McFadden & Whitehead

A Philadelphia songwriting, production, and performing duo who were prominent at <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Philadelphia+International%22">Philadelphia International</a> during the '70s, <a href="spotify:artist:3LzGES0sOFk70fcojAE0wW">Gene McFadden</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4jlOw81L3cTDHi1VCz00O8">John Whitehead</a> also scored a number one R&B hit as vocalists. Their single "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" was number one R&B in 1979 and peaked at number 13 pop. The two were members of the Epsilons as teens, a band that toured with and were managed by <a href="spotify:artist:60df5JBRRPcnSpsIMxxwQm">Otis Redding</a> until his death in 1967. They later signed with <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Stax%22">Stax</a> and had a moderate hit in 1970 with "The Echo." When Lloyd Parkes left, McFadden & Whitehead changed their name to Talk of the Town and began working with <a href="spotify:artist:6Qlnvq7TkRSm7Pw4SfDLD7">Gamble & Huff</a>. Although they were being primed to record for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22North+Bay%22">North Bay</a>, when <a href="spotify:artist:6Qlnvq7TkRSm7Pw4SfDLD7">Gamble & Huff</a> discovered the duo's writing talents, they decided instead to employ them in that capacity at their label, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Philadelphia+International%22">Philadelphia International</a>.

Their first collaboration came on <a href="spotify:artist:30q5mqJmdYPaKabPMytzvv">the Intruders</a>' "I'll Always Love My Mama." They later wrote and/or produced such classics as "Backstabbers" for <a href="spotify:artist:38h03gA85YYPeDPd9ER9rT">the O'Jays</a>; "Bad Luck" and "Wake Up Everybody" for <a href="spotify:artist:438JBZR1AR0l04AzcYW9gy">Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes</a>; and "Let's Groove," "Soul City Walk," "Strategy," and "Don't Let Love Get You Down" for <a href="spotify:artist:1kupwLFpHALpmhp5qol8xH">Archie Bell & the Drells</a>. They also worked with <a href="spotify:artist:6xRUXZ0AibiIX4XbrTV2pS">Carolyn Crawford</a> and did outside projects during the '70s and '80s with <a href="spotify:artist:0uMy5ZKVPBHauBYTTfCojq">Melba Moore</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:6V6WCgi7waF55bJmylC4H5">Gloria Gaynor</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2yaixhgm3yXxjhJAH8SZy3">Freddie Jackson</a>, Willie Collins, and <a href="spotify:artist:68QSfzGUl7oF0VUwMHHVKL">Beau Williams</a>. The duo cut their own album, McFadden & Whitehead, in 1979 and made more singles for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22TSOP%22">TSOP</a> in 1980 -- including the Top 30 R&B hit "I Heard It in a Love Song" -- and for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Capitol%22">Capitol</a> in 1982. In 2004, <a href="spotify:artist:4jlOw81L3cTDHi1VCz00O8">Whitehead</a> was shot and killed, believed to be a victim of mistaken identity. Two years later, <a href="spotify:artist:3LzGES0sOFk70fcojAE0wW">McFadden</a>'s life was taken by cancer. As of 2013, <a href="spotify:artist:4jlOw81L3cTDHi1VCz00O8">Whitehead</a>'s murder remained unsolved and was a subject of TV One's series Celebrity Crime Files. ~ Ron Wynn, Rovi