Tribute: Thom Bell in the Rock Hall of Fame—Ranking His 25 Greatest Songs
(May 2, 2025). For more than half a century, the elegant, orchestral soul of Thom Bell has wafted through radios, from turntables, and into hearts — but it’s only now,…
Delfonics leader William Hart dies; How a whirlwind of history killed his group’s best chance to hit No. 1 in 1968
(July 16, 2022). William “Poogie” Hart, lead singer of the legendary R&B/soul group the Delfonics, died on July 14 of complications from surgery following a respiratory illness. He was 77.…
Black History: 20 Greatest Black Music Producers/Songwriters of the Past 55 Years
As Black Music Month 2015 – now formally known as African-American Music Appreciation Month – races through its home stretch, I’ve been completing the last installment of my four-part countdown…
A History of Black-Owned Record Labels – Part II
Last week, I wrote about how the FOX TV network drama “Empire,” a show about a fictional black-owned music company, has touched the collective nerve of a nation, particularly the…