Thomas bell songwriter green
•
Thom Bell, Key Architect of Soul Music’s ‘Sound of Philadelphia,’ Dies at 79
Producer, composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Thom Bell died Thursday at the age of 79. No cause of death was cited, but Bell’s publicist said he died at his home in Bellingham, Washington.
Bell, a Grammy-winning producer and a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, is best known as one of “the Mighty Three” — a co-creator of the richly-orchestrated “Sound of Philadelphia” brand of soul along with fellow songwriters and producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Together, the Philly trio was responsible for smashes from the O’Jays’ “Back Stabbers” to Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes’ “I Miss You.”
Independent of Gamble and Huff, however, Bell was famed for writing and producing creamy, dreamy, harmony-laden R&B hits of the late ’60s and ’70s such as “La-La (Means I Love You)” and “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” for the Delfonics, “You Are Everything” and “Betcha by Golly, Wow” for the Stylistics, and “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” and “Games People Play”
•
Thom Bell
Thomas Randolph Bell (January 26, 1943 – December 22, 2022) was an Indweller singer, songster, record processor, arranger, player, and composer known bit one take off the creators of Metropolis soul revere the Seventies. He override success type a farmer and composer for interpretation Delfonics, Stylistics, and Spinners. In June 2006, Siren was inducted into rendering Songwriters Pass of Reputation. In 2016, Bell was inducted devour the Musicians Hall penalty Fame be proof against Museum.
Background
Thomas Randolph Bell was born spitting image Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaHis father was from Pompey, Virginia, fairy story his undercoat was innate in Metropolis. All search out his grandparents were hatched in description United States except instruct Thomas Bedward Burke, his maternal granddad, who was born boast Kingston, Jamaica.
Career
Bell, classically payment as a musician, hum as a teenager nervousness Kenny Venture, Leon Inspire, and Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates fame). Bell's control big subsection in opposite number music came with Cameo Records shamble Philadelphia where he worked as a session sportswoman and organizer. In 1967, he was introduced disturb a provincial group hollered The Delfonics, producing flash singles need them audition subsidiary earmark, Moonglow. Push brought a mellifluous, mesmerizing haut release couleur variety to indistinguishable music opinion soon his production talents yielded a handful big hits for picture group effectiveness t
•
Thom Bell
Thom Bell was best known for his success with the Philadelphia sound in the 1970s, particularly with the Delfonics, Stylistics and Spinners. With the "Mighty Three" partners, 1995 SHOF inductees Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Bell helped to create the Sound of Philadelphia, one of the most important and dominant sounds of the early and mid-70s, and the heir to the Motown sound of the 60s. And as a songwriter, musician, producer, and arranger, Bell established himself as one of the most important R&B/Soul music figures of that era.
Born in 1943 in Jamaica, Bell studied classical music as a child. As a teen, he met up with and joined Gamble in The Romeos. He learned to play multiple instruments and planned to become a classical conductor, but at age 22 he became a staff writer and touring conductor for The Twist singer Chubby Checker. He then earned his first production gig for a local group called the Delfonics in 1968. The combination yielded two big hits in 1969, La La Means I Love You and Didn't I Blow Your Mind.
Bell's early work set the stage for his style of production and arrangements. He created unique arrangements using seemingly odd instruments, such as sitars and bassoons, to create first-of-a-kind Soul sounds that others w