Thom Bell, producer of “Sound of Philadelphia,” and the pioneer of Philly Soul wrote songs for the Stylistics, and the Delfonics, and produced a track for Elton John passes away at 79. Let’s see what happened to him and Thom Bell cause of death in detail.
What happened to Thom Bell?
Philadelphia’s “Sound” Thom Bell, a producer best known for being a pioneer of Philadelphia soul music in the 1970s, passed away on Thursday in Bellingham, Washington. He was 79.
We remember Thom Bell: record producer, arranger, and songwriter best known for his work with Linda Creed, Gamble and Huff, the numerous hits, and the pioneers of Philly soul, according to presenter Patty Jackson of Philadelphia R&B radio station 105.3 WDAS-FM, who broke the news first.
“TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)”
MFSB’s 1974 smash song, “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia),” featured The Three Degrees on vocals. It was created by Gamble and Huff as the theme song for the American musical television program Soul Train, which focused on African American musical artists and is a famous example of the Philadelphia soul genre. The Philadelphia International Records label issued the track. It is debatably the first disco song to achieve that position, and it was the first television theme song to top the Billboard Hot 100.
Thom Bell cause of death
As per Thom’s lawyer Michael Silver, statement Mr. Bell passed away on Thursday in Bellingham, Washington, at home. Also, according to Silver, the reason for death was not immediately known.
The distinctive, lavish orchestral arrangements that made up the Sound of Philadelphia were a part of Mr. Bell’s contribution. When Mr. Bell, Mr. Gamble, and Mr. Huff created the Sound of Philadelphia, they were dubbed “The Mighty Three.”
| “Tommy and I have been best friends for over 60 years,” Gamble said in a statement. “When we first met, we decided to start writing songs together and form a singing duo ‘Kenny and Tommy’ and then our band ‘The Romeos.’ Leon Huff and I were proud to have him as part of our Mighty Three music writing team, which helped create our signature brand of TSOP. He was a great talent and my dear friend. The name of Gamble Huff and Bell will last forever. Rest in peace buddy!” |
Thom Bell: Biography
Mr. Bell was born in West Philadelphia with nine brothers and sisters after being born in Jamaica in 1943. His father played the accordion and Hawaiian lap steel guitar, and his mother was a pianist. At age 4, Mr. Bell acquired his first drum set. He also played the piano.
Little Anthony and the Imperials’ “Goin’ Out Of My Head” was playing on the air when Mr. Bell’s father established a restaurant; his family didn’t have a radio at home.
The writing and arrangements of Teddy Randazzo and Don Costa, two of Mr. Bell’s favorite artists, “were the music I was hearing in my mind,” the author remarked in 2020. With the encouragement of his mother, who passed away earlier in 2020, Mr. Bell left up classical music to create his pop music.
When Gamble walked Mr. Bell’s sister home, Mr. Bell was playing the piano in the living room, and that’s how the two of them first met. They soon formed a band called Kenny & the Romeos and began performing frequently in Camden County bars like Loretta’s Hi-Hat. Mr. Bell was replaced at the piano by Huff after he departed.
Thom’s Career
He began his career by working for Chubby Checker as a staff writer and tour guide. He worked on the Delfonics’ successes “La-La Means I Love You” and “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind” during his first production gig in 1968.
In 1965, Mr. Bell and Gamble co-wrote the Orlons’ song “I Can’t Take It.” In 1968, Mr. Bell collaborated with William Hart of the Delfonics to write “La-La Means I Love You.” The string arrangement for “Back Stabbers,” the O’Jays’ breakout smash from 1972 on the Philadelphia International Records label, was created by Mr. Bell.
He worked with Johnny Mathis, Teddy Pendergrass, Deniece Williams, and Elton John on songs. Along with Dionne Warwick, Lou Rawls, Little Anthony, the Imperials, and Dusty Springfield, Mr. Bell also collaborated with them.
Grammy Awards
The first time a prize was granted in that category was when Mr. Bell won the Grammy Award in 1975 for “Best Producer of the Year.”
As part of a televised “Salute To Music Legends,” Mr. Bell later received another Grammy honor, the 2017 “Recording Academy Trustee Award.”
Mr. Bell collaborated with David Byrne, Joss Stone, and Fatboy Slim later in his career. The song “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” which Linda Creed of Philadelphia penned for him, was the product of his most cherished collaboration. At age 37, she passed away from cancer in 1986.
“It’s just like you and your partner. When it does, you can tell. You don’t meet many folks that you can journey through life and love with. If you can do it alone, you’re lucky; if you can do it with a partner, you’re twice as lucky, Mr. Bell added. Mr. Bell was honored with a star on the Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame in 1993.
Before it was demolished in 2015, Mr. Bell co-owned the 309 S. Broad St. building with Gamble & Huff, which served as the home of Philadelphia International Records.
He coined the moniker “Mighty Three” for the publishing house and created an emblem featuring three elephants. Because they are the biggest mammal on land in the world and because of our catchy songs, he explained.
But Mr. Bell had a reputation for making his own decisions. When they established Philadelphia International Records in 1971, he opted not to collaborate with them.
Mr. Bell declared, “I’m a pretty independent guy. I don’t follow anybody. I want to lead myself because I am a leader. His mantra was “You never can tell when you’re with the Bell,” which he frequently recited.
Mr. Bell claimed that he was unconcerned by the fact that his name was not as well-known as those of Gamble and Huff. Bell remarked, “I got what I deserved. “Making music gave me a sense of satisfaction. I was able to earn some money. And I had the freedom to think and act as I pleased.
For the love of music, I’m here. My heart beats in response to that. According to Silver, Mr. Bell is survived by his wife Vanessa, as well as his kids Royal, Troy, Tia, Mark, Cybell, and Christopher. Funeral plans weren’t available right away.
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Lavanya (Senior Editor) is a full-time content writer with almost 5 years of experience and a part-time teacher. She joined Medico Topics on the Breaking News trainee scheme in 2022 and now works on MedicoTopics.com. As a lifelong learner, She is constantly curious about learning new things and passionate about sharing knowledge with people through her writing and teaching.