ABSTRACT

Philadelphia International Records was formed in 1971 by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, both of whom started out as penniless Black youths from the ghettos of West Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, respectively. Philadelphia International was the last major American independent record label to develop a regional sound. The Sound of Philadelphia was a multilayered, bottom-heavy brand of sophisticated and glossy urban rhythm and blues. Before its demise, Philadelphia International produced nine platinum-certifi ed albums and fi fteen gold-certifi ed albums, by Patti LaBelle, McFadden & Whitehead, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, the O’Jays, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, and Lou Rawls. But the vocals of those artists-and of other Philadelphia International singers-were merely one component of a rigid assembly-line formula perfected by Gamble and Huff. Relying on that hit-making precept, the two parlayed Philadelphia International Records into the second-largest Black-owned recording company, right behind Motown.