Thom Bell, the Grammy Award-winning producer, writer and arranger who helped perfect the “Sound of Philadelphia” of the 1970s, has died. He was 79 years old.
As a musical pioneer, he was significantly involved in creating the original, orchestral settings of hits such as “I’ll Be Around” by The Spinner and “Betcha by Golly, Wow” by The Stylistics.
Bell’s wife Vanessa Bell said he died at his home in Bellingham, Washington, on Thursday, December 22, after a long illness. She declined to give any further details.
Thom Bell is from Jamaica and moved to Philadelphia as a child. He used the classic influences of his youth and favorite composers such as Oscar winner Ennio Morricone to add a kind of cinematic dimension and splendor to the gospel-inspired harmonies of the Spinners, Stylistics, Delfonics and other groups.
Only a few producers and arrangers were comparable to Bell when it came to the mood — be it the solemn strings and horns at the start of “Mighty Love” by the Spinners, the deadly piano playing at the beginning of “Back Stabbers” by the O’Jays or the blissful oboe of “Betcha by Golly, Wow,” a soulful dreamland that is reminiscent of a Walt Disney movie composed by Smokey Robinson.
“No one is in my brain but me, which is why some of the things I’m thinking of are crazy — I listen to oboes, bassoons, and English horns,” he told recordcollectormag.com in 2020.
“An arranger told me, ‘Thom Bell, black people don’t listen to that. ‘I said, ‘Why do you limit yourself to black people? ‘I make music for people. ‘”
Midas Touch
Bell often worked with poet Linda Creed and worked on more than 30 gold records from 1968-78, when Philadelphia became as important a center of soul music as Detroit and Motown Records were in the 1960s. He was an independent producer, but so important to the Philadelphia International Records empire built by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff that the publishing house they founded together was called Mighty Three Music.
Bells weiteren Hits gehörten „La-La (Means I Love You)“ von den Delfonics, „You Make Me Feel Brand New“ von The Stylistics, Joe Simons „Drowning in the Sea of Love“ und Elton Johns „Mama Can’t Buy You Love“.
He is widely credited with reviving The Spinners, a former Motown act that hasn’t had a hit in years. Bell recorded with them in the early 1970s and helped create hits like “I’ll Be Around,” “Ghetto Child,” and “The Rubberband Man.”
chart topper “Then Came You” by the Spinner featured Dionne Warwick, who was skeptical that the uptempo ballad would prevail. Bell tore a dollar bill in half and got Warwick to agree that anyone who guessed wrong about the song would have to write an apology for their half of the money and send it to the other person. Bell would stick to the signed note he received from Warwick for a long time.
He also worked with some personal favorites, such as an album with Anthony Gourdine from Little Anthony of the Imperials, one of his early influences, and “I’m Coming Home” and “Mathis Is…” for Johnny Mathis, whom Bell would describe as the most talented singer he’s ever worked with, “Sterling of Sterling.”
Thom Bell, the Grammy Award-winning producer, writer and arranger who helped perfect the “Sound of Philadelphia” of the 1970s, has died. He was 79 years old.
As a musical pioneer, he was significantly involved in creating the original, orchestral settings of hits such as “I’ll Be Around” by The Spinner and “Betcha by Golly, Wow” by The Stylistics.
Bell’s wife Vanessa Bell said he died at his home in Bellingham, Washington, on Thursday, December 22, after a long illness. She declined to give any further details.
Thom Bell is from Jamaica and moved to Philadelphia as a child. He used the classic influences of his youth and favorite composers such as Oscar winner Ennio Morricone to add a kind of cinematic dimension and splendor to the gospel-inspired harmonies of the Spinners, Stylistics, Delfonics and other groups.
Only a few producers and arrangers were comparable to Bell when it came to the mood — be it the solemn strings and horns at the start of “Mighty Love” by the Spinners, the deadly piano playing at the beginning of “Back Stabbers” by the O’Jays or the blissful oboe of “Betcha by Golly, Wow,” a soulful dreamland that is reminiscent of a Walt Disney movie composed by Smokey Robinson.
“No one is in my brain but me, which is why some of the things I’m thinking of are crazy — I listen to oboes, bassoons, and English horns,” he told recordcollectormag.com in 2020.
“An arranger told me, ‘Thom Bell, black people don’t listen to that. ‘I said, ‘Why do you limit yourself to black people? ‘I make music for people. ‘”
Midas Touch
Bell often worked with poet Linda Creed and worked on more than 30 gold records from 1968-78, when Philadelphia became as important a center of soul music as Detroit and Motown Records were in the 1960s. He was an independent producer, but so important to the Philadelphia International Records empire built by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff that the publishing house they founded together was called Mighty Three Music.
Bells weiteren Hits gehörten „La-La (Means I Love You)“ von den Delfonics, „You Make Me Feel Brand New“ von The Stylistics, Joe Simons „Drowning in the Sea of Love“ und Elton Johns „Mama Can’t Buy You Love“.
He is widely credited with reviving The Spinners, a former Motown act that hasn’t had a hit in years. Bell recorded with them in the early 1970s and helped create hits like “I’ll Be Around,” “Ghetto Child,” and “The Rubberband Man.”
chart topper “Then Came You” by the Spinner featured Dionne Warwick, who was skeptical that the uptempo ballad would prevail. Bell tore a dollar bill in half and got Warwick to agree that anyone who guessed wrong about the song would have to write an apology for their half of the money and send it to the other person. Bell would stick to the signed note he received from Warwick for a long time.
He also worked with some personal favorites, such as an album with Anthony Gourdine from Little Anthony of the Imperials, one of his early influences, and “I’m Coming Home” and “Mathis Is…” for Johnny Mathis, whom Bell would describe as the most talented singer he’s ever worked with, “Sterling of Sterling.”