GAMBLE AND HUFF TO BE HONORED WITH RENAMING OF HISTORIC BLOCK OF BROAD STREET

GAMBLE & HUFF WALK LEGENDARY ‘SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA’ PIONEERS KENNETH GAMBLE AND LEON HUFF TO BE HONORED WITH RENAMING OF HISTORIC BLOCK OF BROAD STREET

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HALL OF FAMERS IMMORTALIZED ON STREET KNOWN AS BIRTHPLACE OF ‘THE PHILLY SOUND’ IN PREPARATION OF GLORIOUS 2-YEAR LEGACY CELEBRATION

GAMBLE & HUFF TO BECOME 1ST PEOPLE IN HISTORY TO HAVE THEIR NAMES

ON ANY STREET SIGNS ALONG PHILADELPHIA’S DOMINANT CITY ARTERY

DEDICATION CEREMONY AND FESTIVITIES TO BE HELD WED., NOVEMBER 17

ALONG STREET THEY MADE FAMOUS TO ‘PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD’

WHAT: STREET NAMING CEREMONY FOR KENNETH GAMBLE AND LEON HUFF, LEGENDARY “SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA” PRODUCERS AND SONGWRITERS. Gamble & Huff will be honored by the City of Philadelphia the re-naming of the 300 Block of S. Broad St. as GAMBLE & HUFF WALK, in ceremonies in front of the historic Philadelphia International Records building along the Avenue of the Arts. The extraordinary festivities along Broad Street will include a free outdoor concert by several recording artists in the extended Philadelphia International Records family. Guest speakers and attendees will include numerous dignitaries, recording artists, business associates and family.

WHERE: Broad Street, between Spruce and Pine streets, Philadelphia, PA

WHEN: Wednesday, November 17, 2010

PRESS CONFERENCE – TSOP Experience-Souvenir Shop, 309A S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA

10:30 a.m. – Press check-In

10:45 a.m. – Musical performance by Ju-Taun

11 a.m. – Press conference with Gamble & Huff, hosted by DJ Jerry Blavat

11:45 a.m. – Photo and interview opportunities

NOON – OUTDOOR CEREMONIES AND FESTIVITIES to include proclamation, live music performances, and reflections from dignitaries, recording artists, business associates and family.

2 p.m. – VIP Reception at the Doubletree Hotel, 237 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA, featuring the music of Bill Jolly and the TSOP Orchestra and Band, with performances by Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, the Soul Survivors, members of the Delfonics, Grace Little and Carol Riddick. (Admission by special request.)

WHO: Mr. Kenneth Gamble and Mr. Leon Huff– co-founders and partners of Philadelphia International Records and the seminal R&B songwriting team Gamble & Huff, architects of “The Sound of Philadelphia.

Chuck Gamble – executive vice president, Philadelphia International Records
Honorable Governor Ed Rendell

Honorable Mayor Michael Nutter

Congressman Bob Brady

City Councilman Frank DiCicco

Karen Lewis – executive director, Avenue of the Arts

Clarena Tolson – Philadelphia streets commissioner

Joe “Butterball” Tamburro – WDAS

E. Steven Collins – WRNB

Notable artists in the Philadelphia International Records family, including:

Billy Paul

Bunny Sigler

Dexter Wansel

WHY: The world-renowned pioneering music icons are the architects of “The Sound of Philadelphia,” one of the most enduring brands of soul music anywhere. Together, they created a massive catalogue of 3,000 songs together, including R&B #1 hits, pop #1 hits, 100 gold and platinum records, Grammy winners and BMI songwriters’ award nominees. Though an arson fire has kept the Philadelphia International Records offices at 309 S. Broad Street quiet since the beginning of the year, the street renaming signifies a whole new beginning for Gamble & Huff, as the duo prepares for a glorious two-year celebration of their monumental legacy, beginning next year with the 40th anniversary of Philadelphia International Records, and continuing into 2012 with the 50th anniversary of their distinguished partnership.

Gamble & Huff are among the most prolific professional songwriting teams of all time, having written and produced over 3,000 songs within 35 years, an output that rivals Lennon-McCartney, Jagger-Richards, Leiber & Stoller and Holland-Dozier-Holland. Their message songs of peace, love, empowerment, social conscience and turmoil sold millions of records, as they fashioned the sweet, sexy, stirring, socially conscious Philly Sound at Philadelphia International Records (PIR). They are enshrined in five music Halls of Fame, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Featured prominently in television programs (“The Apprentice,” “Cold Case”), films (“The Nutty Professor”) and advertising spots (Verizon, Chevrolet, Coors Light, Old Navy, The Gap, Office Max) for more than 30 years, Gamble & Huff’s songs have entered the musical DNA of contemporary culture. In fact, one of their songs is played on the radio somewhere in the world every 13.5 minutes. With a stable core of artists led by the O’Jays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Billy Paul, MFSB and the Three Degrees, Gamble & Huff co-founded Philadelphia International Records and created monster hits almost from the first day of its inception. Songs they have written and produced together, like “Back Stabbers,” “Love Train,” “For The Love Of Money,” “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” “Cowboys to Girls,” “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” “Enjoy Yourself,” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me,” “Only the Strong Survive” and “TSOP” (better known as the “Soul Train” theme), have received songwriters’ awards from Broadcast Music International (BMI). Their songs comprise the most sampled R&B catalogue in the world, by artists such as Jay-Z, Usher, Cam’ron, Ja Rule, Jaheim, and Avant.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:

www.gamble-huffmusic.com