Detroit natives The Spinners had a slew of hits in the 60s and 70s. The smooth R&B group was comprised of lead singer Bobby Smith, Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson and George Dixon. Though they started out with Motown, once they got over to Atlantic Records, they had a more cosmopolitan, spirited sound compared to their previous Northern Soul sound. "I'll Be Around" is a perfect example of their strong harmonies, heartfelt lyrics and danceable groove. It's difficult to make a love song about breaking up and still make it upbeat and foot-tapping. The Spinners did that on many occasions.
"I'll Be Around" was The Spinners first hit, selling over a million units. It reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 5 weeks at #1 on the U.S. R&B chart in the sweet fall of 1972. A single from the self-titled album, it embodied all that was amazing and special about 70s music..hip, soulful and catchy. This classic song will certainly be around as long as good music is around.
You can learn more about The Spinners here:
About the Curator - Sonya Alexander
After graduating from UCLA, Sonya trained to be a talent agent. After realizing she belonged on the creative end, she started freelance writing, covering film festivals for Los Angeles local papers. She's written about film, video games, global affairs, wildlife conservation and, most recently, music. She specializes in classic rock, classic soul, blues, classic country, classical and world music and is tri-coastal, residing in Los Angeles, New York and New Orleans.
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