Post by MAJE on May 12, 2004 13:16:47 GMT -5
Soul music loses another great,
PHILADELPHIA - John Whitehead, a prominent R&B artist best known for the 1979 hit song "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," was shot dead Tuesday, police said.
Whitehead, 55, was shot while working on a vehicle with another man, police said. The assailant fled.
Whitehead was shot in the neck and collapsed; the other man was shot in the buttocks and taken to a hospital.
Gene McFadden, who was Whitehead's partner in the singing group McFadden & Whitehead, went to the scene of the shooting in the city's West Oak Lane neighborhood and stood there trembling, WPVI-TV reported.
The two men formed a group called the Epsilons in their youth and were discovered by Otis Redding (news) and toured with him in the 1960s, according to their Web site.
The duo wrote several hit songs performed by others in the 1970s, including "Back Stabbers," "For the Love of Money," "I'll Always Love My Mamma," "Bad Luck," "Wake Up Everybody," "Where Are All My Friends," "The More I Want," and "Cold, Cold World."
"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" went to No. 1 on the R&B chart and reached No. 13 on the pop chart.
PHILADELPHIA - John Whitehead, a prominent R&B artist best known for the 1979 hit song "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now," was shot dead Tuesday, police said.
Whitehead, 55, was shot while working on a vehicle with another man, police said. The assailant fled.
Whitehead was shot in the neck and collapsed; the other man was shot in the buttocks and taken to a hospital.
Gene McFadden, who was Whitehead's partner in the singing group McFadden & Whitehead, went to the scene of the shooting in the city's West Oak Lane neighborhood and stood there trembling, WPVI-TV reported.
The two men formed a group called the Epsilons in their youth and were discovered by Otis Redding (news) and toured with him in the 1960s, according to their Web site.
The duo wrote several hit songs performed by others in the 1970s, including "Back Stabbers," "For the Love of Money," "I'll Always Love My Mamma," "Bad Luck," "Wake Up Everybody," "Where Are All My Friends," "The More I Want," and "Cold, Cold World."
"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" went to No. 1 on the R&B chart and reached No. 13 on the pop chart.
JOHN WHITEHEAD, half of the duo that penned some of the most popular R&B hits of the '60s and '70s, was shot to death behind his West Oak Lane home last evening, police said.
Sources said police were questioning potential suspects, but no arrests as of late last night.
Whitehead, 55, and his partner Gene McFadden, were best known for the hit "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now," which sold more than 8 million copies and earned the duo a Grammy nomination. They also wrote a slew of other classics, including "Backstabbers" for the O'Jays, and "I'll Always Love My Mamma."
The songwriter was shot in the head and another man critically wounded about 5 p.m. on Dallas Street near 19th, several sources said. The other victim, who was rushed to Albert Einstein Medical Center, was identified by family as a mechanic who was a close friend. He was listed in stable condition this morning, police said.
Whitehead, the father of 11 children, was in the alley behind his home repairing a hose on his SUV with the mechanic, said Aaliyah Medley-Castro, 27, his step-grandaughter.
"He was fixing his car and some guys came up and opened fire," Medley-Castro said. She said the mechanic had earlier had "an altercation" with the same men.
Family and friends, including McFadden, flocked to the brick rowhouse, where Whitehead's wife of 15 years, Elnor, sat sobbing with relatives in a second-floor bedroom. A steady stream of mourners offered their condolences.
The mood was solemn, as they talked quietly, a visitor said.
Whitehead's awards, a half-dozen gold and platinum plaques, cover a foyer wall. His livingroom is filled with family pictures.
"He was very lovable. He will light up a room. He made everyone laugh," his step-grandaughter said, adding that he had no enemies.
His manager, the singer Billy Paul, said the music community heard about the slaying at the Philly Music Awards, held last night at the Electric Factory.
Whitehead was to be a presenter, but never showed up, Paul said.
"I don't know what happened. He was always a jovial guy. We were going to take off and get McFadden tonight," said Paul, explaining that McFadden was going through some personal problems that they hoped to help him with. He wouldn't elaborate.
Details were sketchy, and police released little information about the shootings.
McFadden and Whitehead were natives of North Philadelphia. As young men they formed a group called the Epsilons.
They were discovered by Otis Redding, and toured with him until the late '60s, according to their Web site.
Their first hit, "Backstabbers" for the O'Jays, became No. 1 in one week.
Paul said Whitehead was still writing and touring over the past couple of years.
"He was working. They just got back from New York," Paul said, adding that they toured London and Detroit last year.
He said he last spoke with Whitehead Monday night.
"He was worried about McFadden and like, we're out here trying to get heads or tails what happened.
"How we left it was, we said meet you at 8:15 at Electric Factory. He never showed up and it's not like him to not show up."
Kenny Gamble, co-founder of Philadelphia International Records, called Whitehead a creative wonder.
"The last time I saw him was maybe about a couple of months ago. He was in my office. We were talking about the old days and also about writing some new songs... He was very optimistic about the future."
Veteran DJ Jerry Blavat remembered Whitehead as "a nice guy, always upbeat, always happy." McFadden & Whitehead recently performed at Atlantic City's Borgata on a concert promoted by Blavat, who recalled Whitehead as "a creative songwriter."
A longtime friend who asked not to be named said, "Oh, I'm devastated. He was a friend of mine. I can't f------ believe it."
"He was a straight-up dude. There was no reason to kill him," said his friend of 36 years. "He's been singing all his life."
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Sources said police were questioning potential suspects, but no arrests as of late last night.
Whitehead, 55, and his partner Gene McFadden, were best known for the hit "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now," which sold more than 8 million copies and earned the duo a Grammy nomination. They also wrote a slew of other classics, including "Backstabbers" for the O'Jays, and "I'll Always Love My Mamma."
The songwriter was shot in the head and another man critically wounded about 5 p.m. on Dallas Street near 19th, several sources said. The other victim, who was rushed to Albert Einstein Medical Center, was identified by family as a mechanic who was a close friend. He was listed in stable condition this morning, police said.
Whitehead, the father of 11 children, was in the alley behind his home repairing a hose on his SUV with the mechanic, said Aaliyah Medley-Castro, 27, his step-grandaughter.
"He was fixing his car and some guys came up and opened fire," Medley-Castro said. She said the mechanic had earlier had "an altercation" with the same men.
Family and friends, including McFadden, flocked to the brick rowhouse, where Whitehead's wife of 15 years, Elnor, sat sobbing with relatives in a second-floor bedroom. A steady stream of mourners offered their condolences.
The mood was solemn, as they talked quietly, a visitor said.
Whitehead's awards, a half-dozen gold and platinum plaques, cover a foyer wall. His livingroom is filled with family pictures.
"He was very lovable. He will light up a room. He made everyone laugh," his step-grandaughter said, adding that he had no enemies.
His manager, the singer Billy Paul, said the music community heard about the slaying at the Philly Music Awards, held last night at the Electric Factory.
Whitehead was to be a presenter, but never showed up, Paul said.
"I don't know what happened. He was always a jovial guy. We were going to take off and get McFadden tonight," said Paul, explaining that McFadden was going through some personal problems that they hoped to help him with. He wouldn't elaborate.
Details were sketchy, and police released little information about the shootings.
McFadden and Whitehead were natives of North Philadelphia. As young men they formed a group called the Epsilons.
They were discovered by Otis Redding, and toured with him until the late '60s, according to their Web site.
Their first hit, "Backstabbers" for the O'Jays, became No. 1 in one week.
Paul said Whitehead was still writing and touring over the past couple of years.
"He was working. They just got back from New York," Paul said, adding that they toured London and Detroit last year.
He said he last spoke with Whitehead Monday night.
"He was worried about McFadden and like, we're out here trying to get heads or tails what happened.
"How we left it was, we said meet you at 8:15 at Electric Factory. He never showed up and it's not like him to not show up."
Kenny Gamble, co-founder of Philadelphia International Records, called Whitehead a creative wonder.
"The last time I saw him was maybe about a couple of months ago. He was in my office. We were talking about the old days and also about writing some new songs... He was very optimistic about the future."
Veteran DJ Jerry Blavat remembered Whitehead as "a nice guy, always upbeat, always happy." McFadden & Whitehead recently performed at Atlantic City's Borgata on a concert promoted by Blavat, who recalled Whitehead as "a creative songwriter."
A longtime friend who asked not to be named said, "Oh, I'm devastated. He was a friend of mine. I can't f------ believe it."
"He was a straight-up dude. There was no reason to kill him," said his friend of 36 years. "He's been singing all his life."
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