ABBA

He is a singer born Lawrence Lloyd Brown in Philadelphia, often known as Larry, who started his life in music when he used to dance and sing while still a child.

In 1957 he put together his group called The Bingos and later became a founding member of Harold Melvin’s group The Blue Notes. He sang and performed with them throughout the many line-up changes for the rest of his life and appeared on hits such as “The Love I Lost”, “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”, Wake Up Everybody” and “Don’t Leave Me This Way”.

The albums his work features on with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes include Black and Blue, To Be True, Wake Up Everybody and Now Is The Time among many others.

Following the death of Harold Melvin he continued as a member of “The Legendary Blue Notes” with ex-member Lloyd Parks and the addition of Salaam Love and Arthur Aiken. He became ill with respiratory problems when performing with them at a concert in Chester, Pennsylvania, in January 2008 and passed away that April. He was 63 years old.

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes recordings

Don’t Leave Me This Way (Kenneth Gamble/Cary Gilbert/Leon Huff)

Philadelphia International (S PIR 4909 A) (UK 45)

To Be Free To Know Who We are (Victor Carstarphen/Gene McFadden/John Whitehead)

Philadelphia International (S PIR 4909 B) (UK 45)

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