Thom Bell is dead: The Grammy winner and architect of “The Sound Of Philadelphia” was 79 years old

Thom Bell, who helped create the soul singing style known as “The Sound of Philadelphia” in the 1960s and 1970s, died Thursday in Bellingham, Washington. He was 79 years old and no cause of death was given.

His lawyer, Michael Silver, confirmed the death.

Along with fellow producers and songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Bell was the driving force behind the lush orchestrations that characterized The Sound of Philadelphia. Bell, Gamble and Huff were known as “The Mighty Three”. Operating from a building on Broad Street, they created a song factory that dominated the charts and Top 40 of the era.

Dyanna Williams, a music journalist and broadcast personality, announced Thursday afternoon that Bell had shared her social media accounts.

Popular songwriter-arranger-producer Thomas aka Randolph Bell aka Thom Bell, co-architect of The Sound of Philadelphia with Gamble & Huff. Soundtrack of our life music The Delfonics The Stylistics The Spinners Deniece Williams Dionne Warwick Johnny Mathis has changed.”

Producer Nile Rogers also posted on Twitter about Bell’s death.

“#RIPThomBell He is one of the greatest writers and producers of all time. My condolences go out to his family and friends. He was the architect of the relationship between #BernardEdwards and I, as we were the band of the band New York City (I’m Doing Fine Now), a hit by Thom Bell,” Rogers wrote on Twitter.

Bell was born in Jamaica in 1943, but moved to West Philadelphia with his family. His mother was a pianist and his father played the accordion and Hawaiian lap steel guitar. Bell got his first drum set at age 4 and studied classical piano.

He met Kenny Gamble at his sister’s house and they soon formed a group called Kenny & the Romeos. When Bell left, he was replaced at piano by Leon Huff.

Bell worked as a staff writer and tour manager for Chubby Checker and landed his first production job for the Delfonics in 1968. He helped create her hits “La La Means I Love You” and “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind”.

It was the beginning of something special. Bell arranged the strings for “Back Stabbers,” the 1972 breakthrough hit for O’Jays on Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International Records label.

He later worked with Elton John, Teddy Pendergrass, Deniece Williams and Johnny Mathis and worked with Dionne Warwick, Teddy Pendergrass, Lou Rawls, Little Anthony and The Imperials, Dusty Springfield, David Byrne, Joss Stone and Fatboy Slim.

In 1975, Bell won the Grammy Award for Best Producer of the Year, the first time an award was presented in that category.

In 1993, Thom received a star on the Music Alliance Walk of Fame in Philadelphia. He was later inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Bell is survived by his wife Vanessa and children Royal, Troy, Tia, Mark, Cybell and Christopher. No memorial plans have been announced.