Legendary Timekeeper for The Sound of Philadelphia Earl Donald Young, bassist Ronnie Baker, and guitarist Norman Harris formed the Philadelphia-based rhythm section known as Baker Harris Young. That the trio helped change the music world is not an understatement. In the ‘70s, Baker Harris Young was responsible—along with explosive songwriting, musical arrangements, and production by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, and a collective of studio players dubbed MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother)—for what became known as “The Sound of Philadelphia.” The long string of hit records the team made at Sigma Sound Studios for Philadelphia International Records ruled the radio airwaves for more than a decade, and mesmerized pop culture with the power of soul music. From the label’s inception, it took just two years for it to become the second-largest black-owned record company in the world, just behind Motown, and Gamble, Huff, and Bell are acknowledged as […]

August 2021 Issue