The Stylistics

The Stylistics

The Stylistics are a Philadelphia soul group from Philadelphia, United States, active from 1968 to the present. They are among the best-known Philadelphia soul acts of the 1970s and are associated with contemporary R&B, funk, philly soul, pop soul, smooth soul and soul.

Formation and early line-up

Formed in 1968, the group originally features lead singer Russell Thompkins, Jr. alongside Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith and James Dunn. Their sound is closely linked to Thompkins’ falsetto and to the writing and production work they develop with Thom Bell and Linda Creed.

Breakthrough and classic recordings

The Stylistics score their first U.S. hit in 1971 with “You’re a Big Girl Now” after signing to Avco Records. Working with producer Thom Bell, who has already built a hit catalogue with The Delfonics, they make a series of polished soul recordings built around Bell’s arrangements and Creed’s bittersweet lyrics. Their best-known hits from this period include “Betcha by Golly, Wow,” “I’m Stone in Love with You,” “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” “Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart,” and “You Are Everything.” “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” which features a double lead with Airrion Love, becomes the group’s biggest U.S. hit, reaching No. 2 for two weeks in spring 1974. The Stylistics also collect five U.S. gold singles.

Chart presence and later changes

The group’s smooth style also crosses over well to adult contemporary and easy listening radio. Billboard lists them on the Easy Listening singles chart twelve times between 1971 and 1976, with “Betcha By Golly, Wow,” “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” and “You’ll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart)” reaching the Top 10. After they split with Thom Bell in 1974, their commercial success in the United States declines. They then move from Avco to H&L Records, and although their U.S. profile falls, their popularity in Britain continues through the rest of the 1970s.

Line-up changes and ongoing activity

James Dunn leaves in 1980 because of health problems, followed shortly after by James Smith. The group continues with Raymond Johnson and releases the album Some Things Never Change in 1985. Johnson leaves soon afterwards, reducing the group to a trio. Love, Murrell and Thompkins continue touring until 2000, when Thompkins departs. Love and Murrell then bring in Harold “Eban” Brown, formerly of The Delfonics, as lead singer, and tenor Van Fields. The current group appears on the DVD The Stylistics Live at the Convention Center and also on The Big Show.

Related projects and influence

In 2004, Russell Thompkins, Jr. forms a separate group, the New Stylistics, with Raymond Johnson, James Ranton and Jonathan Buckson. That line-up appears on Old School Soul Party Live!, part of the PBS My Music series. The Stylistics’ catalogue is also widely sampled and covered: Prince records “Betcha By Golly, Wow,” Vanessa Williams remakes “You Are Everything,” Boyz II Men, Roberta Flack and Simply Red record versions of “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” Mary J. Blige uses the key chorus line from “You Are Everything” in “Everything,” and Letoya Luckett uses a similar sample from the same song in “Torn.”