My partner, Gene Allan and I always liked to joke around and pull off some incredibly real-sounding stories. This one was pulled off a true icon in the music business...
My partner, Gene Allan and I always liked to joke around and pull off some incredibly real-sounding stories. This one was pulled off a true icon in the music business… Thom Bell. Thom was a serious composer, arranger and producer. Among his most successful acts were the Stylistics, the Spinners and the Delfonics. He was hired to do arrangements for Elton John, Deniece Williams, James Ingram, Archie Bell, the O’Jays and Dusty Springfield.
Bell didn’t take any guff from anyone including his hired musicians or engineers! Even his own artists, who he worked hard and rehearsed never had a lot of fun with Thom around..
Gene, my crazy partner, had created an original idea and Sigma Sound’s co-owner, Chief Engineer Tarcia was our “link” to help with the execution of this devilish plan.
We told Joe that we wanted to know the name of a local Cadillac Dealer in Philly, who was the largest and best known.. Joe told us it was “Eierman Cadillac” located in downtown Philly.
Joe told us that Bell had a very pleasant and thoughtful wife who would never go out and spend money like a spendthrift, but Gene got word of this character trait from Tarcia and thought, “Thom would never think it was even possible”.. this joke was so out of character, it could get someone thinking… slowly…..
Here was the story….. Thom entered the studio and, I believe it was Tarcia who told Thom, “We just got a call at the studio for you, Thom. It was Frank Eierman from Eierman Cadillac.. He said “your wife can come down here now and pick up your Cadillac Powder Blue Eldorado!”… Thom’s eyes opened wide and was in total disbelief!! He said ..”This can’t be MY wife! She would never do something like that without telling me, FIRST!”… We did our very best to hold in the laughter.
As time went by, Thom started thinking…. “Could this really be true?
Then the “Capper”.. “I think she wanted to surprise you Thom!! He then WENT NUTS… he tried to call home.. no answer… “Oh My God.. she probably already paid for it!!!!
We then broke out in laughter and, instead of getting angry.. he let out a sigh of relief. He finally said, “You got me on that one, guys!” She didn’t… did she???? We couldn’t contain ourselves….. we all continued to laughing and laughing until he left the engineer’s booth.
What a terrible thing to pull on a good guy like Thom Bell, Philadelphia’s successful genius!!! (He did take it well, Thank God!)
1 Comment
Thom, sadly passed away late in 2022!! Great Super-talent who I have admired over thge years simce the 1970s.