Remembering william powell of the o'jays

[MIKEW-UK]

Alaways saddened remembering the passing of super gifted William Powell


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P4pOcN5Pmk

[MIKEW-UK]

William on lead


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDC5geQZqmw

[arr&bee]

Great singer,the first time i saw the ojays perform way back in the day,william was still with them and they brought down the house.

[manny]

Many times , hearding my O'Jays albums I have think how sad was the fact that Gamble & Huff [[if they were the real responsibles) don't use the falsetto voice of William. I heard "How Time Flies" from "Survival" LP and don't understand how a lead falsetto so particular like this can be so ignored. There's many O'Jays tracks from the 60's where William Powell sang lead [["I'll Be Seeng You"; "Working In Your Case", ...). The falsetto voice of William don't have nothing in common with any other [[Smokey, Tedd Mills, Philip Bailey,...). The O'Jays are / was THREE GREAT, DIFFERENT AND UNIQUES PERSONALITIES! You can recognize William, Walter or Eddie by hearding one only note.

Cheers!

[marv2]

Great singer,the first time i saw the ojays perform way back in the day,william was still with them and they brought down the house.

When I think of them, I think of the dancing as well. Those were some stepping brothers! RIP Bill

[Ryon6]

Thought William sang bass. So, who was singing bass on those PIR albums?

[soulwally]

Thought William sang bass. So, who was singing bass on those PIR albums?
Walter Williams could sing bass, right up to tenor. Listen to any live shows on youtube, you'll hear him doing just that...

[manny]

I remember when Bobby Eli was a Soulful Detroit active member and he explains how many times bass voices were added on studio in The O'Jays tracks by Phil Hurtt, Jimmy Helms and Bunny Sigler [[hear with attention the bass voice on "Don't Call Me Brother", this is I think one of the cases on wich the bass is not by Walter Williams)

[mr_june]

I remember when Bobby Eli was a Soulful Detroit active member and he explains how many times bass voices were added on studio in The O'Jays tracks by Phil Hurtt, Jimmy Helms and Bunny Sigler [[hear with attention the bass voice on "Don't Call Me Brother", this is I think one of the cases on wich the bass is not by Walter Williams)

Thanks for that info Manny and good to see you are still around.

[soulwally]

I remember when Bobby Eli was a Soulful Detroit active member and he explains how many times bass voices were added on studio in The O'Jays tracks by Phil Hurtt, Jimmy Helms and Bunny Sigler [[hear with attention the bass voice on "Don't Call Me Brother", this is I think one of the cases on wich the bass is not by Walter Williams)
Manny, good to hear from a fellow Philly fanatic. However, it's Carl Helm who was the regular male back-up voice at Sigma Sound. Jimmy Helms recorded [[in Britain) the hit Gonna Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse

[manny]

Hello again, Mr. June, Soulwally and to every one.

Thanks for your correction, Soulwally. many times I says [[or write) "Jimmy Helms" when rally I wanna says "Carl Helm"... I'm getting old! :-)... There was a time when also The TNJ's [[Trenton New Jersey's) were doing chorus for Bunny Sigler, very good harmonies particularly on the "Love Train" cover by Bunny. And in the late 70's there was The Futures who, apart from recording two fantastic albums appears on many albums by other PIR artists making the male chorus [[from Leon Huff's "Here To Create Music" to Lou Rawl's "Let Me Be Good To You") with very nice ultra - bass voices.

Cheers to all!
And long live to the 70's Symphonic Soul [[from Chicago, Detroit, NY, Philly or any place)

[soulwally]

Hello again, Mr. June, Soulwally and to every one.

Thanks for your correction, Soulwally. many times I says [[or write) "Jimmy Helms" when rally I wanna says "Carl Helm"... I'm getting old! :-)... There was a time when also The TNJ's [[Trenton New Jersey's) were doing chorus for Bunny Sigler, very good harmonies particularly on the "Love Train" cover by Bunny. And in the late 70's there was The Futures who, apart from recording two fantastic albums appears on many albums by other PIR artists making the male chorus [[from Leon Huff's "Here To Create Music" to Lou Rawl's "Let Me Be Good To You") with very nice ultra - bass voices.

Cheers to all!
And long live to the 70's Symphonic Soul [[from Chicago, Detroit, NY, Philly or any place)
The Futures' bass singer was Harry McGilberry, who later joined the Temptations, in 1996, replacing Ray Davis [[former Parliaments, Parliament, Funkadelic), who replaced Melvin Franklin. McGilberry left the Tempts in 2003 and died in 2006, aged 56.
The Futures' Party Time Man is big on the Northern Soul scene - and Harry is strongly featured on the track.