 • The mighty mighty DELLS enjoyed an amazing run of hits, starting in 1956 with “Oh What A Night” and continuing from 1966 to 1974 with Cadet Records (the Chess subsidiary). In 1975, the soulful quintet signed with Mercury Records for a four-album association.
• Released in 1977, “THEY SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE, BUT WE DID IT!!” was the group’s second album for the label. With the ‘Sound Of Philadelphia’ a major force in the world of R&B and soul music in the ‘70s, The Dells journeyed to the City of Brotherly Love to cut the album.
• The Dells teamed with the production team ‘The Harris Machine’ (featuring musicians, arrangers, and writers including guitarist/ writer Norman Harris, Earl Young and Ron Baker). Working with arrangers Ron Kersey, T.G. Conway and Allan Felder, songwriters such as (future Temptation) Ron Tyson and top Philly session musicians, the group fashioned one of their finest ‘70s albums.
• Much in demand by their many fans worldwide and making its worldwide CD debut, “THEY SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE, BUT WE DID IT!!” reached No. 40 on the US R&B charts and contained two Top 30 R&B hits, “Betcha Never Been Loved (Like This Before)” and “Our Love.”
• 2012 marks the group’s 60th anniversary and to commemorate it, SoulMusic.com Records is reissuing this great album alongside LOVE CONNECTION (SMCR 5047). Includes notes by Rico Washington with quotes from Chuck of The Dells among others.
About the Writer
David Nathan is the founder and CEO of SoulMusic.com and began his writing career in 1965; beginning in 1967, he was a regular contributor to Blues & Soul magazine in London before relocating to the U.S. in 1975 where he served as U.S. editor for the publication for several decades and began being known as 'The British Ambassador Of Soul.' From 1988 to 2004, he wrote prolifically for Billboard, has penned bios, produced and written liner notes for box sets and reissue CDs for over a thousand projects. He returned to London in 2009 where he has helped create SoulMusic.com Records as a leading reissue label.
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