McFadden & Whitehead
Gene McFadden and John Whitehead (both b. 1948, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA), were former members of the Epsilons, a group managed by Otis Redding, prior to joining the Philadelphia International label. Here they forged a career as producers, playing a major role in the development of the label's ‘sound’ and as songwriters, penning hits for Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes (Bad Luck, Wake Up Everybody) and the O'Jays (Back Stabbers), ultimately being responsible for over 20 gold discs. As performers, MacFadden and Whitehead enjoyed an international smash with Ain't No Stoppin Us Now (1979), a defiant, post-disco anthem, highlighted by the latter's magnificent, exhorting delivery. The duo's later releases, however, were less successful, and, after serving time in prison for tax evasion, Whitehead embarked on a solo career in 1988.