Tags

, , , , , ,

Going to assume since the A to Z Challenge team introduced some “ex” words in their post today that “ex” is fair game for this letter! Want to see what other X words they came up with? Click the letter above. You might find something you can use!

`
Three more guests to go before we head out for dinner and reflections!. This group coming in now was a late addition to the 60’s. I admit I did NOT have their picture on my wall, but I really enjoyed their music! What little there was of it. There were a lot of groups from that era who were one-hit wonders. Unfortunately these guys fall into that category. Some groups are just gone too soon. Have a seat and take a listen to…

**************************

`

The Soul Survivors are an American, Philadelphia-based, Soul Music and R&B group, founded by New York natives Richie and Charlie Ingui along with Kenny Jeremiah. The Soul Survivors are known for their 1967 hit single “Expressway to Your Heart”, which was the first hit by Philadelphia soul record producers and songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.[1] The Soul Survivors are still performing and recording new music and covers, most recently working with David Uosikkenen of The Hooters and his project “In The Pocket” which is paying tribute to the vast catalog of music created in Philadelphia.

The Soul Survivors first played together in New York under the name The Dedications, founded by member Kenny Jeremiah, who released several singles under this name in 1962 and 1964. They adopted the name Soul Survivors in 1965. They signed to Philadelphia label Crimson Records, who put them in touch with Gamble & Huff. “Expressway to Your Heart” was a #1 hit regionally in Philadelphia and New York in the fall of 1967, and the tune reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 nationally. “Expressway to Your Heart” spent 15 weeks in the charts and sold over one million copies.

The follow-up was “Explosion in Your Soul,” which was not as successful (U.S. #33); a third release, “Impossible Mission”, also was a minor hit in 1969 (U.S. #68). They quit playing for a few years, but re-formed with a different lineup in 1972. They had one more hit, “City of Brotherly Love” in 1974. In the 1970’s, the group lost its record contract and its manager and eventually disbanded. Charlie Ingui became a landscaper, Richie Ingui became a house painter, Paul Venturini became a restaurateur, and drummer Joe Forgione owned an auto body shop. It was at this point that the were referenced in the Steely Dan song Hey Nineteen. In 1987, the Inqui brothers began playing occasional gigs as the original Soul Survivors and signed a five-record contract in 1991 with Society Hill Records. As of 2006, they were playing occasional dates in the Eastern United States.

Chuck Trois also went on to release a solo 45 rpm single on A&M Records in August 1969, with “Mr. Holmes” on one side, and “A National Band” on the other.

Richie Ingui died of heart failure on January 13, 2017, at the age of 69.

`

“Expressway to Your Heart” was written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff who helped create the Philadelphia Soul sound with songs like “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” and “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia),” which were released on their Philadelphia International label. Gamble and Huff are from Camden, New Jersey, which is just east of Philadelphia, and often took the Schuylkill Expressway, which is the “Expressway To Your Heart.”

Gamble wrote the lyrics, and he explained to National Public Radio: “I was on my way over to see a young lady, and the expressway was backed up. This is when they just started the expressway in 1967 – I was sitting there for what seemed like hours, so I started beating on the dashboard and singing, ‘Expressway to your heart, trying to get to you.’ Songs come from your imagination. You have to be quick to capture the moment.” . It appeared on the Soul Survivors 1967 album, When the Whistle Blows Anything Goes, which was produced by Gamble and Huff.

The song reached #3 on the R&B chart and #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967, and was ranked #18 on Billboard magazine’s Top Hot 100 songs of 1967.

Gamble and Huff reused the lyrics “Shower you with love and affection, now you won’t look in my direction” on the song I’m Gonna Make You Love Me, which contains the line, “I’m gonna shower you with love and affection, look out, it’s comin’ in your direction.”

`

`
Picture Source: Wikipedia