The Stylistics were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and were comprised of lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smit . .   Expand    Wikipedia

The Stylistics were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and were comprised of lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. All of their US hits were ballads, graced by the soaring falsetto of Russell Thompkins, Jr. and the lush yet graceful productions of Thom Bell, which helped make The Stylistics one of the most successful soul groups of the first half of the 1970s." During the early 1970s, the band had twelve straight U.S. R&B top ten hits, including "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)", "You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "I'm Stone in Love with You", "Break Up to Make Up", and "You Make Me Feel Brand New". The Stylistics were created from the remaining members of two defunct Philadelphia groups, The Percussions and The Monarchs. Russell Thompkins Jr., James Smith, and Airron Love came from the Monarchs, and James Dunn and Herbie Murrell came from the Percussions. In 1970, the group recorded "You're a Big Girl Now", a song their road manager Marty Bryant co-wrote with Robert Douglas, a member of their backing band Slim and the Boys, and the single became a regional hit for Sebring Records. Producer Bill Perry spent $400 to record the number in the Virtue Studios in Philadelphia. The larger Avco Records soon signed The Stylistics, and single eventually climbed to number seven in early 1971.

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