2008 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Gamble & Huff on PBS
 Leon Huff, Jean Carne, Kenny Gamble and Joe Tarsiaphotos by Steed Media Servce |
The imprint that the legendary songwriting/producing tandem Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff has left on R&B and soul music is unprecedented. To celebrate their success, PBS is honoring the architects of the Philly Sound with a documentary titled “Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia.” This is the first of a two-part special highlighting their rich, musical legacy. The recent red carpet premiere for the television special was a homecoming for the Who’s Who of Philly Soul.
Artists in the Philadelphia International Records catalog like The Delfonics, Intruders, Bunny Sigler, Three Degrees, Jean Carne, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia) Orchestra, and the Soul Survivors are a sample of the talent that can be seen performing on part one of the live, nonstop taping that was recorded in high definition at Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.
 Leon Huff, TSOP and Kenny Gamble |
For the music lover and the novice critic, alike, Gamble & Huff’s creations have a sweet soulful sound that is proverbial. Familiar are their hits like “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now,” “Me and Mrs. Jones,” “Use to be my Girl,” “Love Train” and “Back Stabbers.” Their musical archive encompasses 3,500 songs; 70 were number one pop and R&B singles.
During the 2008 Grammy Awards, Gamble and Huff’s impact was present when Kanye West won the album of the year award for his sophomore release Graduation, which incorporated one of their hits, “Cola Bottle Baby,” into his single “Stronger.”
–kelly williams and yvette caslin
For more information, visit to www.phillysoulclassics.com.
