William Powell (The O'Jays) - A Profile

William Powell (20 Jan 1942 - 26 May 1977)  was one of the original members of The O'Jays and was born on this day in 1942 so would have been 81 today.

The group was formed in 1958 in Canton, OH, consisting of school friends Powell, Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, Bobby Massey and Bill Isles, originally as The Triumphs and renamed The Mascots in 1960. They recorded two singles as The Mascots for King in 1960. Another single by The Mascots is listed for them from 1974 which may have been an unreleased song which was released to cash in on their success at Philadelphia International, as it is most certainly two early 60s songs and is almost definitely the same group, as the song writing credits are the same writers as their two 1960 singles (i.e. Andriotto, Vasis).

William, known as Will to the group, was with the group from the beginning until he retired in 1975 due to ill health (drug addiction and colon cancer) and was replaced by Sammy Strain from Little Anthony & The Imperials (who was married to Motown's Yvonne Fair). Strain holds the distinction of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice with different groups, The O'Jays in 2005 and with Little Anthony & The Imperials in 2009. 

Powell features on the sleeve of their second album of 1975, "Survival", so assume it was after that album that he retired. He died in 1977 from colon cancer. Discogs lists a solo single from him "Strawberry Blonde" / "Politics" on Hollywood label Venett from Dec 1962, which I feel is unlikely to be the same artist. He is definitely not the same artist who had a big Northern Soul tune "Heartache Souvenirs" on Power-House (another L.A. based label) in 1966 nor William 'Doc' Powell.

The group changed their name to The O'Jays in tribute to Clevland, OH, DJ Eddie O'Jay (originally as O'Jays Boys) who had taken them under his wing. Before their first R&B hit "Lonely Drifter" on Imperial in 1963, they released a couple of singles, first on Apollo in 1961 and then on Little Star in Feb 1963 as well as their first single on Imperial.

By 1972, after a decade of recording with no major hits, they were on the verge of quitting. Isles left around 1966/67 and Massey in 1970/71, to focus on production, leaving them a trio. Whilst they recorded for Gamble & Huff on their Neptune label since 1969, it wasn't until the pair formed Philadelphia International Records in 1971 that the O'Jays' career took off with their first single for the label, "Back Stabbers" in 1972, hitting #1 R&B and #3 Hot 100. The album of the same name produced the label's first #1 Hot 100 single, "Love Train", as well as other hits "992 Arguments" (#13/#57) and "Time To Get Down" (#2/#33). The label wouldn't achieve another Hot 100 #1 hit with the group but they had a total of ten R&B #1 hits, nine of them with PIR.

Strain returned to Little Anthony & The Imperials in 1992 being replaced by Nathaniel Best who was later replaced by current member Eric Grant. The group did a farewell tour last year in recognition of 60 plus years in the business. Original members Eddie Levert (now 80) and Walter Williams (who will be 80 this year) and Eric Grant being the line-up. Original member Bill Isles died in 2019 aged 79.

The playlist below consists of pre PIR day recordings, as we all know most of them don't we, although there will be plenty of forgotten or overlooked album tracks amongst them, but the playlist would be endless. Therefore, the focus is on their earlier, pre PIR, days between 1963 and 1972. There were still far too many tracks so the ballads were stripped out leaving the Northern Soul / Crossover style tracks to give it some focus. There is a surprisingly large number of them, many already played and others waiting to be 'discovered'. However, one of their best in my view, "I'll Never Forget You" (Imperial 1966) (which was covered by The Metros, album only, on "Sweetest One" (RCA Victor 1967)) isn't available on Spotify so has been embedded from YouTube for those not familiar with it.

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