"Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes" was an American musical group of Soul and R&B music among the most famous of the "Philadelphia Soul" of the 70s. The band was founded in the mid-1950s in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), initially under the name "The Charlemagnes". Harold Melvin was the founder and lead singer of the musical group. The lineup of "The Blue Notes" was born in 1954 and the lineup consisted of Teddy Pendergrass, Franklin Peaker, Bernard Wilson, Roosevelt Brodie, and Jesse Gillis Jr. In 1972, "Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes" signed a record deal with Gamble & Huff's “Philadelphia International” label. The band's first big hits were 1972's "If You Don't Know Me by Now" (No. 1 Billboard R&B and No. 3 Billboard Pop) and 1973's two singles "I Miss You" (No. 7 Billboard R&B), " The Love I Lost" (No. 1 Billboard R&B, No. 7 Billboard Pop). The lead single "Bad Luck", written by McFadden & Whitehead with Victor Carstarphen, spent 11 weeks at number one on the Billboard Dance/Disco Chart setting a new record. In 1975, the album “Wake Up Everybody” was released. The lead single that gave the title to the album achieved worldwide success and reached number one on the "Billboard R&B Chart" and number five in the United Kingdom. The album also included a remake of Thelma Houston's hit song "Don't Leave Me This Way" (#1 on the US pop charts). Pendergrass enjoyed a very successful solo career with Philadelphia International between 1977 and 1981. In 1982, Pendergrass was involved in a very serious car accident and was paralyzed. In 1984 he signed with “Electra Records” and recorded the album: “Love Language”. In 1998 with the song "Joy", he reached number one on the Billboard R&B charts, went platinum and was nominated for a Grammy Award. Harold Melvin suffered a stroke in 1996, died on March 24, 1997, aged 57, and was buried in Ivy Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.
Album
1972 - I Miss You
1973 - Black & Blue
1975 - To Be True (feat. Theodore Pendergrass)
1975 - Wake Up Everybody
1976 - Reaching For The World
1977 - Now Is The Time
1979 - The Blue Album (feat. Sharon Paige)
1981 - All Things Happen In Time
1984 - Talk It Up (Tell Everybody)
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