The Stylistics

Formed in Philadelphia in 1968 from the merger of two local groups, the Monarchs and the Percussions, The Stylistics belong to the Philadelphia soul tradition with a blend of orchestral soul, smooth R&B and vocal pop. The original quintet—Russell Thompkins Jr., Airrion Love, Herb Murrell, James Smith and James Dunn—developed in the early 1970s an instantly recognizable sound driven by Thompkins’ falsetto and the arrangements of Thom Bell, in collaboration with lyricist Linda Creed. This period defined The Stylistics’ identity with songs such as “Stop, Look, Listen”, “You Are Everything”, “Betcha by Golly, Wow”, “People Make the World Go Round” and “You Make Me Feel Brand New”, and with the albums The Stylistics (1971), Round 2 (1972), Rockin’ Roll Baby (1973) and Let’s Put It All Together (1974). After the split with Bell, The Stylistics evolved their approach with productions by Hugo & Luigi and arrangements by Van McCoy into a lighter sound, sometimes approaching the disco and pop-soul of the late 1970s. The group continued to perform despite several lineup changes. The Stylistics still exist today around Airrion Love and Herb Murrell, the last remaining founding members, with Jason Sharp in the current lineup.