View source for MFSB

{{Short description|American collective of session musicians}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = MFSB
| background          = group_or_band
| image               =
| image_size          = 220
| caption             = replace this image.svg
| alias               =  
| origin              = [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania, U.S.
| genre               = [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], [[Soul music|soul]], [[Philadelphia soul]], [[disco]], [[funk]]
| years_active        = 1971–1985
| label               = [[Philadelphia International Records|Philadelphia International]]
| associated_acts     = [[Teddy Pendergrass]], [[Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes]], [[The O'Jays]], [[McFadden & Whitehead]], [[the Three Degrees]]
| past_members        = [[Bob Babbitt]] <br/>[[Ronnie Baker (musician)|Ronnie Baker]] <br/>[[Thom Bell]] <br/>Keith Benson<br/>Karl Chambers <br/>Roland Chambers <br/>Charles Collins<br/>[[Bobby Eli]] <br/>[[John Davis and the Monster Orchestra|John E. Davis]]<br/>John H. Davis <br/>Norman Farrington<br/>Michael Foreman <br/>Eddie Green <br/>[[Dennis Harris (musician)|Dennis Harris]]<br/>[[Norman Harris (musician)|Norman Harris]] <br/>[[Leon Huff]]<br/>[[Anthony Jackson (musician)|Anthony Jackson]]<br/>Frederick Joiner<br/>Quinton Joseph<br/>[[Ron Kersey]]<br/>[[Reggie Lucas]] <br/>[[Vincent Montana Jr.]] <br/>Lenny Pakula <br/>Don Renaldo<br/>[[T. J. Tindall]] <br/>[[Dexter Wansel]]<br/>Larry Washington <br/>Winnie Wilford<br/>Harold Ivory Williams Jr.<br/>Jimmie Williams<br/>[[Earl Young (drummer)|Earl Young]]<br/>Leon "Zach" Zachery 
}}

'''MFSB''', officially standing for "Mother Father Sister Brother",<ref name="jackson">{{cite book|last1=Jackson|first1=John A.|title=A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul|date=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=0195149726|page=115|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ug0TDAAAQBAJ&q=mfsb+%22mother+father+sister+brother%22&pg=PA115|access-date=2017-06-24}}</ref> was a pool of more than 30 [[session musician|studio musician]]s based at [[Philadelphia]]'s [[Sigma Sound Studios]].<ref name="ROCK ON">{{cite book|last=Nite|first=Norm N.|title=Rock On: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock N' Roll, 1964–1978|year=1978|publisher=Thomas Y. Crowell|location=[[New York, New York|New York]]|isbn=0-690-01196-2|pages=320}}</ref> They worked closely with the production team of [[Gamble and Huff]] and producer/arranger [[Thom Bell]], and backed up [[Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes]], [[the O'Jays]], [[the Stylistics]], [[The Spinners (American group)|the Spinners]], [[Wilson Pickett]], and [[Billy Paul]].<ref name="ROCK ON"/>

In 1972, MFSB began recording as a named act for the Philadelphia International label. "[[TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)]]", also known as the ''[[Soul Train]]'' theme, was their second and most successful single. Released in March 1974, it peaked at number one on the US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|pop]] and [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B]] [[record chart|charts]]. "TSOP" was influential in establishing the [[disco]] sound.<ref name="ROCK ON"/> The track sold over one million copies, and was awarded a [[music recording certification|gold disc]] by the [[RIAA]] in April 1974.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book|first=Joseph|last=Murrells|year=1978|title=The Book of Golden Discs|edition=2nd|publisher=Barrie and Jenkins Ltd|location=London|page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/331 331]|isbn=0-214-20512-6|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/331}}</ref>

==Overview==
MFSB formed in 1971 and disbanded in 1985, three years after [[Teddy Pendergrass]]' car accident, which left him paralyzed.<ref name="AllMusic">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mfsb-mn0000221894/biography|title=MFSB &#124; Biography & History|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|first=Steve|last=Huey}}</ref>

Assembled by [[record producer]]s [[Kenneth Gamble]] and [[Leon Huff]], MFSB was the [[house band]] for their [[Philadelphia International Records]] [[record label|label]] and originated "[[Philadelphia soul|Philly sound]]" that dominated the early 1970s for the artists who recorded at the Sigma Sound Studios, including The O'Jays, The Spinners, Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes, [[The Intruders (band)|the Intruders]], [[the Three Degrees]], [[Jerry Butler]], and [[Teddy Pendergrass]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/style/philly-soul-ma0000002776|title=Philly Soul Music Genre Overview - AllMusic|publisher=AllMusic| access-date=6 April 2024}}</ref> Later in the decade, the collective would become known for the [[hi-hat]]-dominated [[disco]] sounds that became popular in the late 1970s with groups such as [[the Trammps]], [[First Choice (band)|First Choice]], [[Ripple (band)|Ripple]] and [[Double Exposure (band)|Double Exposure]].{{Citation needed|date= August 2022}}

It was the 1973 release of their first album, ''[[MFSB (album)|MFSB]]'', that put them on the map.<ref name="AllMusic"/> This marked the beginning of a string of instrumental hits that brought major attention to a large orchestra who laid the foundation for the Sound of Philadelphia. The line-up of musicians included Karl Chambers, [[Earl Young (drummer)|Earl Young]], and Norman Fearrington on drums; [[Norman Harris (musician)|Norman Harris]], Roland Chambers, [[Bobby Eli]], and [[T. J. Tindall]] on guitar; Winnie Wilford and [[Ronnie Baker (musician)|Ronnie Baker]] on bass; [[Vincent Montana Jr.]] on [[vibraphone|vibes]], [[timpani]], [[orchestra bells]], [[Tubular bells|chimes]], percussion, arrangements and conductor, and Larry Washington on [[congas]] and [[bongos]], Harold Ivory Williams Jr. Jr. on keyboards, plus Leon Huff and [[Thom Bell]] on keyboards and Don Renaldo on strings and horns featuring Rocco Bene on trumpet.{{Citation needed|date= August 2022}}

MFSB's disco sound first hit the top of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 charts as the backing band for [[the O'Jays]]' "[[Love Train]]" in March 1973.<ref name="Whitburn"/>

In 2005, drummer Keith Benson (who along with Charles Collins and Quinton Joseph, had joined the group in 1975 upon Earl Young's departure) revived the group with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s help. The lineup included himself on drums, Jimmy Williams and Stacey McGee on bass, Dennis Harris and Barton French on guitars, Carla Benson and Michael Clark on vocals.

==Career==
In the spring of 1974, Philadelphia International released an [[instrumental]] track which had been recorded by the band as the [[theme music]] for the television show ''[[Soul Train]]'' as a single. The record, titled "[[TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)]]", reached number one on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and also topped the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B chart]] and the [[Adult Contemporary (chart)|adult contemporary chart]].<ref name="Whitburn">{{cite book|author=[[Joel Whitburn|Whitburn, Joel]]|year=1996|title=The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits}}</ref> The success of "TSOP" launched a recording career for the band under their own name. MFSB albums and singles were released for the rest of the decade.

MFSB recorded a cover of [[New Birth (band)|the Nite-Liters]]'s 1971 instrumental "K-Jee", which gained some popularity later when it was featured in a key scene in the film ''[[Saturday Night Fever]]'' (1977).<ref name="AllMusic"/> It is also included in the soundtrack to that movie. "Sexy" (1975) was later used as a prize cue for the "Big Deal of the Day" on the 1980 version of ''[[Let's Make a Deal]]''.

Another popular MFSB number, "Love Is the Message", has been a favorite of dance/disco [[Disc jockey|DJs]] since its release; countless [[remix]]es, both official and unofficial, exist of the song. On September 20, 2004, the record became among the first to be inducted into the newly formed [[Dance Music Hall of Fame]]. In October 2004, the song appeared in the [[video game]] ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]'', playing on funk radio station, [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack#Bounce FM|Bounce FM]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wales|first1=Matt|title=Here's the GTA Trilogy remaster's full radio station track listing according to Rockstar|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/heres-the-gta-trilogy-remasters-full-radio-station-track-listing-according-to-rockstar|website=[[Eurogamer]]|access-date=6 August 2022|date=10 November 2021}}</ref> An episode of the television series ''[[Pose (TV series)|Pose]]'' named after the song aired on July 18, 2018, and the song appeared prominently in the episode.

Due to a disagreement with Gamble & Huff over finances, several members of the group moved on to [[Salsoul Records]], where they became known as the [[Salsoul Orchestra]]. Other members began performing as [[the Ritchie Family]] orchestra, and [[John Davis and the Monster Orchestra]].{{Citation needed|date= August 2022}} Not to be outdone, Gamble & Huff replaced them with a new [[rhythm section]] consisting of Charles Collins on drums, Michael Foreman on bass guitar, and Dennis Harris on lead guitar. They also employed [[Dexter Wansel]] and others on MFSB's latter recordings for the label.{{Citation needed|date= August 2022}}

For decades, MFSB's "My Mood" has been the closing theme music for the Friday 6 p.m. news on [[WRC-TV]], [[NBC]]'s owned-and-operated television station in [[Washington, D.C.]] Longtime WRC-TV anchor [[Jim Vance]] said the theme was chosen to help soothe viewers after a week of particularly difficult news but also gave the station a chance to acknowledge the staff responsible for gathering it.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/07/23/arch-campbell-remembers-his-friend-jim-vance/|title=Arch Campbell Remembers His Friend Jim Vance|magazine=[[Washingtonian (magazine)|The Washingtonian]]|date=23 June 2017|accessdate=26 July 2017|first=Arch|last=Campbell}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Vance|first1=Jim|title=Vance's View: ‘My Mood'|url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/vances-view-my-mood/3811057/|website=[[WRC-TV]]|access-date=11 January 2025|date=20 June 2014}}</ref> MFSB's "TLC" (Tender Lovin' Care) was used for decades as the closing credits theme for the Washington, DC, version of the ''[[It's Academic]]'' quiz show recorded at WRC-TV.{{Citation needed|date= August 2022}}

In 2008, some of the members appeared together on new recordings made at Bobby Eli’s Studio E/The Grooveyard in the Philly suburbs. Musicians on the session were Earl Young on drums, Bobby Eli and Dennis Harris on guitars, Jimmie Williams on bass guitar, Rikki Hicks on percussion and T G Conway on keys. Two songs have been released from that session: "Soul Recession" by Double Exposure and "There I go falling in love again" by Chiquita Green.{{Citation needed|date= August 2022}}

==Name origin==
According to the book ''A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul'', by John A. Jackson, the "clean" version of the MFSB name means "Mother, Father, Sister, Brother", because according to Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, despite the diversity at Philadelphia International Records, all were connected musically.{{Citation needed|date= August 2022}} This was in line with their spiritual views at the time. The "other" version was "motherfuckin' son-of-a-bitch", an expression that was used among the musicians to compliment a person's musical prowess.<ref name=jackson/>

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album
! colspan="5"| Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2"| [[Music recording sales certification|Certifications]]
! rowspan="2"| Record label
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"| [[Billboard 200|US]]<br><ref name="us">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mfsb-mn0000221894/awards|title=US Charts > MFSB|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=2016-02-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530052307/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mfsb-mn0000221894/awards|archive-date=May 30, 2012}}</ref>
! width="35"| [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|US<br>R&B]]<br><ref name="us"/>
! width="35"| [[Billboard charts#Albums|US<br>Jazz]]<br><ref name="us"/>
! width="35"| [[Kent Music Report|AUS]]<br><ref name="kent">{{cite book|title=Australian Charts Book 1970—1992|author=David Kent|isbn=0-646-11917-6|year=1993|publisher=Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W.}}</ref>
! width="35"| [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<br><ref name="can">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=MFSB&|title=CAN Charts > MFSB|magazine=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]|access-date=2016-02-14}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1973
| align="left"| ''[[MFSB (album)|MFSB]]''
| 131
| 20
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
| rowspan="6"| [[Philadelphia International Records|Philadelphia International]]
|-
| align="left"| ''[[Love Is the Message (MFSB album)|Love Is the Message]]''
| 4
| 1
| 4
| 55
| 6
| align="left"|
* US: Gold<ref name="riaa">{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=MFSB#search_section|title=US Certifications > MFSB|publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]|access-date=2016-02-14}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1975
| align="left"| ''[[Universal Love]]''
| 44
| 2
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| align="left"| ''[[Philadelphia Freedom (album)|Philadelphia Freedom]]''
| 39
| 14
| 30
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1976
| align="left"| ''[[Summertime (MFSB album)|Summertime]]'' 
| 106
| 18
| 21
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1978
| align="left"| ''[[MFSB: The Gamble & Huff Orchestra]]''
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1980
| align="left"| ''Mysteries of the World''
| —
| 54
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
| rowspan="1"| [[Philadelphia International Records|TSOP]]
|-
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

===Compilation albums===
*''End of Phase I: A Collection of Greatest Hits'' (1977, [[Philadelphia International Records|Philadelphia International]])
*''Greatest Hits'' (1990, [[Philadelphia International Records|TSOP]])
*''Love Is the Message: The Best of MFSB'' (1995, [[Legacy Recordings|Legacy]]/[[Epic Records|Epic Associated]])
*''All in the Family'' (1997, [[Sony Music Special Products|Sony Music]])
*''Deep Grooves'' (1999, Epic Associated)
*''The Essentials: MFSB'' (2018, [[Sony Music]])

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Title
! colspan="10"| Peak chart positions
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"| [[Billboard Hot 100|US]]<br><ref name="us"/>
! width="35"| [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US<br>R&B]]<br><ref name="us"/>
! width="35"| [[Hot Dance Club Songs|US<br>Dance]]<br><ref name="us"/>
! width="35"| [[Kent Music Report|AUS]]<br><ref name="kent"/>
! width="35"| [[Ö3 Austria Top 40|AUT]]<br><ref name="aut">{{cite web|url=http://austriancharts.at/showinterpret.asp?interpret=MFSB|title=AUT Charts > MFSB|publisher=[[Ö3 Austria Top 40]]|access-date=2016-02-20}}</ref>
! width="35"| [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<br><ref name="can"/>
! width="35"| [[Media Control Charts|GER]]<br><ref name="ger">{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/|title=GER Charts Search > MFSB|publisher=[[GfK Entertainment Charts]]|access-date=2016-02-20}}</ref>
! width="35"| [[MegaCharts|NLD]]<br><ref name="nld">{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=MFSB|title=NLD Charts > MFSB|publisher=[[MegaCharts]]|access-date=2016-02-20}}</ref>
! width="35"| [[Swiss Hitparade|SWI]]<br><ref name="swi">{{cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/showinterpret.asp?interpret=MFSB|title=SWI Charts > MFSB|publisher=[[Swiss Hitparade]]|access-date=2016-02-20}}</ref>
! width="35"| [[UK Singles Chart|UK]]<br><ref name="uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/15006/mfsb/|title=UK Charts > MFSB|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=2016-02-20}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="1"|1973
| align="left"| "[[Family Affair (Sly and the Family Stone song)|Family Affair]]"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| rowspan="2"|1974
| align="left"| "[[TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)]]" <small>(featuring [[The Three Degrees]])</small>
| 1
| 1
| —
| 12
| 17
| 1
| 5
| 18
| 3
| 22
|-
| align="left"| "[[Love Is the Message (MFSB song)|Love Is the Message]]" <small>(featuring The Three Degrees)</small>
| 85
| 42
| —
| —
| —
| 37
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| rowspan="4"|1975
| align="left"| "Sexy"
| 42
| 2
| 2
| —
| —
| 51
| —
| —
| —
| 37
|-
| align="left"| "T.L.C. (Tender Lovin' Care)"
| —
| 54
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| align="left"| "[[K-Jee]]"
| —
| —
| 18
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| align="left"| "The Zip"
| 91
| 72
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 24
| —
| —
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1976
| align="left"| "[[Philadelphia Freedom (song)|Philadelphia Freedom]]"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| align="left"| "Picnic in the Park"
| —
| —
| rowspan="2"| 14
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| align="left"| "Summertime and I'm Feelin' Mellow"
| —
| 65
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| align="left"| "We Got the Time"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1977
| align="left"| "Let's Clean Up the Ghetto" <small>(with Philadelphia International All Stars)</small>
| 91
| 4
| 26
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 8
| —
| 34
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1978
| align="left"| "Use ta Be My Guy" 
| —
| 94
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| align="left"| "To Be in Love" 
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1980
| align="left"| "Manhattan Skyline" 
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|-
| align="left"| "Mysteries of the World" 
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 41
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1994
| align="left"| "TSOP (Theme from Soul Train '94)" <small>(vs [[Johnny Vicious]])</small> 
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 98
|-
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

==See also==

* [[The Funk Brothers]]
* [[The Nashville A-Team]]
* [[Compass Point All Stars]]
* [[Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section]]
* [[Hi Rhythm Section]]
* [[The Section (band)|The Section]] 
* [[Booker T. & the M.G.'s]]
* [[The Memphis Boys]]
* [[The Wrecking Crew (music)|The Wrecking Crew]]
* [[Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra]]
* [[The J.B.'s]]
* [[The Love Unlimited Orchestra]] 
* [[Tower of Power#Collaborations|Tower of Power Horn Section]] 

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=mn0000221894}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091224012223/http://www.phillysoulclassics.com/artists/mfsb MFSB on Philly Soul Classics]
*[http://www.bandtraxs.com Carl Dixons Bandtraxs home page and blog]
* {{discogs artist|MFSB}}
* {{imdb name|2536374}}

{{MFSB|state=autocollapse}} {{Grammy Award for Album of the Year 1970s}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mfsb}}
[[Category:American soul musical groups]]
[[Category:Philadelphia International Records artists]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1971]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1985]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1985 disestablishments in Pennsylvania]]