Saturday, December 23, 2006

Harry Berry, Bass Singer with Tempts Passes




By Norman (Otis) Richmond

Harry McGilberry Jr. a.k.a. Harry Berry, a former bass singer with theTemptations has joined the ancestors.

McGilberry was the third bass singer with the legendary vocal group. He replaced Ray Davis a foundation member of Parliament/Funkadelic who was brought into the group to complete the album, For Lovers Only when the original bass singer Melvin Franklin became too ill to continue with the group. He came into the group when Davis was forced the leave for health reasons.



Maurice Watts, who hosts the popular Love Zone radio show, paid tribute to MilGilberry upon hearing of his passing.”

Melvin (Franklin) was my mine man, but you respectfully earned your place on my shelf of ‘World Class Bass Singer.’” The current bass singer with the Temptations is Joe Herndon who replaced McGilberry in 2003.

Many have complained that bass and baritone singers are an endangeredspecies in popular music in the 21st Century. For his part, McGilberrytalked about his influences and listed them.”

I give praise and thanks to those who paved the way before me. You all have been a great inspiration to my talent and endeavors.” He went on tolist Melvin Franklin, Larry Graham, Barry White, Isaac Hayes, Lou Rawls,Arthur Prysock, Brook Benton, The Harmonizing Four, and The Swan Silvertones as his mentors.

The Temptations have continued to be the biggest and most influential vocalgroup in history. David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, MelvinFranklin and Otis Williams- The classic Temptations were the quintessential male vocal group.

After a dry spell, The Temptations made a comeback of sorts. Phoenix Risingwhich featured the smash single “Stay” was the group’s biggest album oftheir career and McGilberry was a part of it. McGilberry joined the onlyoriginal member of the group Williams, Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks and Theo Peoples (who left the group and joined the Four Tops after recording”Stay”). The current lead vocalist of the Tempts is G.C. Cameron, who sang with the Spinners on their classic “It’s A Shame.”

McGilberry also appeared on the Awesome and Ear-Resistible albums. TheEar-Resistible album won the Temptations their first Grammy award since”Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone.” I had the pleasure of seeing, meeting and interviewing MilGilberry on several occasions. As a member of theTemptations I saw him at Ontario Place, in Hamilton and at Roy ThomsonHall twice. He took to me immediately, especially when he found out that I was a huge Futures fan.

McGilberry began his recording career as a member of the Philadelphia group, the Futures. The Futures recorded for Buddha and PhiladelphiaInternational Records. They recorded Castles In The Sky for Buddha andPast, Present and The Futures and The Greetings of Peace for PhillyInternational. Beside McGilberry the group featured Kenny Crew, James andJohn King and Frank Washington who went on to become a member of theDelfonics and the current lead voice of the Spinners. In fact, the first time I saw the Futures was at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. They wereopening for the Spinners and O’Jays in the 70s. It must be pointed out that Washington and Crew held their own against Philippe Wynne and Bobby Smith of the Spinners and Eddie Levert and Walter Williams of the O’Jays.McGilberry also was not outdone by Pervis Jackson (the bass voice of theSpinners) or Williams (who also doubles as the O’Jays bass vocalist).


While the Futures never had a major hit they sang background on many ofPhiladelphia International Records including most Teddy Pendergrass’platinum albums. In fact, when Pendergrass left Harold Melvin and the BlueNotes he considered recruiting McGilberry to be a member of a new group which he planned to put together. Pendergrass mentions McGilberry in his autobiography Truly Blessed. Says Pendergrass, “I considered asking tenorHarry Ray of the Moments (Ray, Goodman & Brown) and Harry (McGilberry),the bass singer of the local (Philadelphia) group the Futures, and someother guys.”


It was a pleasure listening and watching McGilberry work with both theFutures and the Temptations. I still have an autographed copy of theFutures, Past, Present and the Futures in my collection. I rememberMcGilberry and Crew as very friendly gentlemen and my favorite song by theFutures is “Love Lives on a Windy Hill,” which featured McGilberry on the bottom and Crew’s creamy Eddie Kendricks’ like falsetto out-front. I also enjoyed their song “We Got Each Other” with Barbara Mason. This was the groups final single for Buddah Records.

McGilberry’s stint with the Temptations was the crowning jewel in his life. You could hear it in his voice. Maurice ”The Voice” Watts’ web site captures the moment. The Voice’s web site is www.lovezone247.com or onFriday nights from 9pm to 12am. McGilberry is thenewest member of soul heaven. He will be missed.Norman Richmond can be reached by email Norman@ckln.fm

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