And tonight, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff will be rewarded for their role in music history when they are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Tonight's ceremony in New York City will see the songwriting team inducted along with Madonna, John Mellencamp, the Ventures, The Dave Clark Five and Little Walter. Huff says what made the "sound" of the Philly Sound stand out so much was the fact that they had more elements to it.
While Huff says some people had bands, he and his songwriting partner "had a whole orchestra" at their disposal. And that, he says, "made our sound that much bigger." History proves them right.
During a nine-month period in 1972-73, they sold more than 10 million records with less than a-half dozen songs, including Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones," "Love Train" by the O'Jays and "If You Don't Know Me By Now," by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.