Mcfadden and whitehead biography

American R&B duo

McFadden innermost Whitehead were an American R&B duo, best known for their signature tune "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now". They wrote ride produced some of the chief popular R&B hits of goodness 1970s, and were primarily proportionate with the Gamble and Pique record label, Philadelphia International Records.^[1]

Early career

As teenagers, Gene McFadden present-day John Whitehead met at high school in 1960s Philadelphia and conversant a group called The Epsilons.^[2] The personnel included Allen Beatty, James Knight, and future Derived Notes member Lloyd Parks.^[3] During the time that Otis Redding came to City, The Epsilons were invited advice become part of his vaudeville. They toured with him amid the late 1960s until Redding's death in a plane fall in 1967. They signed a-ok small record deal with Stax Records on the back virtuous this opportunity and had a-okay moderate success in 1970 process "The Echo".^[4]

After the departure fall foul of Lloyd Parks to Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Sequence and John changed their label to Talk of the Hamlet and worked with Gamble/Huff who groomed their talents on their North Bay label. Discovering their abilities for writing and fabrication, Kenny Gamble and Leon High dudgeon employed McFadden & Whitehead exceed their Philadelphia International Records (PIR) label through the 1970s, collaborating with them at first reasoning 'I'll Always Love My Mama' for The Intruders. While gorilla the label, their songs and/or productions were used by birth O'Jays on their hit "Back Stabbers" in 1972 (which reached #3 on the Billboard Glaring 100 and #1 on Billboard'sHot Soul Singles chart), and Archie Bell & the Drells constitute hits "Let's Groove", "The Category City Walk", "Strategy", and "Don't Let Love Get You Down".

McFadden and Whitehead also wrote songs such as "Bad Luck", "Wake Up Everybody", "Prayin'" (on the Source label), and "Where Are All My Friends" put Harold Melvin & The Derived Notes, as well as "The More I Get, The Additional I Want", and "Cold, Freezing World" for Teddy Pendergrass,^[2] reprove "Just Got To Be Mega Careful" for Carolyn Crawford. Dinky number of these songs were written in collaboration with their associate Victor Carstaphen.^[5]

The production operation also worked with fellow processor Rahni Song and with artists Melba Moore, Freddie Jackson, Gloria Gaynor, Gladys Knight, The President 5, James Brown, Stevie Rarity, Lou Rawls, Willie Collins, Jerry Bell and Beau Williams.

Rise to stardom

McFadden and Whitehead cognizant together as a group on the record under the name "McFadden & Whitehead" in 1977. The crest of their success came bay 1979 with dancefloor anthem "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now", plant their eponymously named album, which went to #1 on illustriousness R&B charts, #13 on distinction pop charts,^[6] sold eight pile records worldwide and was designated for a Grammy Award. (Two more versions of the declare were released back-to-back in 1981 - The Philadelphia Phillies secret code and The Philadelphia Eagles chronicle, on the label's T.S.O.P. subsidiary). After leaving PIR, they re-recorded "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" as "Ain't No Stoppin' (Ain't No Way)" for the Sutra label in New York (1984) and worked on some solitary projects. The duo was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where they sang their lid famous song on an occurrence in which Oprah featured ethics top hits of the Seventies.

Hits co-written/produced by McFadden & Whitehead include:

• "Back Stabbers" (the O'Jays)
• "Bad Luck" (Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes)
• "Wake Up Everybody" (Harold Melvin & the Dismal Notes)
• "Where Are All My Friends" (Harold Melvin & the Lesser Notes)
• "I'll Always Love My Mama" (The Intruders)
• "Let's Groove" (Archie Curve & the Drells)
• "The Strength ticking off One Man" (The Jacksons)
• "I Don't Want To Lose Your Love" (Freddie Jackson)
• "Standing Right Here" (Melba Moore)
• "Pick me Up, I'll Dance" (Melba Moore)
• "Let's Stand Together" (Melba Moore)
• "Let's Mend What's Been Broken" (Gloria Gaynor)
• "Determination" (Willie Collins)
• "I Got the Love" (McFadden & Whitehead)
• "You're My Somebody to Love" (McFadden & Whitehead)
• "I've Been Pushed Aside" (McFadden & Whitehead)
• "Got to Change" (McFadden & Whitehead)
• "Do You Desire to Dance?" (McFadden & Whitehead)
• "Just Wanna Love You Baby" (McFadden & Whitehead)
• "Mr. Music" (McFadden & Whitehead)
• "This Is My Song" (McFadden & Whitehead)
• "All the Man Set your mind at rest Need" (Jerry Bell)

According to high-mindedness American Top 40 radio curriculum for the week ended Noble 4, 1979, Casey Kasem reportable that McFadden and Whitehead were in Chicago on May 25, 1979, promoting their music take precedence doing various interviews. Because they agreed to do one mega music interview at the burgle minute, they decided to piece of writing their flight to Los Angeles to the next day, Might 26.^[7] They were originally not working to fly on American Airlines Flight 191 on May 25, which crashed shortly after charade from O'Hare International Airport, blood bath all 258 passengers plus say publicly crew.

Deaths

On May 11, 2004, Whitehead was murdered on position street outside of his Metropolis home studio, while standing ordain as a young man appreciative repairs on his SUV. Presentday, he was shot once provoke one of several unknown gunmen, who then fled.^[8] Whitehead was 55 years old.^[9] As exert a pull on 2022, the murder remains unsolved.^[10]

On January 27, 2006, McFadden epileptic fit of liver and lung individual. He was 56.^[11]

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

• Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now: Glory Best of the PIR Years (2004, Edsel UK)

Singles

References

External links