Last year marked 40 years of the legendary record label Philadelphia International Records (PIR) and the timeless Sound of Philadelphia (TSOP) that's saturated the air waves over the last four decades. And this year, the founders of PIR have even more reasons to celebrate. It's the 50th anniversary of the partnership between the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. In 50 years, their partnership never skipped a beat.

People of all generations and nationalities have fallen in love with The Sound of Philadelphia (TSOP). With unforgettable songs like "Wake Up Everybody," "Love Train" and "I’ll Always Love My Mama," Gamble & Huff have had a significant impact on today’s music industry. Get to know about their legacy below.

Insider tip: Listen to Gamble & Huff's hits 24/7 on TSOP Soul Radio here.

The Legacy

Before there was a Philadelphia International Records, there were two prolific songwriters who had been writing R&B hits throughout the 60s--Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. The very first time this duo sat down to write a song, they wrote 10 songs in one sitting. And, as Gamble says, "It's been that way ever since." 

The music pioneers founded the label Philadelphia International Records (PIR) in 1971. Through the guidance of music mogul and then president of CBS Clive Davis, Gamble & Huff's label secured a major distribution deal through CBS, the largest national label at the time. Within the first year of PIR opening, they had multiple number one hits on the R&B and pop charts, including "Back Stabbers" and "Love Train" by the O'Jays, "If You Don't Know Me By Now" by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, and "Me and Mrs. Jones" by Billy Paul. The label also received its first Grammy Award for the Billy Paul hit.

Over the next decade, PIR artists and songs took over the R&B and pop charts. By 1973, PIR was the second-largest African-American-owned music company. By the following year, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and their Mighty Three Music publishing partner Thom Bell placed over 25 songs on the charts. Mighty Three Music became the biggest-selling music publishing company that year.

Since founding Philadelphia International Records, the powerhouse production duo have written and produced over 3,500 songs within 50 years. Gamble & Huff were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, and they are also Grammy winners and BMI songwriters' awards honorees. Their extensive catalogue also includes numerous pop #1 hits, R&B #1 hits, 100 gold and platinum records. It's estimated that one of their songs is played on radio somewhere in the world every 13.5 minutes. The Gamble & Huff catalog has been sampled by a number of today’s top artists such as Usher, The Roots, John Legend, Kanye West and many more.

Philly 360⁰ Shout Out to Gamble & Huff on 50 years of unforgettable music.