Thom Bell(1943-2022)
- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Composer / arranger / record producer Thom Bell is known as one of the
chief architects of "The Sound Of Philadelphia". In the
mid-'60s he was
the house pianist at The Uptown Theatre in Philadelphia and later
became musical director for Chubby Checker.
In 1966 he partnered up with entrepreneur Stan Watson to produce a
local group called The Delfonics. In early
1968 they had their first smash with "La-La Means I Love You", and for
the next two years wrote, produced and arranged such hits for the group
as "I'm Sorry", "Break Your Promise", "Ready Or Not, Here I Come" and
"Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time"). In late 1970 Bell broke off with
the group to work with another Philadelphia group called
The Stylistics, and wrote and produced
songs for them for three years. He simultaneously produced The
Stylistics and former Motown artists
The Spinners. Between all this, he still
found time to provide hit arrangements for his boyhood pal
Kenny Gamble's
Philadelphia-International Records.