The band of Harold Melvin was formed in Philadelphia in 1954. Its original name was The Cadillacs, but later it was change to The Blue Notes. During the 1960's and 1970's, Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes experienced numerous personnel changes. Teddy Pendergrass, the drummer in The Blue Notes' backing band, was brought into the frontline as the featured vocalist. Later, a fifth singer, Lloyd Parkes, was added to the band. By that time the band had signed up with producers Gamble and Huff, whose sculpted arrangements and insistent rhythm tracks provided the perfect foil for Pendergrass' voice. The succes they enjoyed during the 1970's was reason for Teddy Pendergrass to demand for equal billing. After Melvin's refusal, Teddy left the band and started a succesful solo-career. By the early 1980's, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes were without a recording contract, but continued to enjoy an in-concert popularity. After a few years without a record deal they signed to Philly World in 1984, where they achieved minor UK hit singles the same year with 'Don't give me up' and 'Today's your lucky day'. Harold Melvin died in 1997.

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D i s c o g r a p h y

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes [Philadelphia International]	1972	CBS
I Miss You	1972	Philadelphia International
Black & Blue	1973	Philadelphia International
To Be True	1975	Philadelphia International
Wake Up Everybody	1975	Philadelphia International
Now Is the Time	1977	ABC
Reaching for the World	1977	ABC
The Blue Album	1980	Valley Vue
All Things Happen in Time	1981	MCA
Give me up	1984	World
Today's your lucky day	1984	Philly World
Talk it up (tell everybody)	1984	Philly World
For Real	2003	Sony Special Products
Christmas With Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes	2003	St. Clair
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes [Sony]	2004	Sony
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes [Platinum]		Platinum