>> i'm ed gore ton. welcome to our world with black enterprise. today a salute to the musical genius, gamble and huff, the men behind the sound of philadelphia. their tunes made the world sing. so stay right here. and hum along. >> today we find ourselves in the city of brotherly love. it is also the city of tsop, the sound of philadelphia.

that music became the sound track of an entire generation. those songs were the brain child of two musicians, who from right here in this building, brought the world a message in the music. the offices have the look of a time gone by. the look of rooms that have seen better days. but the music that was created in the rooms is as vibrant today as ever. from this studio, came the sounds that dominated an era. with over 175 gold and platinum records from the likes of the ojs, teddy pendergrass, and ms. patti labelle. these are just some of the names that spun their magic here. instant classics like "me and mrs. jones" and "love train" and "if you don't know me by now" and "for the love of money" these tunes would become known

as the sound of philadelphia. and they were crafted by the genius of two men. >> well i think it was -- i think it was a moment in history. you know, there has been a few of them, you know. but i think this definitely was a moment in time where destiny brought people together. when huff and i used to write it was like, miraculous, to me. i mean especially looking back on it now. it's just inspiration. like a miracle. i mean how in the world could be do that? i mean, you know? it's just a blessing. it really was. this room was on fire at one time. like stevie wonder said when he come in here. somebody else in here besides us. and, you could feel -- he was in here during that time. definitely still feel that vibe in here. >> i sat down with the pro living music team of kenny

gamble and leon huff in philadelphia international recording studios. we talked about their long, successful music career. a career that rivals the best musical collaborations of all times. but before they became a master writing and producing team they like many others were fledgling musicians trying to make it big in the business. i wondered at that time did they ever dream they would become the icons they are today. >> i had dreams about becoming a songwriter. but i didn't know to what magnitude. but i wanted to be a songwriter. and -- i love a song called "mixed up, shook up girl." a top 20 hit. that gave me confidence to know that i could write a hit song if i put my mind to it. >> did you sur pras your dream? >> -- did you surpass your dream? >> i never dreamed. i thought if we could get one hit it would be great. but to have a string of hits and be as prolific as we were not only on top of that be able to

open the door for so many other great writers. tom bell, linda creed, mcfadden and whitehead, and bunny seagram these were all part of what the sound of philadelphia became. >> huff, when you now look back and hear the -- the effect your music had on people -- the fact that it changed lives, made babies, made you happy, made you sad, it carried you through life. to a great degree. at the time, did you understand the impact and importance of what you were doing? >> not as much as i do now. i was inside of it. in the moment. i was like -- sit at the piano right there. had a electric right beside it. i was like absorbed into another world. so like now when i listen to the music on the radio which i hear practically every day. i'm like, boy, that is a hell of a track there.

boy, that's the way they sang it. you know it's bigger to me now the way. and more exciting now than i was when i heard it on the radio in the 70s. and i listen to the production. the perfection of the. the way it sound. it just sounds altogether great to me. >> i saw an interview you did. you say you wanted to do songs everyone could sing. you wanted to do songs, not records. and that was important. because songs really outlive records don't they? >> no question about it. the industry is made up of songs. and i can remember distinctly when we used to write -- we used to say listen, let's make the songs, make them standards. how can we write standards. write songs that will be around. in fact did a song for lou rawls. this song will last forever. you know? and it keeps on -- keep on, after we're dead and gone, that was our concept.

and when we started mighty three music, tom bell, he came up with a slogan. the slogan was you'll never forget our tunes. and so, it really happened. ♪ this song will last forever ♪ >> a lot of times, they bring girls into the studio. whatever. just fans and whatever, you know? and we had to pull them to the side say "come on." it's closed session. >>ur [ children laughing ] look in the glove box. [ children laughing ] suitcase? huh? ♪ where do gummy bears hide? under the seat. look! yeah! ♪ [ telephone rings ] [ male announcer ] the all new chevy equinox. [ man ] guess who? dad! [ man ] enjoy the trip! okay, daddy!

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♪ here we go >> arguably the group that personifieses the philly sound more than any other is the mighty ojays. >> i sat down recently with one of the co-founders of the legendary group eddie levert. i asked him to give his impressions of the two men that created some of the group's biggest hits. leon is one of the greatest piano players that ever walked the earth. his left hand is the most, most incredible thing that you ever want to see.

and what he can do with his right is unbelievable. >> you know, i don't like to blow my own horn, you know. >> but aren't you the bad boy. >> just to hear myself play. >> i've got to -- got to, got to -- i've got to absosht music to enjoy myself first. before i can pass it on to people. the public. i still play. i play, practically every day. >> are you a junkie to the music if you don't go two or three days without playing do you feel it? >> yeah, yeah. i got to do that. that's just my life. i have to do that. >> never find another love like mine. >> and gamble is the man that can write the lyrics of life. because he -- he is feeling it. that's, that's personable. that man of the world. he is reading. into the books. into, what's going on, in society. so, he is able to write that

lyric that is touching and comes, that comes to light in words. >> well only thing i could go by was what was in my heart. you know? and -- and the music gave me -- a chance to say what was in my heart. and what i felt. and we were very fortunate to have -- executioners like the ojays, teddy pendergrass, and billy paul and, intruders. and so many of them. that it is unbelievable. >> i wanted to give the producers their chance to talk about the great they worked with. but i knew this wouldn't be easy. >> let me take you to some of the hard questions. easiest person in the group to work with in the studio? >> easiest one? >> easiest.

>> that is a hard question. >> well, i would say the easiest guy of the group. they all were great. but -- that's a hard question. i would say lou rawls was a natural. you know what i mean? and we wrote for lou rawls. very easily. you know. jerry bloodlet -- jerry butler. i learned a lot from jerry butler. by the way. >> when you think of lou rawls and jerry butler, first thing i think about. professional to the craft. professionalism. sense of of coming in. while i enjoy it. fun. this is my job. i am here. ready. let's do it. fair? >> yeah. but all of them were professionals. the ojays used to come in stay a month. we would rehearse for a month. picking songs. 25, 30 songs.

maybe, 15, 20. we would go through songs. songs. and they were just as committed as we were. >> yeah. >> you know? and if i had one -- one video of a performance of eddie levert, who was in the studio. it was unbelievable. you could see the sweat. taking his shirt off. sweat would be coming off. you can hear it in the music. hear it in the music. how they really, really put their heart and soul into those songs. they really made the lyrics come alive and the music come alive. >> hardest person. i don't mean temperamental or anything like that. maybe it just -- took you a little more time to find out the niche. who was the hardest person? >> billy ball. because he was so different. ♪ mr. jones >> his music was different. more challenge to me. to play, billy's style.

you know the way we wrote the song. it was -- it was, in fact he made me get more into the keyboard when billy came along. billy came along with a jazz infusion. >> hardest thing was to keep people out. they start to bring, you know, people. and the studio -- we couldn't work like that. because it was work. a lot of times they bring girls into the studio, whatever. just their fans or whatever. you know? we'd have to pull them to the side. say come on. >> it's closed session. >> and there was the collective musicians, the band that made the music behind the great singers. the mffb orchestra. >> the whole concept. we used the whole orchestra. everien strument in the orchestra. that was the uniquest part of what we did here. is that we developed an orchestra. which was, i used to look back

at. when i was a kid. that little bit, glenn miller band or something like that. >> count bassey. >> is there a moment in the studio that comes back to mind maybe of a performance that you -- stopped you in your tracks, something that you either laughed or cried about when somebody gave a particular performance here? >> boy, all of them really. but i tell you. one that jumps into my mind, teddy pendergrass. and "don't wake up everybody." that was unbelievable. you know, the song is unbelievable. and teddy was a kind of guy in the studio where -- he never had the words, you know to tell you, you have the words? no, don't have the words. always had to keep a stack of words for him. but when it came time for him to go to the microphone --

he was unbelievable. >> he was -- >> he was unbelievable. ♪ wake up everybody >> times weren't always easy, he almost lost his liven a car accident that left him paralyzed. then the talented, tormented singer who despite a wealth of talent was frequently troubled. her music often echoed her personal pain. she would take her own life in 1995. >> you know you look at phyllis. those songs "living all alone." that was something that was taylor made for -- tailor made for her. she was so concerned about finding love in her life. she was a beautiful person. she really was. i think that she battled with the -- with her identity. issues, you know?

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from background music for commercials like coors light to shows like "the apprentice" theirs is really the sound track of a generation. i wonder of all the music they have had a hand in, what would they consider the consummate tsop song? >> "the soul train" theme with the orchestra. that to me whenever i hear that song, that's -- that's the signature song to me. >> i think sort of define soul train and the sound of philadelphia because we called it tsop, sound of philadelphia, the soul train theme. i agree. >> trademark of the gamble-huff music is the positive message in much of it. songs like "family reunion" spoke of pride and self reliance. now led by kenny gamble the men are living their uplifting musical spirit. >> think it was a natural for

the transition to go to uplift the community. and gamble's dream about -- injecting into the community like he is doing now. i think it was fantastic. and all comes together. >> because one of the things i always wanted to do was -- to do something in the community. and so many of the songs that we wrote were about -- community upliftment and whatever. and so -- i always say we are doing that now and developing -- community, better quality of life for the community. >> gamble led the charge for urban renewal with a nonprofit community development corporation that has revitalized homes and areas of philadelphia long abandoned by others. he has also been involved with the charter school and other companies aimed at bettering a beleaguered city. >> how do you -- satisfy your soul? by giving, by working and doing

for your family, doing for yourself too. and living and learning. as much as you can about this life. and what this life has to offer. >> by end of the interview by asking each man what they wanted their legacy to be? >> i would like for people to try and, search and find out why we, the lyrics and the music, and to feel where we were coming from. and hopefully, the music will -- will be as -- be as uplift to humanity. i would look for -- for our legacy to be one that we were people and songwriters who were able to reinvent ourselves and take the music as a steppingstone to be able to help a people or community and a great city like philadelphia. i want to feel like i really

helped the world, think about themselves, my legacy is the contribution of the music to help heal the world. ♪ our world ♪ [ boy humming ] ♪ [ humming ] ♪ [ humming ] ♪ [ female announcer ] the simple joy of a happy meal. [ boy ] ♪ ba da ba ba ba

>> a special thanks to gamble

and huff for sitting with me and more importantly giving us music wrapped in hope and pride and the message in the music. thank you for joining us. in making our world your world. we'll see you next week. look at you. body rested. stress gone. mind sharp. because unisom gave you deep restful sleep all night. morning early birds. unisom. good night. good morning.