McFadden & Whitehead

Gene McFadden and John Whitehead operated as a Philadelphia-based songwriting, production, and performing team that rose to prominence at Philadelphia International throughout the 1970s. In their own right as vocalists, they topped the R&B chart in 1979 with the single “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now,” which climbed to number thirteen on the pop side.

During their teenage years the pair performed in the Epsilons, a group that toured under Otis Redding’s management until the singer’s death in 1967. They next secured a Stax contract and registered a moderate hit with “The Echo” in 1970.

After Lloyd Parkes exited, McFadden & Whitehead adopted the name Talk of the Town and began collaborating with Gamble & Huff. Although the duo had initially been slated to record for North Bay, Gamble & Huff instead recruited them as writers for Philadelphia International once their compositional skills became evident.

Their first assignment produced the Intruders’ “I’ll Always Love My Mama.” Subsequent writing and production credits included “Backstabbers” for the O’Jays, “Bad Luck” and “Wake Up Everybody” for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and Archie Bell & the Drells’ “Let’s Groove,” “Soul City Walk,” “Strategy,” and “Don’t Let Love Get You Down.”

They also partnered with Carolyn Crawford and handled outside projects in the 1970s and 1980s for Melba Moore, Gloria Gaynor, Freddie Jackson, Willie Collins, and Beau Williams.

The duo released their self-titled album, McFadden & Whitehead, in 1979 and issued additional singles on TSOP in 1980, among them the Top 30 R&B entry “I Heard It in a Love Song,” followed by Capitol sides in 1982.

Whitehead was fatally shot in 2004 in what authorities believed was a case of mistaken identity. McFadden succumbed to cancer two years later. As of 2013 the homicide remained unsolved and was examined on TV One’s Celebrity Crime Files.