William “Poogie” Hart, the longtime lead singer of the hitmaking R&B trio, The Delfonics, has died at age 77. His son Hadi confirmed the news to TMZ.
Hadi stated that Hart was taken to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia on Thursday after having trouble breathing. The singer/songwriter later died from complications from surgery.
Hart was a founding member of The Delfonics along with brother Wilbert Hart and Randy Cain. The group became one of the most important acts of the Philly soul scene during the 1960s and 1970s, along with groups like The Stylistics and The O’Jays.
Hart was a founding member of The Delfonics along with brother Wilbert Hart and Randy Cain. The group became one of the most important acts of the Philly soul scene during the 1960s and 1970s, along with groups like The Stylistics and The O’Jays.
Together, Hart and Bell wrote several Billboard R&B hits for The Delfonics during the mid-1960s into 1970, including “La-La Means I Love You,” “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide From Love),” “Break Your Promise” and the Grammy Award-winning “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time).”
Bell and Hart would part ways after Hart had a financial dispute with The Delfonics’ management and Cain would leave the group as well, as chronicled on TVOne’s “Unsung.” However, the trio soldiered on, adding singer Major Harris to the lineup and gaining more Top 20 R&B hits like “Hey! Love.”
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