A Life Worth Singing: Remembering The Musical Genius of Thom Bell (1943-2022)
Singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, pianist, and composer, Bell was known as one of the creators of The Sound of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. We remember, and enjoy a Playlist of his finest.
Grammy-winning producer, arranger, and songwriter Thom Bell, who, along with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, helped create the Sound of Philadelphia (TSOP), famous in the late 1960s through the ‘70s, has died. He was 79.
His lawyer, Michael Silver, provided a statement saying Mr. Bell died at home Thursday, December 22, in Bellingham, Washington, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Part of Mr. Bell’s contribution to The Sound of Philadelphia was its signature lush orchestral arrangements. Mr. Bell, Gamble, and Huff were known as ‘The Mighty Three’ when they developed TSOP,” the paper added.
“Tommy and I have been best friends for over 60 years,” Gamble said in a statement. “When we first met, we decided to start writing songs together and form a singing duo ‘Kenny and Tommy,’ and then our band ‘The Romeos.’
“Leon Huff and I were proud to have him as part of our Mighty Three music writing team, which helped create our signature brand of TSOP. He was a great talent and my dear friend. The name of Gamble, Huff and Bell will last forever. Rest in peace, buddy!”
In his own statement, according to The Inquirer, Huff said: ”Thom Bell was my favorite musician, arranger, songwriter and music producer of all time! It was my esteem, honor, and pleasure to work with him creatively and as a business partner. Rest in peace.”
The Songwriters Hall of Fame Remembers
“Born in 1943 in Jamaica [but raised in Philadelphia], Bell (a 2006 SHOF inductee) studied classical music as a child. As a teen, he met up with and joined Gamble in The Romeos. He learned to play multiple instruments, and planned to become a classical conductor, but at age 22 he became a staff writer and touring conductor for singer Chubby Checker (of The Twist fame).
“He then earned his first production gig for a local group called the Delfonics (pictured below) in 1968. The combination yielded two big hits in 1969, ‘La La Means I Love You’ and ‘Didn’t I Blow Your Mind’.
“Bell’s early work set the stage for his style of production and arrangements: He created unique arrangements using seemingly odd instruments, such as sitars and bassoons, to create first-of-a-kind Soul sounds that others would try to emulate for years afterward.
“His productions tended to be lush and orchestral (influenced by his classical background), but with hot, pulsating beats and excellent vocal arrangements. While his work may have owed a debt to the Motown sound of the ‘60s, he clearly took Soul music to a new and different level, and his work became the template for dozens of acts throughout the ‘70s.
“In 1971, Bell produced the debut album by the Stylistics, and with his songwriting partner, lyricist and1992 SHOF inductee Linda Creed (pictured below), contributed such classics as ‘Betcha By Golly Wow’ and ‘You Are Everything’ to that seminal album.
“He also provided production and arrangement work on the O’Jays’ Backstabbers album and completed one of his greatest works, the Spinners’ self-titled Atlantic Records debut (which included ‘I’ll Be Around’ and ‘Could It Be I’m Falling In Love’ [with FR&B articles on each accessible below], and ‘Ghetto Child’, among others). Bell won a Grammy Award in 1975 in the category of Best Producer of the Year.”
Condolences From Across the Industry
Drummer, Earl Young, MFSB (“Mother Father Sister Brother,” the Sigma Sound Studio session conglomerate, with Young pictured above): “I can’t believe my hero is gone. Thom Bell, a man who believed in me and hired me to record music when I couldn’t even read a note and taught me so many things about music. He is truly a Philly legend! I will miss you, my friend. RIP.” For more on Young:
Nile Rodgers (Chic, Roosevelt): “RIP Thom Bell. He is one of the greatest writers and producers of all time. My condolences go out to his family and friends. He was the architect of the relationship between Bernard Edwards and me as we were the band for the group New York City (“I’m Doing Fine Now”) a Thom Bell smash” (#3 on our above Playlist).
Rochelle Fleming (First Choice, shown above): “I thought we were clear from any more deaths in 2022; then I get word that the fabulous and talented Thom Bell has passed away. What an amazing and gifted songwriter who has written hits for so many artists! Meeting him as a young teenager as the founder of The Debonettes, I have so many memories with him. He played on First Choice’s albums. He had co-written ‘One Step Away’ with Norman Harris and Ronnie Baker, one of the first songs First Choice had ever recorded [in 1973], accessible above. RIP Thom, I will miss you!”
?uestlove (above): “Thom Bell was the PHILLY-est of the foundational songwriters that gave my city its identity. Be it covers/samples/the originals from soundtracks from wedding bands, karaoke, or seeing in concert—his life’s work no doubt was our soundtrack. Rest In Melody, Thom Bell!”
Leroy Burgess (relative, singer/songwriter, producer, and member of Black Ivory): “THOUGHTS ON MY ‘UNCLE’ THOM (BELL): In the very early days of the Annual Bell/Scott Family Reunion/Picnic, I met him for the 1st time. He was actually my mom’s cousin (not an actual uncle), but because he was in my mom’s age group, I referred to him as ‘uncle’ out of respect; I was a kid, after all.
“Most often, I’d find him ‘choppin’ it up’ with cousin Douglas Bowen, talking all things musical. I followed him around like a lost puppy, soaking up everything I could. I really had little to no idea of what they were talking about. I just knew it was music. My mom would shoo me away from them every time she caught me.
“Then, abruptly, he stopped coming. Several years would pass before my mom bought an album by Jerry Butler, The Iceman Cometh. I used to love to read the liner credits and spotted his name on a song I really liked (‘Are You Happy’). I said ‘Mommy, is this ‘uncle’ Tommy?” She smiled and nodded. ‘Play it again! Play it again!’
“Many more years passed. And, a thousand songs later, I heard and was influenced by every note. Every ‘La La,’ every ‘Betcha..’, every ‘Mighty Love’ and ‘Life Is A Song...’, every ‘Silly (Of Me)’; nothing escaped my notice.
“Our group, Black Ivory, modeled ourselves around his work. ‘Don’t Turn Around’ and ‘You & I’ (both above) were obvious attempts to emulate his immaculate work. In a way, he’s almost as responsible for us as was [the late] Patrick Adams [songwriter/producer/arranger, passed away in June 2022]. Matter of fact, I was singing the Delfonics’ ‘Can You Remember’ (1968 song co-written and co-produced by Bell) when Patrick first heard me.
“GOD calls HIS Angels back when HE wants them.
But HE always leaves something behind.
“In this instance, HE has left an overflowing plethora of musical vibrations which borders on the miraculous. Almost enough to make this moment less painful.
Almost.
“REST WELL IN THY REWARD, MY ANCESTRAL MUSICAL GUIDE. THANK YOU FOR EVERY SINGLE MOMENT.”
RELATED:
For an exhaustive Thom Bell songwriting/arranging credit list, please see this Discogs page, which also has a link to his production credits. For more info, the EU release of the June 2020 Kent Soul Records’ Ready Or Not (Thom Bell Philly Soul Arrangements & Productions 1965-1978) album:
Nice piece. Here's another tribute you might want to check out — https://theseconddisc.com/2022/12/23/in-memoriam-thom-bell-1943-2022/. If you haven't gone to The Second Disc website, they do some good work reporting on reissues.
Happy New Year to you!
Excellent article, Brad!