It was through their work with Philadelphia International, though, that Gamble and Huff really turned Philadelphia into the Motown of the ’70s, with a trademark of sweet melodies, lush arrangements, dense productions, emotional lyrics and powerhouse vocal performances - as well as increasingly propulsive rhythms, which presaged and helped clear the way for disco’s incoming onslaught as the decade progressed. On Being Black: How Gamble & Huff Turned a Dream into Destiny 9”), proving themselves - along with go-to like arrangers Thom Bell, Bobby Martin and Norman Harris - as the preeminent sonic architects of Philly soul. Gamble and Huff had found success in the late ’60s helming hits for local acts like the Soul Survivors (“Expressway to Your Heart”) and The Intruders (“Cowboys to Girls”), as well as for national stars like Jerry Butler (“Only the Strong Survive”) and Wilson Pickett (“Engine No. Philadelphia International Records, founded by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, was formed in 1971 from the ashes of Neptune Records, with a number of up-and-coming R&B artists based out of the City of Brotherly Love. The Sound of Philadelphia was promised, and for the next 10 years and beyond, the Sound of Philadelphia was delivered.
The new label offered a new style for a new decade, from a new geographical hub of elite writers, producers, singers, arrangers and session players. Fifty years ago, a new label started by two esteemed hitmakers turned the corner on the crossover soul-pop of Motown and gritty Southern R&B of Stax/Volt, which had defined the sound of Black America in the ’60s.