Song:Expressway To Your Heart
Album:Sweet Soul Music: 1967
This 1967 top five hit is notable as the very first hit for the legendary Philly Soul production team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. It's a pretty good example of Blue Eyed Soul which is basically R & B performed by whites. It was also the only big hit for The Soul Survivors and they weren't even from Philly. They were from New York City and known as The Dedications in the early 60s. The lead singers were Charlie & Richie Ingui and Kenny Jeremiah. The rest of the band was Chuck Trois on guitar, Paul Venturini on organ, Edward Leonetti on bass and Joey Forgione on drums. They released a few singles and changed their name to The Soul Survivors. They signed with Crimson Records which was an offshoot of Jerry Greene's Lost Nite reissue label. Greene also founded Collectables Records in 1980. He put them in touch with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff who were just getting started. Expressway To Your Heart was a huge hit in Philly and then The Soul Survivors signed a deal with Atco and the song reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. Follow up singles and two albums didn't do well and The Soul Survivors split up in 1972. They did reform for a 1974 album but it too was unsuccessful. You can get all The Soul Survivors recordings on Collectables. But most fans are only going to want Expressway To Your Heart. Rhino did release a various artists Blue Eyed Soul comp that is now out of print. And most of the various artists comps are crap. But this one from Bear Family is a little pricy but it is good and worth getting. Charlie & Richie Ingui continue to tour the oldies circuit today. And here they are performing Expressway To Your Heart on FOX Philly 29's Good Day Philadelphia Oct. 30, 2009.
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