Philadelphia International Records Artists Codexery

Bernard Wilson (singer)

Second tenor and baritone of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.

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Bernard Wilson was a second tenor and baritone vocalist in R&B, funk, and soul music. He was a member of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, a group that helped define the Sound of Philadelphia in the 1970s.

Quick Facts

Born
July 12, 1946
Died
December 26, 2010
Birthplace
North Philadelphia
Neighborhood
Strawberry Mansion
Voice parts
second tenor and baritone
Group
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Years with group
1970–1977

Facts from the source article.

Early career

Wilson grew up in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of North Philadelphia. His parents died when he was young, and his grandmother raised him. He attended Bok Technical High School but left home at age sixteen to pursue entertainment. In 1970 he joined the evolving lineup of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, which included fellow Philadelphia native Harold Melvin.

Their self-titled LP on Philadelphia International Records, overseen by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, produced three Billboard chart singles. Hits from that early-to-mid-1970s lineup included "If You Don't Know Me by Now," "The Love I Lost," "Don't Leave Me This Way," and "Bad Luck. Further chart-toppers such as "I Miss You" and "Wake Up Everybody" came from five self-titled platinum records. Wilson remained with the Blue Notes through six albums and left in 1977, shortly after Teddy Pendergrass's departure, to pursue a solo career.

Did You Know?

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Test yourself

Three questions drawn from this entry’s sources. Pick an answer to check it.

1. In what year did Bernard Wilson die?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is 2010.

From the source: “Wilson died of complications of a stroke and heart attack on December 26, 2010, at age 64.”

2. In what year was Bernard Wilson born?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is 1946.

From the source: “Bernard Wilson (July 12, 1946 – December 26, 2010) was a second tenor and baritone R&B, funk and soul music vocalist, who was a member of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and thus helped to define the “Sound of Philadelphia” in the 1970s. Ea”

3. In which place was Bernard Wilson born?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is North Philadelphia.

From the source: “Wilson was a North Philadelphia native who grew up in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood.”

Answers checked against the source article

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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