Thom Bell
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Thom Bell (born January 26, 1943, Kingston, Jamaica) was the record producer behind much of the Philadelphia soul subgenre of soul music in the 1970s. Born in Jamaica he moved to Philadelphia as a child.
[edit] Biography
Bell was classically trained but as a teenager had sung with Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Daryl Hall (of Hall and Oates fame). Bell's first big break in soul music came with Cameo Records in Philadelphia in 1967, where he was introduced to a local group called The Delfonics. Bell brought a smooth, lush style to soul, and his production talents yielded several big hits for the group including "La-La (Means I Love You)" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)," the latter nominated for a Grammy Award in 1970.
By 1972, Bell had left the Delfonics to produce another local group, The Stylistics, this time on Avco Records. By then he had teamed up with the Philadelphia born songwriter Linda Creed and Russell Thompkins Jr, lead singer with the Stylistics. This partnership generated three albums full of memorable tracks. Bell and Creed became one of the era's dominant soul songwriting teams, penning hits such as "I'm Stone In Love With You," and "Break Up to Make Up."
Shortly thereafter, Bell moved again, this time to Atlantic Records, to produce for The Spinners, who had long been with Motown Records but were not getting the attention they needed on a label packed with stars.[citation needed] Bell revitalised the group, producing five albums including chart success with singles such as "Mighty Love," "Ghetto Child" and "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love".
In 1975 Bell was awarded a Grammy for Best Producer of the Year. In 1976 an album followed with Dionne Warwick, Track of the Cat, but his work was beginning to lose its originality. Subsequently, Bell worked with artists such as Johnny Mathis, Billy Paul, Deniece Williams (her 1982 Top 10 remake of The Royalettes' "It's Gonna Take a Miracle"), James Ingram (his #1 1990 hit "I Don't Have the Heart") and Elton John (his EP "The Thom Bell Sessions," featured back-up by the Spinners and produced the Top 10 hit "Mama Can't Buy You Love.") He even re-teamed briefly, with the Stylistics in 1981. It is for his success with the Philadelphia sound in the 1970s, particularly with the Stylistics and Spinners, that he is remembered best. In June 2006, Bell was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
A December 2008 interview with Bell featured on the Philly Soul box set, Love Train, states he will soon compose a piece for the Philadelphia Orchestra. Past Orchestra members played in MFSB, the house band who played on many Bell productions.
