Gamble and Huff

History

Gamble's childhood in Philadelphia included recording himself on arcade machines, assisting WDAS morning show DJs, operating a record store, and singing with The Romeos. Before teaming with Huff, Gamble collaborated with Jerry Ross, who discovered and managed Gamble when he was 17.

Gamble and Huff first worked together on a recording for Candy & The Kisses. Ross signed Gamble to Columbia Records in 1963 as a solo artist, releasing "You Don't Know What You Got Until You Lose It". Gamble, Ross, and Huff collaborated on "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", originally recorded by Jay & The Techniques, a Jerry Ross group, and later covered by Dee Dee Warwick and by Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations.

In 1967 they produced their first Top 5 hit, "Expressway to Your Heart" by The Soul Survivors. In spring 1968, for their own Gamble Records label, they wrote and produced the top 10 hit "Cowboys to Girls" for the Intruders. They then worked with Atlantic Records artists Archie Bell & the Drells, Wilson Pickett, Dusty Springfield, and The Sweet Inspirations, as well as Mercury artists Jerry Butler and Dee Dee Warwick, scoring numerous hits.

Philadelphia International

Gamble and Huff formed Philadelphia International Records in 1971 as a rival to Motown. They approached Atlantic Records, which passed on the deal as too expensive. CBS Records, headed by Clive Davis, backed the venture and distributed the label's records.

With in-house arrangers Thom Bell, Bobby Martin, and Norman Harris, Philadelphia International released hits including "If You Don't Know Me by Now" by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, "Back Stabbers", "For the Love of Money", and "Love Train" by The O'Jays, and the Grammy-winning "Me and Mrs. Jones" by Billy Paul. According to a 2006 BBC Radio 4 interview, Gamble and Huff were inspired to write "Me and Mrs. Jones" after seeing someone they knew who appeared to be involved in an affair, meeting a woman in a cafe they frequented. In collaboration with Bell, they also formed the music publisher Mighty Three Music.