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Formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1965, the Delfonics were early pioneers of what became known as the Philly sound. Founded by lead singer and songwriter William ‘Poogie’ Hart, his brother Wilbert Hart, and Randy Cain, the group initially called themselves the Orphonics. The group connected with local producer and arranger Thom Bell and recorded their debut single, “He Don’t Really Love You,” which was released under their new name, the Delfonics, in 1966. Continuing their collaboration with Bell, the group scored their breakthrough hit in 1968 with “La-La (Means I Love You),” which reached Number 4 on the Hot 100. The song’s unique sound contained all the hallmarks of Philly Soul, which took the world by storm just a few years later. From the musical arrangement to the glorious vocal harmonies – complete with falsetto – became the blueprint for Thom Bell’s future recordings with groups like the Stylistics, the Spinners, and many others. The Delfonics continued to score a series of hit singles – “I’m Sorry” (1968), “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love)” (1968), and “You Got Yours and I’ll Get Mine” (1969) – before releasing another Philly-defining single with 1970’s “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),” which reached Number 10. The Delfonics’ first four albums – La La Means I Love You (1968), Sound of Sexy Soul (1969), The Delfonics (1970), and Tell Me This Is a Dream (1972) – were also successful and are now considered classic Philly Soul albums. Randy Cain left the group in 1971 and was replaced by Major Harris. By the mid-‘70s, producer Thom Bell had moved on to other groups, and the Delfonics’ popularity declined, causing them to split in 1975. However, the group’s legacy continued to inspire generations of artists and their songs were featured in hit films and advertisements. When hip-hop and rap came along, many of them sampled the classic Delfonics music that had inspired them. Randy Cain died on April 9, 2009. Major Harris passed away on November 9, 2012. William ‘Poogie’ Hart died on July 14, 2022.
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