the o'jays

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简介

by Steve Huey The OJays were one of Philadelphia souls most popular and long-lived outfits, rivaled only by the Spinners as souls greatest vocal group of the 70s. In their prime, the OJays recordings epitomized the Philly soul sound: smooth, rich harmonies backed by elaborate arrangements, lush strings, and a touch of contemporary funk. They worked extensively with the legendary production/songwriting team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, becoming the flagship artist of the duos Philadelphia International label. The OJays were equally at home singing sweet love ballads or up-tempo dance tunes, the latter of which were often mouthpieces for Gamble & Huffs social concerns. Although the OJays couldnt sustain their widespread popularity in the post-disco age, they continued to record steadily all the way up to the present day, modifying their production to keep up with the times. The OJays were formed in 1958 in Canton, OH, where all five original members - Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, William Powell, Bill Isles, and Bobby Massey - attended McKinley High School. Inspired to start a singing group after seeing a performance by Frankie Lymon in turn, the group renamed itself the OJays in 1963, after having recorded for Apollo Records with producer Don Davis. Under their new name, the OJays signed with Imperial and hooked up with producer H.B. Barnum, who would helm their first charting single, 1963s Lonely Drifter, plus several more singles that followed. Isles left the group in 1965 and was not replaced, leaving them a quartet; late in the year, they released their first-ever album, Comin Through. In 1967, the OJays left Imperial for Bell, where they landed their first Top Ten single on the R then working as a production team for the Neptune label - in 1968. Gamble however, Neptune folded in 1971, leaving the OJays in limbo, and Massey decided to exit the group. Fortunately, Gamble now a trio - one of their first signings. The OJays label debut, Back Stabbers, released in 1972, became a classic landmark of Philly soul, and finally made the group stars; the paranoid title track hit the pop Top Five, and the utopian Love Train went all the way to number one (both singles topped the R it featured the number one R&B hit For the Love of Money, a funky protest number that still ranks as one of their signature songs, as well as the ten-minute title track, an ambitious suite recounting the ocean journeys of African slaves. 1975s Survival was another hit, spinning off the hits Let Me Make Love to You and the R&B number one Give the People What They Want. Family Reunion found the group making concessions to the emerging disco sound, which got them their third Top Five pop hit in I Love Music, Pt. 1. Unfortunately, William Powell was diagnosed with cancer that year, and although he continued to record with the group for a time (appearing on 1976s Message in Our Music), he was forced to retire from live performing, and passed away on May 26, 1977. Powells replacement was Sammy Strain, a 12-year veteran of Little Anthony with Nathaniel Best replacing Sammy Strain, 1991s Emotionally Yours and 1993s Heartbreaker also placed very well on the R as the new jack swing craze subsided, so did the groups recording activity, though they remained consistent draws on the live circuit. In 1997, now with Eric Grant joining Levert and Williams, they returned with Love You to Tears. A recording layoff followed, during which the group signed with MCA; they debuted for the label with For the Love..., which was released in 2001. (更多)

别名	the o'jays
唱片公司	emi百代唱片
Alias	the o'jays
Extra	the o'jays
Name	the o'jays
原始名称	The O'Jays
名称	the o'jays
国籍	美国