I subscribed and liked. You're the only reaction channel to check them out. Stylistics, Chi-lites, and Blue Magic where Kings. Heatwave came and joined in the upper echelon.
From Philly Baby! Blue Magic ❤❤ Thank you. Another great live performance is Luther Vandross singing a House is not a home at the NAACP Image Awards 1989 or 1988
The Blue Magic group is from Philadelphia two brothers are in the group and Ted Mills the lead vocal has one of the best tenor voices in the business, Check out there tune Tear it down, They can flat out sing.
A very sideshow reaction 🎪🎠🎡🎢🎪! I 👁👁 see that you have reacted to Blue Magic before: It's Like Magic. Sideshow was released in 1974 as the second single from Blue Magic's 1974 album: Blue Magic. It was written by Bobby Eli and Vinnie Barrett. It was produced by Norman Harris. The song reached #1 on the R&B chart, #5 on the Cash Box 100, #8 on the Hot 100 and #35 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Billboard ranked the song as the No. 19 song for 1974. Ted Mills is the lead singer. Yes, their choreographed dance moves 🕺🏾🕺🏾🕺🏾🕺🏾🕺🏾are as smooth as ice 🧊! Blue Magic Info 📰: Blue Magic is a R&B and Soul vocal group, and one of the more popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. Founded in 1972, the group's original members included lead singer Ted Mills with Vernon Sawyer, Wendell Sawyer, Keith Beaton and Richard Pratt. Their most notable songs included smooth soul ballads including: "Sideshow", "Spell", "What’s Come Over Me", "Three Ring Circus", and "Stop To Start" along their sharp choreographed live performance stage moves. Blue Magic was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972 when former member of The Delfonics, Randy Cain, brought in singer-songwriter Ted Mills to do some writing with the Philly-based WMOT production company to create a new band. A short time later the group Shades Of Love, featuring Keith Beaton, Richard Pratt, Vernon Sawyer and his brother Wendell Sawyer, came in to audition. According to Marc Taylor in his book A Touch of Classic Soul of the Early 1970s, "although the group performed admirably, they lacked a standout lead singer". The music execs decided to replace The Toppicks, the act Ted Mills recorded with. They inserted Shades Of Love, which they owned contractually, with Ted Mills and retitled the group: Blue Magic. They were signed with Atco Records through WMOT in the same year. The group was one of the earliest acts produced by Norman Harris, a Philadelphia recording veteran. The group's harmonies were supported by the MFSB studio house band. Their first song release in 1973 was: "Spell", which went onto the US Billboard R&B chart peaking at No. 30. It was written and co-produced by Ted Mills. Their second release was the uptempo song: "Look Me Up"; which reached number 36, stayed on the R&B chart for 11 weeks, and was popular on the early disco scene. Their next single was the ballad: "Stop to Start". This hit was even more successful, reaching number 14 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 74 on the pop chart. The next single release became their first Billboard US top 10 R&B and Pop hit song: "Sideshow" It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA on August 16, 1974. It climbed to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the R&B chart. The Blue Magic album also went gold. In addition to the four hit singles, it also included another Richard Dickson inspired creation, the hit ballad: "What's Come Over Me", a seven-minute rendition of the Main Ingredient million seller: "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", the solid album closer song: "Tear It Down", and the uptempo song: "Welcome To The Club". The first single from their 1975 follow-up album: The Magic Of The Blue entitled: "Three Ring Circus", also sold well, reaching number 36 in the pop chart and number 5 R&B. MFSB guitarist Bobby Eli and Vinnie Barrett co-wrote both songs: "Sideshow" and "Three Ring Circus". Because their biggest hits were slower songs, the group became known mostly for their ballads. The album: Thirteen Blue Magic Lane, in 1975 maintained the group's popularity, and spawned their version of the popular dance song: "We're On The Right Track", as well as the ballad: "Chasing Rainbows". The song: "What's Come Over Me", from their debut album was re-worked as a duet with Margie Joseph dubbed in alongside Ted Mills' original lead vocals. The new approach saw the song climb to number 11 on the R&B chart again in 1975. In total, the group had two R&B chart singles in 1975 and four in 1976. The group had their first world tour that year which lasted for 42 weeks. The tour included 48 states in the United States, five countries in Europe and a 10-day stay in the Philippines. They concluded their tour with a two-week engagement in the Virgin Islands. Blue Magic were known also for their choreography. As a visually oriented group, they had several major television appearances, including Soul Train, The Mike Douglas Show, The Jerry Blavat Show, Dancin' On Air and A.M. Philadelphia. In April 1975, they were chosen as the best new group of the year which earned two Ebony Awards. The first was presented in New York City by Aretha Franklin, the second in Florida by the female recording artist Vanity. They have shared the stage with other performers including: The Jacksons, Lionel Richie, The Commodores, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Natalie Cole, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Spinners, Earth, Wind & Fire, New Edition, The Stylistics, Mick Jagger and many others. The group also contributed background vocals for R&B singer Alyson Williams and The Rolling Stones 1974 song: "If You Really Want To Be My Friend", from the album: It's Only Rock 'n' Roll. By 1977, the group's popularity had faded with the rise of Disco and changing music styles, and despite the group continuing to record consistently they failed to chart. Subsequent record label moves to Capitol Records for a reunion with Norman Harris, who had left two years earlier, and then the smaller record label Mirage Records resulted in some smaller R&B charting, but no major success. Background singer Richard Pratt left the group in the early 1980s. After sibling singers Vernon and Wendell Sawyer left, the remaining two members Ted Mills and Keith Beaton hired two other singers and traveled to Los Angeles, California to record with Skip Scarborough and some members of the popular group Earth Wind & Fire on the 1977 album: Message From The Magic. In 1988, the original group got back together and had some renewed popularity in late 1989 with the album: From Out Of The Blue. Also in 1989, they appeared on the song: "To Be Your Man", the third single from Big Daddy Kane's second album: It's A Big Daddy Thing. In 1990, The Amsterdam News carried the story of Ted Mills' near-fatal car accident. After surgery in 1996, Ted Mills returned to the music scene as a solo act, recording an album for Casablanca Records that year entitled: This Magic Is Real, featuring the remake of the song: "Tear It Down". The other members of the group brought in new lead singer Rod Wayne (real name Roderick Bronaugh), who remained with the group until 2004. Rod Wayne went on to teach at Tennessee State University. Ted Mills appeared in the touring play: "Girl, He Ain't Worth It", with The Manhattans, Meli'sa Morgan and Tito Jackson, and also appeared in the play: "Looking For Love In All the Wrong Places". In 2007, Ted Mills recorded the album: 3 Tenors Of Soul, with Russell Thompkins Jr (original lead singer of The Stylistics) and William Hart of The Delfonics. The album was released on Shanachie Records and produced by Bobby Eli. Ted Mills appeared and gave two concerts for the audiences at the 2014 Soul Train Cruise in February 2014 and on the Holland America Eurodam Cruise. On March 11, 2018 Blue Magic reunited to appear on the TV One television series: Unsung (S 12/E 4). On July 14, 2018 Ted Mills rescued a man from a burning car on route 22 in Hillside, New Jersey. "I knew it was somebody trapped in there and needed help getting out," said Ted Mills, a Summit resident. "It was flipping in the direction that I was driving". Former lead vocalist Rod Wayne passed away in 2016. Richard Pratt (born on June 30, 1952) passed away on March 1, 2022 at the age of 69. Keith Beaton (born on July 30, 1950) passed away on January 13, 2023 at the age of 72. The name "Blue Magic" was formally trademarked by Wendell Sawyer and Keith Beaton some years earlier. Vernon Sawyer has his own version of the group, while Richard Pratt led another one at the time of his death in 2022. Former lead singer Ted Mills continues to pursue a solo career and performances in 2023. Blue Magic Group Members (*Original Member) 👨🏾🎤👨🏾🎤👨🏾🎤👨🏾🎤👨🏾🎤👨🏾🎤: Rod Wayne- lead tenor Walter Smith- baritone Michael Buchanan- bass *Vernon Sawyer- baritone *Ted 'Wizard' Mills- lead tenor *Wendell Sawyer- lead baritone *Richard Pratt- bass *Keith "Duke" Beaton- second tenor Blue Magic Albums 📀: Blue Magic (1974) The Magic Of Blue (1974) Thirteen Blue Magic Lane (1975) Mystic Dragons (1976) Message From The Magic (1977) Welcome Back (1981) Magic # (1983) From Out Of The Blue (1989) My Magic Is Real (1995) Share A Dream (2020) Ted Mills Albums 📀: 3 Tenors Of Soul w/ Russell Thompkins and William Hart (2007) Some good Blue Magic songs 🎶: Three Ring Circus, Magic Of The Blue, Freak-N-Stein, Secret Lover, The Loneliest House On The Block, Grateful, Teach Me (It's Something About Love), Answer To My Prayer, Stringin' Me Along, Haunted (By Your Love), What's Come Over Me, Tear It Down, I Waited, Couldn't Get To Sleep Last Night, Since You Been Gone, Chasing Rainbows, Stop To Start, Look Me Up, Welcome To The Club, Spell, Love Has Found Its Way To Me, Land Of Make Believe, Just Don't Want To Be Lonely, Never Get Over You, Summer Snow, Romeo And Juliet, You Won't Have To Tell Me Goodbye, Your Spell Stayed On My Mind, Share A Dream, When Ya Coming Home, We're On The Right Track, Seems I Haven't Seen Her, Magic #, Maybe Just Maybe (We Can Fall In Love Again), See Through and Where Have You Been. Fun Fact 🕵🏾♂: The song: Sideshow, was covered as a Reggae version by Barry Biggs, the song reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1977.
This song is a staple in Philly pop culture. The lyrics are deep but a lot of people gloss over how deep it really is. Makes me think everytime I hear it.
You taking me on a trip back to my childhood 😭 these songs were played heavy on DC radio and on the block. I hope you still do “Street Life” by The Crusaders.
