Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell tell the tale of Philly soul.
Leon Huff, Thom Bell and Kenneth Gamble (from left) in Philadelphia in 1973. Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.
From scorching message songs to sexy ballads, laidback steppers to boogie joints, the catalog of Philadelphia International Records (PIR) is both unmistakably bold and warmly enticing. Spearheaded by the influential songwriting and production partnership of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, along with invaluable input from their colleague Thom Bell, a producer, arranger and musician, the label put out 15 Gold singles and 22 Gold albums, including eight Platinum LPs, during its 1970s and early ’80s heyday, and nurtured the careers of artists including Lou Rawls, Patti LaBelle, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and the O’Jays. Most important, and impressive, was how the label created a timeless signature sound — quite literally — that changed the trajectory of global popular music, from R&B to disco to hip-hop and DJ culture. As told by Gamble, Huff and Bell, all now spirited in their late 70s, this is the story of the Philadelphia sound, a.k.a. Philly soul.