William Hart, lead singer of the Delfonics, dies at 77
William Hart, the lead singer and songwriter for the R&B group the Delfonics, died on Thursday at the age of 77, his brother Wilbert confirmed on social media.
Hart, who was raised in Philadelphia, cut his teeth in the music scene singing for local groups, and first formed the Orphonics with Wilbert, Randy Cain, and Richie Daniels in 1964. It wasn't until 1966 that the group changed their name to the Delfonics. (Cain would later leave in 1971 and Major Harris replaced him.)
They released their first single, "La-La (Means I Love You)" in 1968. The song would go on to be one of their best-known hits, topping out at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The likes of Booker T and the MG's, the Jackson 5, Todd Rundgren, Swing Out Sister, and Prince all covered the song, which was featured on their debut album of the same name. In addition to "La-La," the record ultimately produced two other charting hits, "I'm Sorry" and "Break Your Promise."
The Delfonics' only Grammy win came in 1971 for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for their hit "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)," which would later be covered by Aretha Franklin and New Kids on the Block.
As the group's lead songwriter, Hart once told The Guardian that his song ideas often came to him in dreams. "I have no idea where the melodies or lyrics came from," he said. "God, maybe. Or the universe. They just popped into my head and I started writing."
Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images William Hart in 1968
In 1975, the Delfonics split into two groups, with both continuing to tour over the years.
The Delfonics were reintroduced to a whole new generation of music lovers in the mid-'90s, when the Fugees reimagined the hook from the group's 1968 song "Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love)" for their own 1996 hit "Ready or Not," and Missy Elliott sampled the song's intro for "Sock It 2 Me" in 1997. Fellow hip-hop artists such as Ghostface Killah, the Notorious B.I.G., and Three 6 Mafia would also sample their work in the '90s and early aughts.
In addition, Quentin Tarantino paid homage to the group in his 1997 film Jackie Brown during a scene in which Jackie (played by Pam Grier) introduces Robert Forster's character to the Delfonics, inspiring him to later buy his own cassette.
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