Harold Melvin, leader of the Blue Notes, was born on this day in 1939 — 83 years ago

Harold Melvin (center) with the Blue Notes

Harold Melvin, leader of the Blue Notes, was born on this day in 1939 — 83 years ago.

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were one of the most popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. The group's repertoire included soul, R&B, doo-wop and disco.

Founded in Philadelphia in the early 1950s as The Charlemagnes, the group is most noted for several hits on Gamble and Huff's Philadelphia International label between 1972 and 1976, although they performed and recorded until Melvin's death in 1997.

In 1970, the group recruited Teddy Pendergrass as the drummer for their backing band. Pendergrass had been a former member of Philadelphia R&B group, The Cadillacs (not the New York group that had hits in the late 1950s), and was promoted to lead singer when John Atkins quit the same year. This line-up of the group featured Melvin, Pendergrass, Bernard Wilson, Lawrence Brown and Lloyd Parks.

Probably the most-covered Philly soul group in history, many of their hits have been re-recorded by other artists, including Simply Red, David Ruffin, Jimmy Somerville, Sybil and John Legend.

Melvin did on March 24, 1997 at age 57. A stroke the previous summer had left him bedridden and unable to speak. The cause of death was probably another stroke, said his doctor.

Here, Melvin and the Blue Notes perform “The Love I Lost,” 1973