John Oates' Session Work
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972

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Upon graduation, the website disappeared, but the research did not.  In 2002, I was accepted into the Master's degree program in the Department of Popular Culture at Bowling Green State University.  It was while I was pursuing my degree that I was able to conduct a more in-depth "Independent Study In Popular Culture" and focus primarily on discographic aspects.  Under the direction of the archivist for the university's Music Library and Sound Recordings Archives (one of the largest public collections in the world), I began in the Spring 2003 semester.

What is (and what will be) presented on this site is the end result.  During the ensuing years since my project began, I have unearthed a large amount of information regarding not only Hall and Oates' formative years, but one of many stories behind the "Sound of Philadelphia."  The session work that was conducted by these two very talented singers and musicians was complemented by a host of other Philly talents.  Many of the facts behind the recording sessions of the late 1960s and early 1970s were feared lost, echoed alongside the many other tragic stories of record label archive bulldozing, fires, and sell-offs.  Thankfully, quite a bit of this information has been found, and can be preserved and shared here for the sake of popular music studies and popular culture history.

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Beginning in September 2006, a new recording session will be uncovered on this site approximately every three months.  These historical overviews will not only include annotated discographies, but record label scans, song information, as well as unreleased demos and takes (when available).  The names of session personnel, recording studios, producers, arrangers, and audio engineers will be included for the purposes of painting as complete a picture as possible.  When appropriate, rare photos will be featured alongside interviews with some of the musicians who worked in this Philly music scene. 

It is my hope that this project will not only cater to fans of Hall and Oates, but to rock and soul collectors and enthusiasts the world over.  Much of this music never charted, but many of the tunes have been revived in the secondary collectors' markets for Northern Soul, Philly Soul, folk rock, fuzz guitar, psychedelic rock, and hip-hop sampling/DJ breaks.   

So, be sure to check back here again in the near future for some exciting material!  

Until then . . . keep the groove alive! 

BE  SURE  TO  CHECK  BACK  IN  SEPTEMBER. . . .  THE  FIRST  INSTALLMENT  WILL  BE  ABOUT  JOHN OATES  AND  HIS  WORK  WITH  A  BAND  CALLED  "VALENTINE"