Among the session musicians the company used at its facility at 309 South Broad Street were Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell, who also had a soul band called The Romeos that played local clubs. The three chomped at the bit to try their hands at some writing and producing as well. Gamble and Huff got their chance in 1964 with a record by Candy and the Kisses called “The ’81.” It wasn’t a huge hit, but it gained them some national attention. They got the opportunity to write “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” for Dee Dee Warwick, a singer who had the double misfortune of being overshadowed by her sister Dionne and having her own hits covered and eclipsed by others. Such was the case with this tune, which was done by The Supremes in 1968. This turn of events didn’t bother Gamble and Huff, however; they now had the chance to work with a wide array of soul and r&b acts.
The mid-sixties was a peak moment for white soul, as evidenced by The Righteous Brothers and The Rascals. One such act was a New York vocal group called The Dedications, which added guitar, organ and drums and became The Soul Survivors. Gamble and Huff penned a mighty piece of passionate big-city rock for them called “Expressway To Your Heart,” which appeared on the Crimson label and topped the charts in 1967.
In 1968, Thom Bell hooked up with a couple of black Philadelphia vocal groups whose sounds were characterized by falsetto lead vocals and a light rhythmic touch. The Delfonics recorded on manage Stan Watson’s Philly Groove label. The group’s founder, William Hart, penned its hits, the two most memorable being “La La La Means I Love You” and “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time.” The Stylistics, formed out of the demise of longtime local favorites The Monarchs and The Percussions, called the Avco label home. They had hits into the seventies, including “Betcha By Golly Wow” and “Stone In Love With You.”
