Russell Thompkins Jr.

Russell Allen Thompkins Jr. is an American soul singer, best known as the original lead singer of the vocal group The Stylistics and noted for his high tenor, countertenor, and falsetto vocals. With Russell as lead singer, The Stylistics had 12 straight Top 10 Billboard R&B singles, and 5 gold singles from 1971 through 1974.

Early years

Born in Philadelphia, Thompkins was introduced to music by his father and started singing formally in school. During high school, Thompkins was a member of a local vocal group called the Monarchs who defeated another group called the Percussions in a talent show at Benjamin Franklin High School. Both groups disbanded shortly thereafter. Their remaining members, Thompkins, James Smith, and Airrion Love from The Monarchs, and James Dunn and Herbie Murrell from the Percussions, joined to form a new group called The Stylistics in 1968.

Career

In 1970, the Stylistics recorded "You're a Big Girl Now", which soon became a regional hit for Sebring Records. The larger Avco Records soon signed the Stylistics, and the single eventually climbed to number seven on the R&B charts in early 1971. Avco approached record producer Thom Bell to work with the group. After the Stylistics auditioned for Bell he was unimpressed, but he ultimately agreed to produce them, because he believed in the potential of Thompkins's soaring high tenor voice. Thom Bell focused the group's sound completely around Thompkins's voice. On most of the group's hits, Bell would have Thompkins sing virtually solo.
From 1971 to 1974, the Stylistics had twelve consecutive U.S. R&B top ten hits and five top ten U.S. pop hits, including "Stop, Look, Listen ", "You Are Everything", "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "Break Up to Make Up", and "You Make Me Feel Brand New". All of these songs were led by Thompkins, with the exception of "You're a Big Girl Now", written and composed by Thom Bell and lyricist Linda Creed. 1974's "You Make Me Feel Brand New", a No. 2 pop hit, was lead sung by group member Airrion Love.
Thom Bell stopped working with the group in 1974, and the split proved commercially devastating to the group's success in the U.S. However, in 1975, the Stylistics did release one single which was commercially successful as an early disco track entitled, "Hey, Girl, Come and Get It". After 1976, the Stylistics general commercial decline was more pronounced, and they would only sporadically make the R&B charts in the next two decades. However, just as U.S. success began to wane, their popularity in Europe, and especially the United Kingdom, increased. The lighter "pop" sound fashioned by Van McCoy and Hugo & Luigi gave the band a UK No. 1 in 1975 with "Can't Give You Anything ".
In 2000, Thompkins left the group saying he regretted that he had not left much earlier. After his split from the group, Thompkins studied music formally and learned to play the piano.
In 2002, he released a solo album entitled A Matter of Style, which included cover versions of George and Ira Gershwin's "Embraceable You" and the Thom Bell and Linda Creed song "Jealousy", originally recorded by Dionne Warwick.
In 2004, Thompkins started a new group, Russell Thompkins Jr. and the New Stylistics, with Raymond Johnson, James Ranton, and Jonathan Buckson. They continued to tour and were featured on the DVD Old School Soul Party Live!, which was part of the PBS My Music series. James Ranton left the group for health reasons but the group continued as a trio.
In 2007, Thompkins along with Ted Mills and William Hart teamed up to record an album entitled, All The Way From Philadelphia, under the name The 3 Tenors of Soul, on Shanachie Records.
As of 2022, Russell Thompkins Jr. & The New Stylistics were still performing and touring in the States and overseas.
In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Thompkins at number 142 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Russell Thompkins Jr.

Early years

Career

Discography

With The Stylistics

Other projects