Biography
Singer/songwriter Ted Mills served as lead vocalist for Blue Magic, the ensemble celebrated for its dreamy Philly Soul ballads including the million-selling “Sideshow” and “Three Ring Circus.” He also penned several of the group’s signature numbers: “Spell,” “What’s Come Over Me,” “Chasing Rainbows” and “Tear It Down.” Mills shared a North Philadelphia upbringing with fellow members Keith Beaton, Richard Pratt and brothers Vernon and Wendell Sawyer, although each had first belonged to separate local vocal ensembles. Mills himself had performed with The Topics. Randy Cain of The Delfonics, famed for “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind,” introduced Mills to WMOT Productions, where he joined the staff as a songwriter. Meanwhile Beaton, Pratt and the Sawyer brothers, performing as Shades Of Love, auditioned at the same production company. WMOT subsequently united Mills with his neighborhood acquaintances, thereby creating Blue Magic.
Working alongside MFSB guitarist/songwriter/producer Norman Harris and tracking at Joe Tarsia’s historic Sigma Sound Studios, the group scored its first chart entry with Mills’ composition “Spell,” which reached #30 R&B in spring 1973. Additional MFSB personnel contributing to those sessions included drummer Earl Young, bassist Ron Baker, vibraphonist Vince Montana and orchestra leader Don Renaldo. WMOT secured distribution through Atlantic’s Atco subsidiary, enabling the follow-up single “Stop To Start”—written by Allan Felder and Jimmy Grant—to climb to #14 R&B and #74 Pop in early 1974. Later that spring the bittersweet “Sideshow,” credited to MFSB guitarist Bobby Eli and Vinnie Barrett (also known as Gwen Woolfolk), earned gold status and attained #1 R&B and #8 Pop. The track anchored the self-titled album Blue Magic, itself certified gold and peaking at #4 R&B and #45 Pop in early 1974.
Working alongside MFSB guitarist/songwriter/producer Norman Harris and tracking at Joe Tarsia’s historic Sigma Sound Studios, the group scored its first chart entry with Mills’ composition “Spell,” which reached #30 R&B in spring 1973. Additional MFSB personnel contributing to those sessions included drummer Earl Young, bassist Ron Baker, vibraphonist Vince Montana and orchestra leader Don Renaldo. WMOT secured distribution through Atlantic’s Atco subsidiary, enabling the follow-up single “Stop To Start”—written by Allan Felder and Jimmy Grant—to climb to #14 R&B and #74 Pop in early 1974. Later that spring the bittersweet “Sideshow,” credited to MFSB guitarist Bobby Eli and Vinnie Barrett (also known as Gwen Woolfolk), earned gold status and attained #1 R&B and #8 Pop. The track anchored the self-titled album Blue Magic, itself certified gold and peaking at #4 R&B and #45 Pop in early 1974.
Albums
