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MFSB
MFSB, officially standing for "Mother Father Sister Brother", was a pool of more than 30 studio musicians based at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O'Jays, the Stylistics, the Spinners, Wilson Pickett, and Billy Paul.
In 1972, MFSB began recording as a named act for the Philadelphia International label. "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", also known as the Soul Train theme, was their second and most successful single. Released in March 1974, it peaked at number one on the US Billboard pop and R&B charts. "TSOP" was influential in establishing the disco sound. The track sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA in April 1974.
MFSB formed in 1971 and disbanded in 1985, three years after Teddy Pendergrass' car accident, which left him paralyzed.
Assembled by record producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, MFSB was the house band for their Philadelphia International Records label and originated "Philly sound" that dominated the early 1970s for the artists who recorded at the Sigma Sound Studios, including The O'Jays, The Spinners, Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes, the Intruders, the Three Degrees, Jerry Butler, and Teddy Pendergrass. Later in the decade, the collective would become known for the hi-hat-dominated disco sounds that became popular in the late 1970s with groups such as the Trammps, First Choice, Ripple and Double Exposure.[citation needed]
It was the 1973 release of their first album, MFSB, that put them on the map. This marked the beginning of a string of instrumental hits that brought major attention to a large orchestra who laid the foundation for the Sound of Philadelphia. The line-up of musicians included Karl Chambers, Earl Young, and Norman Fearrington on drums; Norman Harris, Roland Chambers, Bobby Eli, and T. J. Tindall on guitar; Winnie Wilford and Ronnie Baker on bass; Vincent Montana Jr. on vibes, timpani, orchestra bells, chimes, percussion, arrangements and conductor, and Larry Washington on congas and bongos, Harold Ivory Williams Jr. Jr. on keyboards, plus Leon Huff and Thom Bell on keyboards and Don Renaldo on strings and horns featuring Rocco Bene on trumpet.[citation needed]
MFSB's disco sound first hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts as the backing band for the O'Jays' "Love Train" in March 1973.
In 2005, drummer Keith Benson (who along with Charles Collins and Quinton Joseph, had joined the group in 1975 upon Earl Young's departure) revived the group with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s help. The lineup included himself on drums, Jimmy Williams and Stacey McGee on bass, Dennis Harris and Barton French on guitars, Carla Benson and Michael Clark on vocals.
In the spring of 1974, Philadelphia International released an instrumental track which had been recorded by the band as the theme music for the television show Soul Train as a single. The record, titled "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also topped the R&B chart and the adult contemporary chart. The success of "TSOP" launched a recording career for the band under their own name. MFSB albums and singles were released for the rest of the decade.
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MFSB
MFSB, officially standing for "Mother Father Sister Brother", was a pool of more than 30 studio musicians based at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O'Jays, the Stylistics, the Spinners, Wilson Pickett, and Billy Paul.
In 1972, MFSB began recording as a named act for the Philadelphia International label. "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", also known as the Soul Train theme, was their second and most successful single. Released in March 1974, it peaked at number one on the US Billboard pop and R&B charts. "TSOP" was influential in establishing the disco sound. The track sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA in April 1974.
MFSB formed in 1971 and disbanded in 1985, three years after Teddy Pendergrass' car accident, which left him paralyzed.
Assembled by record producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, MFSB was the house band for their Philadelphia International Records label and originated "Philly sound" that dominated the early 1970s for the artists who recorded at the Sigma Sound Studios, including The O'Jays, The Spinners, Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes, the Intruders, the Three Degrees, Jerry Butler, and Teddy Pendergrass. Later in the decade, the collective would become known for the hi-hat-dominated disco sounds that became popular in the late 1970s with groups such as the Trammps, First Choice, Ripple and Double Exposure.[citation needed]
It was the 1973 release of their first album, MFSB, that put them on the map. This marked the beginning of a string of instrumental hits that brought major attention to a large orchestra who laid the foundation for the Sound of Philadelphia. The line-up of musicians included Karl Chambers, Earl Young, and Norman Fearrington on drums; Norman Harris, Roland Chambers, Bobby Eli, and T. J. Tindall on guitar; Winnie Wilford and Ronnie Baker on bass; Vincent Montana Jr. on vibes, timpani, orchestra bells, chimes, percussion, arrangements and conductor, and Larry Washington on congas and bongos, Harold Ivory Williams Jr. Jr. on keyboards, plus Leon Huff and Thom Bell on keyboards and Don Renaldo on strings and horns featuring Rocco Bene on trumpet.[citation needed]
MFSB's disco sound first hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts as the backing band for the O'Jays' "Love Train" in March 1973.
In 2005, drummer Keith Benson (who along with Charles Collins and Quinton Joseph, had joined the group in 1975 upon Earl Young's departure) revived the group with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s help. The lineup included himself on drums, Jimmy Williams and Stacey McGee on bass, Dennis Harris and Barton French on guitars, Carla Benson and Michael Clark on vocals.
In the spring of 1974, Philadelphia International released an instrumental track which had been recorded by the band as the theme music for the television show Soul Train as a single. The record, titled "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)", reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also topped the R&B chart and the adult contemporary chart. The success of "TSOP" launched a recording career for the band under their own name. MFSB albums and singles were released for the rest of the decade.