The Philadelphia International Records' Gamble and Huff receive the BMI Icon Award
By Eunice Moseley

The fathers of what I call the Philadelphia sound, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, received the BMI Icon Award for their "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers" at the recent 57th Annual BMI Pop Awards in Los Angeles. The event was hosted by BMI president and CEO Del Bryant and BMI vice president and general manager-writer/publisher relations Los Angeles, Barbara Cane.

"We are honored," Leon Huff said about receiving the honor. "I thought it was great. It's wonderful to be respected and admired by your peers. We are very grateful."

Gamble and Huff met in an elevator at a young age and started a conversation that would build into a partnership that took them to a monumental moment when they joined forces to create Philadelphia International Records, distributed by CBS Records. A deal that, at that time, was unheard of.

"We started dreaming together about the business of making music a life-long career. The bottom line is you got to make a living. We had a band and was writing songs trying to make a hit," Gamble said.

"Gamble started Gamble Records and signed the Intruders," Huff adds.

"The Intruders were one of my favorite groups at the time...we were doing singles," Gamble stated.

Aside from the Intruders, through Philadelphia International Records, Gamble and Huff signed and wrote hit songs such as "Use to be my girl" and "For the love of money" for The O'Jays'; "You'll never find..." for Lou Rawls; "If you don't know me by now" for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes; "When will I see you again" for The Three Degrees, and "Me and Mrs. Jones" for Billy Paul." In total Gamble and Huff accumulated 22 gold and eight platinum records.

Also members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Gamble and Huff now join other BMI Icons such as the Jacksons, the Bee Gees, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Paul Simon, James Brown, Dolly Parton and Hall and Oats as BMI Icons.

"Yes it was a miracle," Gamble said about their life story. "Stuff like this doesn't happen every day. Look at it as inspiration...the ability to create on what's going on around you...that's how you get your ideas."