Гарольд Мелвин және «Блю Ноутс» тобының тарихы

American soul and R&B vocal group

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes was an American soul and R&B vocal group. One of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s, the group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo wop, and disco. Founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the middle of the 1950s as The Charlemagnes, the group is most noted for several hits on Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International label between 1972 and 1976, although they performed and recorded until Melvin's death in 1997. Despite group founder and original lead singer Harold Melvin's top billing, the Blue Notes' most famous member was Teddy Pendergrass, their lead singer during the successful years at Philadelphia International. The remaining members of the Blue Notes have reunited for Soul Train Cruises in 2013, 2015, and 2017.

The group formerly known as The Charlemagnes took on the name "The Blue Notes" in 1954, with a line up consisting of lead singer Franklin Peaker, Bernard Williams, Roosevelt Brodie, Jesse Gillis, Jr., and Harold Melvin. The group recorded for a number of labels without success from its inception into the 1960s. The 1960 single "My Hero" was a minor hit for Val ue Records, as the drummer for their backing band. "Bad Luck" holds the record for the longest running number one hit on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart: 11 weeks. A fourth number 1 R&B hit for the group was 1975's "Hope That We Can Be Together Soon" which featured female vocalist Sharon Paige. A 1976 remake of "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Motown artist Thelma Houston was a number one hit on the US pop chart. The Blue Notes' version on the album, Wake Up Everybody, was not released as a single in the US at the time, but proved to be the group's biggest hit in the UK (number 5) when released there as a single in 1977. and was laid to rest at the Ivy Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia. Lawrence Brown died of a respiratory condition on April 6, 2008, at age 63. In addition, three former members of the group would die during the year 2010. First, Teddy Pendergrass died of respiratory failure on January 13, 2010, at age 59, after having previously dealt with colon cancer. Six months later, original member Roosevelt Brodie, who was the second tenor for the original Blue Notes, died July 13, 2010, at age 75 due to complications of diabetes. And just five months later in that year, Bernard Wilson died on December 26, 2010, at age 64 from complications of a stroke and a heart attack. Pendergrass' predecessor, John Atkins, died of an aneurysm in 1998. David Ebo, who succeeded Pendergrass, died of bone cancer on November 30, 1993, at age 43. The death of Sharon Paige was reported on July 5, 2020. Gil Saunders died on February 4, 2021. Lloyd Parks, Jerry Cummings, and Bobby Cook are the sole survivors of the Blue Notes.

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes hits have been re recorded by other artists, including David Ruffin, Simply Red, Jimmy Somerville, Sybil, the Three Degrees and John Legend, while dance music DJ Danny Rampling cites "Wake Up Everybody" as his favorite song of all time. Gil Saunders continued to perform as a solo artist, and performed all the hits of the past as well as his own material. Several members of various incarnations of the Blue Notes continue to tour as "Harold Melvin's Blue Notes". Melvin's widow, Ovelia currently manages Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, featuring lead singer Donnell "Big Daddy" Gillespie, Anthony Brooks, Rufus Thorne and John Morris. For his album This Note's for You, singer Neil Young named his back up band, the Blue Notes, without permission from name rights holder Harold Melvin. Melvin took legal action against Young over use of the Blue Notes name, forcing the singer to change the name of the back up band to "Ten Men Workin'" during the balance of the tour that promoted the This Note's for You album. The band is mentioned on Snoop Dogg's 1993 album Doggystyle. In the intro for "Doggy Dogg World" Snoop says "Bitch, you without me is like Harold Melvin without the Blue Notes, you'll never go platinum!" Former member Jerry Cummings is an ordained minister and has been asked to form Jerry Cummings' Blue Notes but has turned down the offer. As of May 2014 Jerry Cummings became the Music Life Coach and producer of the X Factor superstar Lillie McCloud and Lillie has recorded one of Cummings' songs "The Other Part of Me". Rapper Big Boi uses a sample of "I Miss You" on his song "Shine Blockas" feat. Gucci Mane. "I Miss You" was also sampled by Kanye West on Jay Z's song "This Can't Be Life", featuring Beanie Sigel and Scarface. Also the R&B singer Pleasure P used a sample of "I Miss You" on his song "Letter to My Ex" recorded in 2013. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2007. Neil Young named his This Note's for You backing band The Bluenotes, however, Harold Melvin took legal action, and the album subsequently was credited as a Young solo album, with the backing band's credits removed.