This pairing comprised of:
Gene McFadden (b. 1949, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. d. 27th January 2006, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.)
and
John Cavadus Whitehead (b. 10th July 1948, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. d, 11th May 2004, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.)
McFadden & Whitehead were former members, as teenagers, of the Epsilons, a group managed by Otis Redding until his untimely death in 1967.
After a short association with Stax Records (where they had a minor hit in 1970 with the song 'The Echo').
McFadden & Whitehead changed their name to 'Talk of the Town' and began working with Gamble & Huff.
The pair then joined the Philadelphia International label.
Acting in a production role extensively, Gene and John were responsible for certain area's of the label's sound.
As songwriters, they wrote 'Back Stabbers,' 'For the Love of Money,' 'I'll Always Love My Mama,' 'Bad Luck,' 'Wake Up Everybody,' 'Where Are All My Friends,' 'Don't Let Love Get You Down,' 'The More I Get, The More I Want,' and 'Cold, Cold World' for the Philadelphia label.
The pinnacle of their own recording success came with 'Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now', which went to No. 1 on the R & B chart and reached No. 13 on the pop chart.
McFadden & Whitehead also worked with Carolyn Crawford and worked with Melba Moore, Gloria Gaynor, Freddie Jackson, Willie Collins, and Beau Williams.
The duo's later releases, however, were less successful, and, after serving time in prison for tax evasion, John embarked, briefly, on a solo career in 1988 with the release of 'I Need Money Bad' on Polygram Records in 1988.
Tragically, John Whitehead was shot dead, whilst working on a vehicle with another man, in Philadelphia on the 11th of May 2004. He was 55.
The killer fled after shooting John in the neck and then shooting his friend, who was rushed to hospital after the incident.
Gene McFadden was diagnosed with liver and lung cancer in 2004 and died at his home in the Mount Airy, Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the 27th January 2006 of cancer.
Albums:
McFadden And Whitehead (Philadelphia International 1979)
I Heard It In A Love Song (TSOP 1980)
Movin' On (Capitol EMI1982)
