Sorry for overlooking the others - I would love to see the Spinners and the
very underated Stylistics get into the HOF, so many great records that I heard
on my AM radio in the seventies when I was a kid. 

Gamble-Huff and Thom Bell were the true architects of that sound, and I hope
the O'jays mention them in thier acceptance speech. That sound had its
beginnings in records like Barbara Mason's classic "Yes I'm Ready" and Doris
Troy's "I'll Do Anything" (a 1966 flop in the US, but a smash on the UK
Northern Soul scene - a great record!!) but the first great Philly Soul record
to my ears where all the elements combined was The Delphonics "La La Means I
Love You". 

I used to think the Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose's "Too Late To Turn Back
Now" was a classic Philly Soul record until I got a original United Artists 45
that mentions in the label credits that the record was recorded at Criteria
Recording studios in Miami!

Billy


At 05:37 PM 12/13/2004 -0500, you wrote:
>Billy wrote:
>
>The O'Jays are important, they started in the late 50's, had several R&B
>hits in the mid-late 60's for Imperial and Bell Records, toured
>endlessly on
>the "Chitlin Circuit" and later were the group that brought the
>"Philadelphia Sound" to national prominence in the early 70's.
>
>I reply:
>
>Not "the" group (if I may), but one of a half dozen or so: The
>Stylistics (my fav), The Spinners, MFSB, Harold Melvin and the Blue
>Notes (Teddy Pendergrast), etc. Gotta speak up for my area "homies" ...
>and spread the luv (and props), baby. TSOP!
>
>Jeff T.
>De.
>
>P.S. The O'Jays (who I love) *may* have had more hit singles and started
>out earlier than the
>others, so, by that criteria, Billy is certainly correct.
>