballads characterized by the falsetto of Russell Thompkins Jr. and the production of Thom Bell. During the early 1970s, the group had twelve consecutive R&B top ten hits, including " Stop, Look, Listen", "You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly, Wow", " I'm Stone in Love with You", " Break Up to Make Up" and "You Make Me Feel Brand New", which earned them 5 gold singles and 3 gold albums. Career Early years The Stylistics were created from two Philadelphia groups, The Percussions and The Monarchs. Russell Thompkins Jr., James Smith and Airrion Love came from the Monarchs, and James Dunn and Herb Murrell came from the Percussions. In 1970, the group recorded "You're a Big Girl Now", a song their road manager Marty Bryant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hugo Peretti
Hugo E. Peretti (December 6, 1916 – May 1, 1986) was an American songwriter, trumpeter, and record producer. Born in New York City to an Italian American family, Peretti began his music career as a teenager, playing the trumpet in the Borscht Belt in upstate New York. He graduated to playing with orchestras, then in the 1950s partnered with his cousin Luigi Creatore to form the Hugo & Luigi songwriting team that evolved to producing records. In 1957 they bought into Roulette Records, where they wrote songs for various artists such as Valerie Carr, and produced major hits for Jimmie Rodgers, including "Honeycomb" (Billboard #1), " Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" (Billboard #3), "Oh-Oh, I'm Falling in Love Again", and "Secretly". Two years later, Peretti and Creatore signed a contract with RCA Records, where they produced recordings for pop crooner and NBC television personality Perry Como. They also produced recordings for Sam Cooke and Ray Peterson and wrote English lyrics for t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Luigi Creatore
Luigi Federico Creatore (December 21, 1921 – December 13, 2015) was an American songwriter and record producer. Creatore was born in New York City in 1921, the son of noted Italian-born bandleader and composer Giuseppe Creatore. After serving with the United States military during World War II, in the 1950s he became a writer then partnered with his cousin, Hugo Peretti to form the songwriting team of Hugo & Luigi which also produced other records. In 1957, they bought into Roulette Records where they both wrote songs for various artists such as Valerie Carr and produced major hits for Jimmie Rodgers including "Honeycomb" (Billboard #1) and " Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" (Billboard #3), and "Oh-Oh, I'm Falling in Love Again" and "Secretly". Two years later, Creatore and Peretti signed a deal with RCA Victor where they produced pop crooner and NBC television personality Perry Como. In addition, they produced several other RCA Victor recording artists, including Sam Cooke and Ray Pe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Van McCoy
Van Allen Clinton McCoy (January 6, 1940 – July 6, 1979) was an American musician, record producer, arranger, songwriter, singer and orchestra conductor. He is known for his 1975 internationally successful song " The Hustle". He has approximately 700 song copyrights to his credit, and produced songs by such recording artists as Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Stylistics, Aretha Franklin, Brenda & the Tabulations, David Ruffin, Peaches & Herb, Lesley Gore and Stacy Lattisaw. Biography Early life Van McCoy was born in Washington, D.C., the second child of Norman S. McCoy, Sr. and Lillian Ray. He learned to play piano at a young age and sang with the Metropolitan Baptist Church choir as a youngster. By the age of 12, he had begun writing his own songs, in addition to performing in local amateur shows alongside his older brother, Norman Jr. The two brothers formed a doo-wop combo named the Starlighters with two friends while in Theodore Roosevelt High School. In 1956, they recorde ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ray, Goodman & Brown
Ray, Goodman & Brown is an American R&B vocal group. The group originated as The Moments, who formed in the mid-1960s and whose greatest successes came in the 1970s with hits including "Love on a Two-Way Street", "Sexy Mama", and "Look at Me (I'm in Love)". In 1978, they changed their name to Ray, Goodman & Brown and had further hits, including " Special Lady". The original Moments Early years The original members of the Moments were Eric Olfus Sr., Richard Gross (often incorrectly listed as "Richard Horsley"), and John Morgan. The Moments formed in Washington, D.C. during the mid-1960s. In 1965, at Washington D.C.'s Howard University, the Mizell Brothers and Freddie Perren (along with schoolmate Toby Jackson) founded Hog Records and signed the harmony group as the Moments. The Moments recorded "Baby I Want You" and "Pray for Me" for Hog. The lineup consisted of Olfus, Gross, and Morgan. Mark Greene joined after the single's release. The group then signed with the newly establ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Russell Thompkins Jr
Russell may refer to: People * Russell (given name) * Russell (surname) * Lady Russell (other) * Lord Russell (other) Places Australia *Russell, Australian Capital Territory *Russell Island, Queensland (other) **Russell Island (Moreton Bay) **Russell Island (Frankland Islands) *Russell Falls, Tasmania *A former name of Westerway, Tasmania Canada *Russell, Ontario, a township in Ontario *Russell, Ontario (community), a town in the township mentioned above. *Russell, Manitoba *Russell Island (Nunavut) New Zealand *Russell, New Zealand, formerly Kororareka *Okiato or Old Russell, the first capital of New Zealand Solomon Islands *Russell Islands United States *Russell, Arkansas *Russell City, California, formerly Russell *Russell, Colorado *Russell, Georgia *Russell, Illinois *Russell, Iowa *Russell, Kansas *Russell, Kentucky, in Greenup County *Russell, Louisville, Kentucky *Russell, Massachusetts, a New England town **Russell (CDP), Massachusetts, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
