O'Jays

THE O'JAYS. American R&B group from Ohio formed in summer 1958 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert / Walter Lee Williams / William Powell / Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. They made their first chart appearance with the minor hit "Lonely Drifter" in 1963, but reached their greatest level of success once the producers Gamble & Huff signed them to their Philadelphia International label in 1972. With Gamble & Huff, they emerged at the forefront of Philadelphia soul with Back Stabbers (1972) and topped the US Billboard Hot 100 the following year with "Love Train". Several other US R&B hits followed and they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004. William Powell died of cancer aged just 35 in 1977