The Stylistics bring Philadelphia soul to the Jersey Shore on Wednesday, August 14, when the chart-topping group performs in the City of Cape May Summer Concert Series. The show takes place at Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Avenue in Cape May, New Jersey, beginning at 8 p.m.
Formed in Philadelphia in 1966 from two groups, “The Percussions” and “The Monarchs,” the Stylistics recorded “You’re a Big Girl Now” at Virtue Recording Studio. The song’s popularity in the tri-State area resulted in a contract with Avco Records and an opportunity to work with veteran producer Thom Bell. With Bell, the group recorded The Stylistics, an album that generated five Top 10 R & B singles, including “Betcha By Golly, Wow,” “You Are Everything,” “People Make the World Go Round,” “Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart),” and “You’re a Big Girl Now.”
The Stylistics and Bell repeated their success with their second album, Round Two, which produced the hit singles “Break Up to Make Up,” “I’m Stone in Love with You,” and “You’ll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart).” All three singles reached the Top 10 on R & B charts, and “Break Up to Make Up” and “I’m Stone in Love with You” also broke into the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group continued to produce hits, including “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” which spent 25 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching the Number 2 position. By 1975, the group had twelve consecutive Top 10 hits on the R & B charts, five of which landed in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. In 2004, The Stylistics were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
Tickets for this and other Cape May Summer Concert Series shows are $48 for reserved seats and can be purchased in person at Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Avenue or online at CapeMayCity.com. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/capemaycity and follow us on Twitter@capemaycity. For more information, call 609-884-9565.