The Main Ingredient

The Main Ingredient

The Main Ingredient is an American R&B and soul group from Manhattan, New York City. It forms in 1964 and begins as a trio called the Poets, with lead singer Donald McPherson, Luther Simmons Jr. and Panama-born Tony Silvester. The group first records for Leiber and Stoller’s Red Bird label, then changes its name to the Insiders and signs with RCA Records. In 1968 it adopts the name The Main Ingredient permanently; the name comes from a Coke bottle.

Early years and first recordings

After rebranding as The Main Ingredient, the group works with producer and arranger Bert DeCoteaux. Their first R&B Top 30 entry arrives in 1970 with “You’ve Been My Inspiration”. A cover of The Impressions’ “I’m So Proud” reaches the Top 20, and “Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling in Love)” enters the Top 10. In 1971 they release “Black Seeds Keep on Growing”, written by McPherson.

Cuba Gooding era and major hits

McPherson dies in 1971 after developing leukemia, and Silvester and Simmons regroup with new lead singer Cuba Gooding Sr., who has already sung backing vocals on some recordings and stands in on tour during McPherson’s illness. This line-up has its biggest success with “Everybody Plays the Fool”, which becomes a million-selling hit, reaches number two on the R&B chart and number three on the pop chart, and receives a gold disc from the R.I.A.A. The song appears on Bitter Sweet, the group’s first album to reach the R&B Top 10.

The 1973 album Afrodisiac includes songs written or co-written by Stevie Wonder, though it does not produce major singles. In 1974 the group reaches number eight on the R&B chart and number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely”, another million-selling record. In the UK, that single reaches number 27 and becomes the group’s only chart entry there. In 1975 they record material co-written by Leon Ware, including the R&B Top 10 “Rolling Down a Mountainside”.

Later line-ups and reunions

Silvester leaves in 1975 after releasing a solo album, Magic Touch, and later forms a production team with Bert DeCoteaux. Together they produce Ben E. King’s “Supernatural Thing”, which becomes a Top 10 pop and R&B hit. Silvester is replaced by Carl Tompkins. Gooding leaves for a solo career on Motown in 1977, releasing two albums, while Simmons leaves the music industry to work as a stockbroker.

Gooding, Silvester and Simmons reunite as The Main Ingredient in 1979 and record Ready for Love in 1980 and I Only Have Eyes for You in 1981, which includes the minor hit “Evening of Love”. They regroup again in 1986, but the Zakia single “Do Me Right” does not succeed, and Simmons returns to his day job. Jerome Jackson replaces him on the 1989 Polydor album I Just Wanna Love You.

After Aaron Neville revives “Everybody Plays the Fool” in the Top 10, Gooding returns to his solo career and issues his third album in 1993. Silvester and Simmons revive the group in 1999 with new lead singer Carlton Blount, and this line-up records Pure Magic in 2001. Silvester dies in 2006, and Simmons retires soon afterwards. Gooding dies in 2017. The group’s later line-up includes Jerome Jackson and Stanley Alston.