William “Poogie” Hart, lead singer and songwriter of the Delfonics and one of the driving forces behind the Philadelphia sound that defined the 1960s and ‘70s, died Thursday.
He was 77-years-of-age, reports The Philly Inquirer. Hart died at Temple University Hospital after complications from surgery
Kinged as one of the best falsettos of the time, Mr. Hart’s vocals and lyrics fueled some of the genre’s biggest hits, including “La-La (Means I Love You),” “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),“ and “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love).”
“He was a great leader, he believed in helping people, and he really believed in showing people some good, clean music,” said his son Hadi. “If you’ve ever listened to his music, it was very clean, no dirty lyrics. He took pride in that.”
Hart and his brother, Wilbert, founded the group with Randy Cain at Overbrook High School in the 1960s. They quickly became known for their falsettos and three-part harmonies.
Hart’s “unusual falsetto voice” was a special one to behold, according to Philadelphia International Records cofounder and Sound of Philadelphia architect Kenny Gamble — the pair met 60 years ago while living in West Philadelphia.
“People used to have contests to see who could sing the highest, and Poogie was right there with the best of them,” along with Russell Thompkins Jr. of the Stylistics, said Gamble.
The Delfonics never did record for Philadelphia International. Instead, they were signed to Philly Groove records, along with the Stylistics, who were run by their manager Stan Watson.
Still, the Delfonics collaborated with Gamble and Huff’s songwriting partner Thom Bell, the producer and arranger who provided the feathery sound on hits like “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mine This Time)” and “La-La (Means I Love You),” the latter of which was covered by Prince, among many others.
Radio Personality Jerry Blavat said the Delfonics leaned heavily on romance. The music spoke to young people who called Blavat’s show asking for the perfect song to dedicate to the person they didn’t know how to talk to.
The perfect example is the 1968 hit “La-La (Means I Love You),” penned by Mr. Hart with Bell on production and arrangement. Together the pair defined the group’s silky, sophisticated sound, which transported listeners through the highs and lows of love.
No comments:
Post a Comment