The Three Degrees
Encyclopedia
The Three Degrees are an American
female vocal group. Formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
,, the group has always been a trio though there have been a number of personnel changes and a total of fourteen women have represented the group so far. The original members were Fayette Pinkney
, Shirley Porter and Linda Turner. Their most successful line-up was Fayette with Sheila Ferguson
and Valerie Holiday, these being the ladies responsible for recording their 1974 single "When Will I See You Again
" which was a huge international hit, peaking at #2 in the US and topping the UK Singles Chart
. Shortly afterwards, the trio became known as Prince Charles
's favourite group.
and songwriter
Richard Barrett. Barrett was responsible for groups of the 1950s such as The Chantels
, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and The Valentines
. Barrett recorded
the original line-up on their first song
, entitled "Gee Baby (I'm Sorry)", for Swan Records
, in 1965. Turner and Porter both left the group, leaving Fayette Pinkney
the only original member of the group. Both Turner and Porter were replaced by Helen Scott and a variety of other ladies before Janet Harmon joined in the mid 1960s. Barrett also began managing and producing Sheila Ferguson
, who was a high school
friend of Scott. Barrett also signed Ferguson to Swan Records in 1965. The Three Degrees released a number of singles
such as "I'm Gonna Need You" and a cover version
of "Maybe" in 1966.
By 1966, with many performances lined up, Scott decided to leave the group to start a family. Ferguson filled in for Scott and would remain in the group for 20 years. Ferguson sang backup
on all the group's Swan recordings as did the Three Degrees for her solo singles. By 1967, Harmon left and was eventually replaced by Valerie Holiday. Barrett signed them to recording contract
s over the next three years with Warner Bros.
, Metromedia
, and Neptune
record labels; the latter of which was owned by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff
who would work with group five years later. Their close harmony
singing
made them a popular nightclub
act but a hit record still eluded them.
and they released their first album
, Maybe. The title song, this time with Valerie Holiday taking the lead vocals took them to #4 on the US
R&B
charts
. Other singles like "I Do Take You" and "You're The Fool" followed, as did their second album, So Much Love. This success landed them a cameo appearance in the 1971 film
, The French Connection
, filmed during one of their appearances at the Copacabana nightclub
in New York
, and also an engagement at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas
, Nevada
with Engelbert Humperdinck
.
In 1973, when their contract with Roulette had ended, Barrett signed them to Philadelphia International Records
under Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, where they were to have their greatest successes. The first song they recorded there was with the studio
band MFSB
, entitled "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)
" which was the theme song
for Soul Train
. In October 1973, the group also made an appearance on the American
television sitcom Sanford and Son
(Season 3, Episode 4), singing their song "I Didn't Know". Their first album for the Philadelphia International label, simply titled The Three Degrees
, spawned three hits; "Dirty Ol' Man" (which went gold
in the Netherlands
and Belgium
), "Year Of Decision" (which made it to #13 in the UK Singles Chart
), but it was the third single, "When Will I See You Again
", that propelled the trio
into the mainstream
. It topped the UK Chart for two weeks during August 1974 (the first all-female group to do so since The Supremes
in 1964), and became the 4th best selling single of the year. It also reached #2 in the US, selling over two million copies, and earning the trio a gold record
in December 1974 (at that time, Platinum certifications has not been assigned to singles).
The Three Degrees also recorded two live album
s; one from Leicester
in the UK, and the other from Tokyo
in Japan
, and released both in 1975. The trio's second studio album for the Philadelphia label, The Three Degrees International
, was marketed internationally under different titles and in various languages. In Continental Europe
, the album was called With Love, and it spawned the hit single "Take Good Care Of Yourself" which reached the UK Top 10. The UK release of the album was actually titled Take Good Care Of Yourself and peaked at #6 in the UK Album Chart, their highest ever chart placing for an album there. Two other songs from the album were big successes in Japan: "Midnight Train" and "Nigai Namida", the latter was recorded in Japanese
. In 1976, they parted company with Gamble and Huff and moved to CBS Sony/Epic Records where they released the concept album
, A Toast Of Love, purely for the Far East
market, although a single of the title track was released internationally. In 1976, Pinkney decided to leave the group and return to full time education and was replaced by former band member Helen Scott. In 1977, they released the album, Standing Up For Love, though this would be their last release for CBS/Epic.
In 1978, The Three Degrees signed to Ariola Records
in Europe and the US and began working with Giorgio Moroder
who had become a famed disco producer following his work with Donna Summer
. Further success was to follow, and they released two disco-styled albums on Ariola (New Dimensions
in 1978, and 3D
in 1979) which delivered four UK Top 20 hits between them: "Givin' Up Givin' In", "Woman In Love"(originally recorded by Twiggy in 1977), "The Runner", and "My Simple Heart". They also performed at Buckingham Palace
for Prince Charles'
s 30th birthday party in 1978, and would later be guests at the pre-wedding party for his marriage to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. Their own television special
, The Three Degrees at The Royal Albert Hall
(aka An Evening with The Three Degrees), was recorded in October 1979 in which the trio were backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
.
Between 1982 and 1985, The Three Degrees released two albums on their own 3D label; Album of Love and Live in the UK. On that label they also released a single written by Sheila Ferguson, entitled "Liar". A third BBC Television
show was also recorded in 1982, titled Take 3 Degrees, which included performances of their greatest hits, and also songs that the group were performing in their latest show, such as "I Can't Turn You Loose" and "Celebration". They returned to the UK charts
in 1985 with "The Heaven I Need" which was produced by Stock/Aitken/Waterman on Supreme Records
, though the single narrowly missed the UK Top 40.
In 1986, Miquel Brown
filled in for Scott whilst the latter was pregnant. That same year Ferguson decided to leave the group. Scott and Holiday replaced her with Vera Brown in 1986 and then Rhea Harris in 1987. In 1989, Scott and Holiday, along with new recruit Victoria Wallace, recorded an album entitled Three Degrees...And Holding on Ichiban Records
. A single, "A Tender Lie" was also released. Following the album, the group recorded a live CD
at London
's Dominion Theatre
, with Billy Paul
and Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes in the summer of 1989. The group followed this with another tour of the UK and Japan at the end of the year.
(of Modern Talking
). He supplied three tracks for their album Out of the Past Into the Future, marking their return to Ariola Records and their most successful album for 15 years, Two further singles were released from the album, the re-recording of "Dirty Ol' Man" and new song "Hurry Hurry". A seasonal album, Christmas With The Three Degrees, was also recorded in 1998.
Scott, Holiday and Garrison continued to tour. They made their first US TV appearance in over 20 years in 2003 on the PBS show, Rhythm, Love, and Soul with Aretha Franklin
, Lou Rawls
and Mary Wilson
. They were also part of the 'Best Disco In Town 2004 Tour' with The Pointer Sisters, Chic
, The Emotions
, and Evelyn "Champagne" King
. They also took part in the 2007 'Best Disco In Town' tour of the United Kingdom in May 2007.
In 2008 the group released the album "Helen, Valerie, Cynthia: The Greatest Hits" which included completely new recordings of the groups biggest hits and some fan favourites.
The group, together with founder member Fayette Pinkney, received various honours during 2007 and 2008, through BEMA (The Black Entertainment and Music Association) and the City of Philadelphia for their contribution to music over five decades, creating, for the first time, The Four Degrees.
Fayette Pinkney died on June 27, 2009, in Lansdale Hospital, Pennsylvania, after a short illness, at the age of 61.
In 2009 the group released their first studio album in over ten years, "Undercover 2009" it contained a selection of eight cover versions of classic songs by the likes of Abba
, Stevie Wonder
, Paul Simon
and Bee Gees
.
The following year they released a new single "Holding Back".
In January 2011, Freddie Pool replaced Cynthia Garrison due to the latter having Piriformis syndrome
, as the Degrees had touring commitments to fulfill.
The Holiday/Scott/Garrison version of The Three Degrees has been the longest running version of 21 years duration.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
female vocal group. Formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
,, the group has always been a trio though there have been a number of personnel changes and a total of fourteen women have represented the group so far. The original members were Fayette Pinkney
Fayette Pinkney
Fayette Regina Pinkney was an American singer and one of the original members of musical group The Three Degrees.-Early life and career:...
, Shirley Porter and Linda Turner. Their most successful line-up was Fayette with Sheila Ferguson
Sheila Ferguson
Sheila Ferguson is an American singer, and was one of the longest serving singers of 1970s American female soul music group The Three Degrees.Ferguson settled in the UK after marrying an Englishman...
and Valerie Holiday, these being the ladies responsible for recording their 1974 single "When Will I See You Again
When Will I See You Again
"When Will I See You Again" is a song by American soul group The Three Degrees, from their third album The Three Degrees. The song was written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.It was one of the most successful recordings of the "Philly Soul" era...
" which was a huge international hit, peaking at #2 in the US and topping the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Shortly afterwards, the trio became known as Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
's favourite group.
1960s
The Three Degrees were formed around 1963 in Philadelphia. They were discovered by producerRecord producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Richard Barrett. Barrett was responsible for groups of the 1950s such as The Chantels
The Chantels
The Chantels were the second African-American girl group to have nationwide success in the United States, preceded by The Bobbettes. The group was established in the early 1950s and attended St. Anthony of Padua school in The Bronx...
, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and The Valentines
The Valentines
The Valentines may refer to:* The Valentines , an Australian rock 'n' roll band active from 1966-1970, chiefly noted for their lead singer, Bon Scott...
. Barrett recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
the original line-up on their first song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
, entitled "Gee Baby (I'm Sorry)", for Swan Records
Swan Records
Swan Records was a mid-20th century United States based record label, founded in 1957, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It had a subsidiary label called Lawn Records....
, in 1965. Turner and Porter both left the group, leaving Fayette Pinkney
Fayette Pinkney
Fayette Regina Pinkney was an American singer and one of the original members of musical group The Three Degrees.-Early life and career:...
the only original member of the group. Both Turner and Porter were replaced by Helen Scott and a variety of other ladies before Janet Harmon joined in the mid 1960s. Barrett also began managing and producing Sheila Ferguson
Sheila Ferguson
Sheila Ferguson is an American singer, and was one of the longest serving singers of 1970s American female soul music group The Three Degrees.Ferguson settled in the UK after marrying an Englishman...
, who was a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
friend of Scott. Barrett also signed Ferguson to Swan Records in 1965. The Three Degrees released a number of singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
such as "I'm Gonna Need You" and a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Maybe" in 1966.
By 1966, with many performances lined up, Scott decided to leave the group to start a family. Ferguson filled in for Scott and would remain in the group for 20 years. Ferguson sang backup
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
on all the group's Swan recordings as did the Three Degrees for her solo singles. By 1967, Harmon left and was eventually replaced by Valerie Holiday. Barrett signed them to recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
s over the next three years with Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
, Metromedia
Metromedia
Metromedia was a media company that owned radio and television stations in the United States from 1956 to 1986 and owned Orion Pictures from 1986-1997.- Overview :...
, and Neptune
Neptune Records
Neptune Records was a record label founded by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff in 1969. They featured artists such as The O'Jays, The Three Degrees and Billy Paul....
record labels; the latter of which was owned by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff
Gamble and Huff
Kenneth Gamble and Leon A. Huff are an American songwriting and record production team who have written and produced over 170 gold and platinum records. They were pioneers of Philadelphia soul and the in-house creative team for the Philadelphia International record label...
who would work with group five years later. Their close harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
made them a popular nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
act but a hit record still eluded them.
1970s
By 1970, they were signed to Roulette RecordsRoulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
and they released their first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Maybe. The title song, this time with Valerie Holiday taking the lead vocals took them to #4 on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. Other singles like "I Do Take You" and "You're The Fool" followed, as did their second album, So Much Love. This success landed them a cameo appearance in the 1971 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, The French Connection
The French Connection (film)
This article is about the 1971 film. For the British fashion label, see French Connection .The French Connection is a 1971 American crime film directed by William Friedkin. The film was adapted and fictionalized by Ernest Tidyman from the non-fiction book by Robin Moore...
, filmed during one of their appearances at the Copacabana nightclub
Copacabana (nightclub)
The Copacabana is a famous New York City nightclub. Many entertainers, among them Danny Thomas, Pat Cooper and the comedy team of Martin and Lewis, made their debuts at the Copacabana. The 1978 Barry Manilow song "Copacabana" is named after, and is about the nightclub. Part of the 2003 Yerba...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and also an engagement at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
with Engelbert Humperdinck
Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)
Engelbert Humperdinck is a British pop singer, best known for his hits including "Release Me " and "After the Lovin'" as well as "The Last Waltz" .-Early life:...
.
In 1973, when their contract with Roulette had ended, Barrett signed them to Philadelphia International Records
Philadelphia International Records
Philadelphia International Records is a record label founded by writer-producers, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971. It was famous for showcasing the sub-genre of Philadelphia soul music and released a string of worldwide hits during the decade.-History:...
under Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, where they were to have their greatest successes. The first song they recorded there was with the studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
band MFSB
MFSB
MFSB was a pool of more than thirty studio musicians based at Philadelphia’s famed Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up such groups as Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O’Jays, the Stylistics, the...
, entitled "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)
TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)
"TSOP " is a 1974 hit recording by MFSB featuring vocals by The Three Degrees. A classic example of the Philadelphia soul genre, it was written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff as the theme for the American musical television program Soul Train, which specialized in African American musical...
" which was the theme song
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
for Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
. In October 1973, the group also made an appearance on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television sitcom Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
(Season 3, Episode 4), singing their song "I Didn't Know". Their first album for the Philadelphia International label, simply titled The Three Degrees
The Three Degrees (album)
The Three Degrees is a 1973 studio album released by the female girl group The Three Degrees.-Reception:Since their formation in 1963, The Three Degrees had released several hit singles on various labels, including Swan Records, Warner Bros, Metromedia, and Neptune, but had not yet recorded an album...
, spawned three hits; "Dirty Ol' Man" (which went gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
), "Year Of Decision" (which made it to #13 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
), but it was the third single, "When Will I See You Again
When Will I See You Again
"When Will I See You Again" is a song by American soul group The Three Degrees, from their third album The Three Degrees. The song was written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.It was one of the most successful recordings of the "Philly Soul" era...
", that propelled the trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
into the mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
. It topped the UK Chart for two weeks during August 1974 (the first all-female group to do so since The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
in 1964), and became the 4th best selling single of the year. It also reached #2 in the US, selling over two million copies, and earning the trio a gold record
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in December 1974 (at that time, Platinum certifications has not been assigned to singles).
The Three Degrees also recorded two live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
s; one from Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
in the UK, and the other from Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and released both in 1975. The trio's second studio album for the Philadelphia label, The Three Degrees International
The Three Degrees International
International is a 1975 studio album released by the female girl group The Three Degrees.-Reception:The album includes the 1974 hit single, "TSOP ". In the United Kingdom, the album was released under the title Take Good Care of Yourself, where it charted at #6, in Europe the album was issued with...
, was marketed internationally under different titles and in various languages. In Continental Europe
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
, the album was called With Love, and it spawned the hit single "Take Good Care Of Yourself" which reached the UK Top 10. The UK release of the album was actually titled Take Good Care Of Yourself and peaked at #6 in the UK Album Chart, their highest ever chart placing for an album there. Two other songs from the album were big successes in Japan: "Midnight Train" and "Nigai Namida", the latter was recorded in Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
. In 1976, they parted company with Gamble and Huff and moved to CBS Sony/Epic Records where they released the concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, A Toast Of Love, purely for the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
market, although a single of the title track was released internationally. In 1976, Pinkney decided to leave the group and return to full time education and was replaced by former band member Helen Scott. In 1977, they released the album, Standing Up For Love, though this would be their last release for CBS/Epic.
In 1978, The Three Degrees signed to Ariola Records
Ariola Records
Ariola Records is a German record label. As of the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of BMG which in turn has since become a part of the international media conglomerate Sony Music Entertainment...
in Europe and the US and began working with Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder
Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
who had become a famed disco producer following his work with Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
. Further success was to follow, and they released two disco-styled albums on Ariola (New Dimensions
New Dimensions
New Dimensions is a studio album by vocal trio The Three Degrees released in late 1978. The album which was produced by Giorgio Moroder yielded three successful single releases, "Giving Up, Giving In", "The Runner" and "Woman In Love"...
in 1978, and 3D
3D (The Three Degrees album)
-Personnel:* Sheila Ferguson – vocals* Valerie Holiday – vocals* Helen Scott – vocals-Production:* Giorgio Moroder – producer* Harold Faltermeyer – arranger* Keith Forsey – arranger* Jürgen Koppers – engineer...
in 1979) which delivered four UK Top 20 hits between them: "Givin' Up Givin' In", "Woman In Love"(originally recorded by Twiggy in 1977), "The Runner", and "My Simple Heart". They also performed at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
for Prince Charles'
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
s 30th birthday party in 1978, and would later be guests at the pre-wedding party for his marriage to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. Their own television special
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
, The Three Degrees at The Royal Albert Hall
The Three Degrees at The Royal Albert Hall
The Three Degrees at The Royal Albert Hall was a 1979 television special produced by the BBC. It was a live concert performance by the American female vocal trio The Three Degrees, who were backed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra at London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall on 8 October 1979...
(aka An Evening with The Three Degrees), was recorded in October 1979 in which the trio were backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
.
1980s
In 1980, the compilation album Gold was released and became a UK Top 10 hit. Featuring one side of their hits on the Ariola label between 1978–79, and one side of live recordings from their 1979 Royal Albert Hall television special, this would be the trio's second "best of" compilation to make the UK Top 10 in less than two years, after CBS released A Collection of their 20 Greatest Hits in early 1979 (which featured their pre-Ariola material, and peaked at #8 in the UK Album Chart).Between 1982 and 1985, The Three Degrees released two albums on their own 3D label; Album of Love and Live in the UK. On that label they also released a single written by Sheila Ferguson, entitled "Liar". A third BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
show was also recorded in 1982, titled Take 3 Degrees, which included performances of their greatest hits, and also songs that the group were performing in their latest show, such as "I Can't Turn You Loose" and "Celebration". They returned to the UK charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
in 1985 with "The Heaven I Need" which was produced by Stock/Aitken/Waterman on Supreme Records
Supreme Records
Supreme Records was a cheaply produced record label subsidiary of Grey Gull Records of Boston, Massachusetts marketed in the United States of America in the late 1920s...
, though the single narrowly missed the UK Top 40.
In 1986, Miquel Brown
Miquel Brown
Miquel Brown Miquel Brown Miquel Brown (born Michael Brown, 1954 is a Canadian actress and Disco/Soul singer from the 1970s and '80s most popular for the songs "Close to Perfection" and the Hi-NRG songs 'So Many Men, So Little Time' and "He's A Saint, He's A Sinner" (both now considered vintage gay...
filled in for Scott whilst the latter was pregnant. That same year Ferguson decided to leave the group. Scott and Holiday replaced her with Vera Brown in 1986 and then Rhea Harris in 1987. In 1989, Scott and Holiday, along with new recruit Victoria Wallace, recorded an album entitled Three Degrees...And Holding on Ichiban Records
Ichiban Records
Ichiban Records was a hip hop record label founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1985. Wrap Records and Nastymix Records were some of its subsidiary labels. Urgent! Records was distributed by Ichiban. Most of its discography is now out of print. Besides hip hop groups, Ichiban also released albums by...
. A single, "A Tender Lie" was also released. Following the album, the group recorded a live CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Dominion Theatre
Dominion Theatre
The Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre on Tottenham Court Road close to St Giles Circus and Centre Point Tower, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:...
, with Billy Paul
Billy Paul
Billy Paul is a Grammy Award winning American soul singer, most known for his 1972 number-one single, "Me and Mrs. Jones" as well as the 1973 album and single "War of the Gods" which blends his more conventional pop, soul and funk styles with electronic and psychedelic influences...
and Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes in the summer of 1989. The group followed this with another tour of the UK and Japan at the end of the year.
1990s onwards
In December 1989, Cynthia Garrison replaced Wallace, forming the longest running line-up of the group. In 1993, they were asked to record a new version of "When Will I See You Again" with Thomas AndersThomas Anders
Thomas Anders is a German singer, composer and record producer. Anders was the lead singer of Germany's popular pop-duo Modern Talking in 1984–1987 and in 1998–2003.-Early years:...
(of Modern Talking
Modern Talking
Modern Talking was a German dance pop duo consisting of Thomas Anders and Dieter Bohlen. Their music has often been classified as Europop. They have been referred to as Germany's most successful pop duo, and have had a number of hit singles, reaching the top 5 in many countries...
). He supplied three tracks for their album Out of the Past Into the Future, marking their return to Ariola Records and their most successful album for 15 years, Two further singles were released from the album, the re-recording of "Dirty Ol' Man" and new song "Hurry Hurry". A seasonal album, Christmas With The Three Degrees, was also recorded in 1998.
Scott, Holiday and Garrison continued to tour. They made their first US TV appearance in over 20 years in 2003 on the PBS show, Rhythm, Love, and Soul with Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Lou Rawls
Lou Rawls
Louis Allen "Lou" Rawls was an American soul, jazz, and blues singer. He was known for his smooth vocal style: Frank Sinatra once said that Rawls had "the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game"...
and Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson (singer)
Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
. They were also part of the 'Best Disco In Town 2004 Tour' with The Pointer Sisters, Chic
Chic (band)
Chic was an African American disco and R&B band that was organized during 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It is known best for its commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " , "Everybody Dance" , "Le Freak" , "I Want Your Love" , "Good Times"...
, The Emotions
The Emotions
The Emotions are an American all female soul and R&B singing group. The group was formed in its current hometown of Chicago, Illinois originally consisting of the three Hutchinson sisters, all the children of Joseph and Lillian Hutchinson....
, and Evelyn "Champagne" King
Evelyn King (singer)
Evelyn "Champagne" King is an American R&B, disco and post-disco singer. Some of her best-known songs are "Shame", "Love Come Down," and "I'm in Love."-Biography:...
. They also took part in the 2007 'Best Disco In Town' tour of the United Kingdom in May 2007.
In 2008 the group released the album "Helen, Valerie, Cynthia: The Greatest Hits" which included completely new recordings of the groups biggest hits and some fan favourites.
The group, together with founder member Fayette Pinkney, received various honours during 2007 and 2008, through BEMA (The Black Entertainment and Music Association) and the City of Philadelphia for their contribution to music over five decades, creating, for the first time, The Four Degrees.
Fayette Pinkney died on June 27, 2009, in Lansdale Hospital, Pennsylvania, after a short illness, at the age of 61.
In 2009 the group released their first studio album in over ten years, "Undercover 2009" it contained a selection of eight cover versions of classic songs by the likes of Abba
Abba
ABBA is the name of a former Swedish pop music group.Abba may also refer to:* ABBA , a self-titled album by the Swedish pop music group ABBA* "Abba ", a song by Christian pop and rock artist, Rebecca St...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
and Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
.
The following year they released a new single "Holding Back".
In January 2011, Freddie Pool replaced Cynthia Garrison due to the latter having Piriformis syndrome
Piriformis syndrome
Piriformis syndrome is a neuromuscular disorder that occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or otherwise irritated by the piriformis muscle causing pain, tingling and numbness in the buttocks and along the path of the sciatic nerve descending down the lower thigh and into the leg...
, as the Degrees had touring commitments to fulfill.
The Holiday/Scott/Garrison version of The Three Degrees has been the longest running version of 21 years duration.
Cover versions
- Mirrorball sampled "Giving Up, Giving In" as "Given Up", and this was released as a single in 1999. It reached #12 in the UK Singles Chart.
- Sheena EastonSheena EastonSheena Easton is a Scottish recording artist. Easton became famous for being the focus of an episode in the British television programme The Big Time, which recorded her attempts to gain a record contract and her eventual signing with EMI Records.Easton rose to fame in the early 1980s with the pop...
covered "Giving Up, Giving In" on her album Fabulous, and released the track as single in 2000. It reached #54 in the UK Singles Chart. - The NolansThe NolansThe Nolans are an Anglo-Irish all-female band consisting of a group of sisters. The group, best known for their song "I'm In the Mood for Dancing", gained prominence as guest performers on numerous television shows in the United Kingdom...
also covered "Giving Up, Giving In" on their album, I'm In The Mood Again (2009). - UK girl group, BananaramaBananaramaBananarama are an English female pop duo who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on a two part harmony, the duo generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed their most popular...
, covered "The Runner" on their album, VivaViva (Bananarama album)Viva is the tenth studio album recorded by the British vocal duo Bananarama. It was released by Fascination Records on 14 September 2009 in the UK....
(2009).
Members timeline
| 1963-63 | 1963–66 | 1966–67 | 1967-67 | 1967–76 | 1976–86 | 1986-86 | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | 1988–89 | 1989–2010 | 2011–present |
| Fayette Pinkney | Fayette Pinkney | Fayette Pinkney | Fayette Pinkney | Fayette Pinkney | Helen Scott | Miquel Brown | Helen Scott | Helen Scott | Helen Scott | Helen Scott | Helen Scott |
| Linda Turner | Janet Harmon | Janet Harmon | Sundray Tucker | Valerie Holiday | Valerie Holiday | Valerie Holiday | Valerie Holiday | Valerie Holiday | Valerie Holiday | Valerie Holiday | Valerie Holiday |
| Shirley Porter | Helen Scott | Sheila Ferguson | Shelia Ferguson | Sheila Ferguson | Sheila Ferguson | Sheila Ferguson | Vera Brown | Rhea Harris | Victoria Wallace | Cynthia Garrison | Freddie Pool |
- Sundray TuckerSundray TuckerSundray Tucker is an American singer. She is the eldest daughter of the late Ira Tucker and Louise Tucker...
(Cindy Scott) had a brief spell with the trio in 1967 (alongside Ferguson and Pinkney) - Miquel BrownMiquel BrownMiquel Brown Miquel Brown Miquel Brown (born Michael Brown, 1954 is a Canadian actress and Disco/Soul singer from the 1970s and '80s most popular for the songs "Close to Perfection" and the Hi-NRG songs 'So Many Men, So Little Time' and "He's A Saint, He's A Sinner" (both now considered vintage gay...
filled in for Scott whilst she was pregnant in 1986 (alongside Ferguson and Holiday)
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
||||
| 1970 | Maybe | 139 | 16 | — | Roulette Roulette Records Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director... |
|
| 1972 | So Much Love | — | 56 | — | ||
| 1973 | The Three Degrees The Three Degrees (album) The Three Degrees is a 1973 studio album released by the female girl group The Three Degrees.-Reception:Since their formation in 1963, The Three Degrees had released several hit singles on various labels, including Swan Records, Warner Bros, Metromedia, and Neptune, but had not yet recorded an album... |
28 | 33 | 12 | Philadelphia Int'l Philadelphia International Records Philadelphia International Records is a record label founded by writer-producers, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971. It was famous for showcasing the sub-genre of Philadelphia soul music and released a string of worldwide hits during the decade.-History:... |
|
| 1975 | International | 99 | 31 | 6 | ||
| 1976 | A Toast of Love | — | — | — | Epic Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... |
|
| 1977 | Standing Up for Love Standing Up for Love Standing Up for Love is a 1977 studio album released by the American female vocal group The Three Degrees. Having enjoyed a successful three year streak with Philadelphia International Records , the group signed a one-album contract with Epic Records in late 1976... |
— | — | — | ||
| 1978 | New Dimensions New Dimensions New Dimensions is a studio album by vocal trio The Three Degrees released in late 1978. The album which was produced by Giorgio Moroder yielded three successful single releases, "Giving Up, Giving In", "The Runner" and "Woman In Love"... |
169 | — | 34 | Ariola Ariola Records Ariola Records is a German record label. As of the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of BMG which in turn has since become a part of the international media conglomerate Sony Music Entertainment... |
|
| 1979 | 3D 3D (The Three Degrees album) -Personnel:* Sheila Ferguson – vocals* Valerie Holiday – vocals* Helen Scott – vocals-Production:* Giorgio Moroder – producer* Harold Faltermeyer – arranger* Keith Forsey – arranger* Jürgen Koppers – engineer... |
— | — | 61 | ||
| 1982 | Album of Love Album of Love -Overview:By the early 1980s The Three Degrees had firmly established themselves as an ever popular live attraction and favourite television guests in the UK. After their latest record label Ariola folded in 1980, the ladies found themselves without a contract but that did not discourage the... |
— | — | — | 3D | |
| 1989 | ...And Holding | — | 76 | — | Ichiban Ichiban Records Ichiban Records was a hip hop record label founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1985. Wrap Records and Nastymix Records were some of its subsidiary labels. Urgent! Records was distributed by Ichiban. Most of its discography is now out of print. Besides hip hop groups, Ichiban also released albums by... |
|
| 1993 | Out of the Past, Into the Future | — | — | — | BMG Ariola | |
| 1998 | Christmas With The Three Degrees | — | — | — | Marathon Media International | |
| 2009 | Undercover 2009 | — | — | — | The Reader's Digest Association Inc. | |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart | ||||||
Live albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
||||
| 1975 | The Three Degrees Live In Japan | — | — | — | Philadelphia Int'l Philadelphia International Records Philadelphia International Records is a record label founded by writer-producers, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971. It was famous for showcasing the sub-genre of Philadelphia soul music and released a string of worldwide hits during the decade.-History:... |
|
| 1976 | The Three Degrees Live The Three Degrees Live The Three Degrees Live is a 1976 live album by Philadelphia-based female vocal trio The Three Degrees who scored major international success with 'When Will I See You Again?'.... |
199 | 34 | — | ||
| 1985 | Live in the UK | — | — | — | 3D | |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart | ||||||
Compilation albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
||||
| 1979 | A Collection of Their 20 Greatest Hits | — | — | 8 | Epic Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... |
|
| 1980 | Gold | — | — | 9 | K-Tel K-tel K-tel International is an "As-Seen-On-TV" company, which is most noted for its compilation music albums, such as "The Super Hits" series, "The Dynamic Hits" series and "The Number One Hits" series... |
|
| 1994 | Very Best of the Three Degrees | — | — | — | BMG Int'l | |
| The Complete Swan Recordings | — | — | — | Sequel | ||
| 1996 | The Roulette Years | — | — | — | ||
| The Best of the Three Degrees: When Will I See You Again | — | — | — | Legacy Legacy Recordings Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated... |
||
| 2002 | Super Hits | — | — | — | ||
| 2008 | Helen, Valerie, Cynthia: The Greatest Hits | — | — | — | Essential Media Group LLC | |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart | ||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
US A/C Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||
| 1965 | "Gee Baby (I'm Sorry)" | 80 | — | — | — | |
| "I'm Gonna Need You" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Close Your Eyes" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Eve of Tomorrow" (with Tony Mammarella Tony Mammarella Anthony Mammarella was the first producer and second host of American Bandstand.Mammarella, a World War II veteran, started with Philadelphia television station WFIL-TV in 1947 as a switchboard operator and moved his way up to various positions in production.In 1958, as a way of increasing his... ) |
— | — | — | — | ||
| 1966 | "Look in My Eyes" | 97 | — | — | — | |
| "Maybe" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Tales Are True" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Love of My Life" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1968 | "Contact" | — | — | — | — | |
| 1969 | "Down in the Boondocks" | — | — | — | — | |
| "Feeling of Love" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970 | "What I See" | — | — | — | — | |
| "Melting Pot" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Maybe" (re-recorded version) | 29 | 4 | — | — | ||
| "I Do Take You" | 48 | 7 | — | — | ||
| 1971 | "You're the One" | 77 | 19 | — | — | |
| "There's So Much Love All Around Me" | 98 | 33 | — | — | ||
| "Ebb Tide" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1972 | "Trade Winds" | — | 46 | — | — | |
| "I Wanna Be Your Baby" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "I Won't Let You Go" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1973 | "Dirty Ol' Man" | — | 58 | — | — | |
| 1974 | "Year of Decision" | — | 74 | — | 13 | |
| "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) "TSOP " is a 1974 hit recording by MFSB featuring vocals by The Three Degrees. A classic example of the Philadelphia soul genre, it was written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff as the theme for the American musical television program Soul Train, which specialized in African American musical... " (with MFSB MFSB MFSB was a pool of more than thirty studio musicians based at Philadelphia’s famed Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up such groups as Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O’Jays, the Stylistics, the... ) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 22 | ||
| "Love Is the Message" (with MFSB) | 85 | 42 | — | — | ||
| "When Will I See You Again When Will I See You Again "When Will I See You Again" is a song by American soul group The Three Degrees, from their third album The Three Degrees. The song was written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.It was one of the most successful recordings of the "Philly Soul" era... " |
2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | ||
| "Get Your Love Back" | — | — | — | 34 | ||
| 1975 | "I Didn't Know" | — | 18 | — | — | |
| "Take Good Care of Yourself" | — | 64 | 24 | 9 | ||
| "Long Lost Lover" | — | — | — | 40 | ||
| "Free Ride Free Ride (song) Free Ride is a song written by Dan Hartman and performed by The Edgar Winter Group. The single, engineered by Jim Reeves, was a top 20 U.S. hit in 1973, hitting number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The song is sometimes mistakenly attributed to The Doobie Brothers or Boston, perhaps because of... " |
— | — | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "A Toast of Love" | — | — | — | 36 | |
| "What I Did for Love" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Standing Up for Love" | — | — | — | — | |
| 1978 | "Giving Up, Giving In" | — | 39 | — | 12 | |
| 1979 | "Woman in Love" | — | 27 | 50 | 3 | |
| "The Runner" | — | — | — | 10 | ||
| "Golden Lady" | — | — | — | 56 | ||
| "Jump the Gun" | — | — | — | 48 | ||
| "My Simple Heart" | — | — | — | 9 | ||
| 1980 | "Set Me Free" | — | — | — | — | |
| "Without You" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984 | "Liar" | — | — | — | — | |
| 1985 | "The Heaven I Need" | — | — | — | 42 | |
| "This Is the House" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989 | "Tie U Up" | — | — | — | — | |
| "Make It Easy on Yourself" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Lock It Up" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993 | "When Will I See You Again 93" (With Thomas Anders Thomas Anders Thomas Anders is a German singer, composer and record producer. Anders was the lead singer of Germany's popular pop-duo Modern Talking in 1984–1987 and in 1998–2003.-Early years:... ) |
— | — | — | — | |
| 1993 | "Dirty Ol' Man 93" | — | — | — | — | |
| 1993 | "Hurry Hurry" | — | — | — | — | |
| 1998 | "Last Christmas" (with Alien Voices) | — | — | — | 54 | |
| 2010 | "Holding Back" | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes the single failed to chart | ||||||
See also
- List of funk musicians
- List of disco artists
- List of people from Philadelphia
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
Further reading
External links
- The Three Degrees official website