The Stylistics

In 1980 (see 1980 in music), several members departed, and the remainder continued performing for the next two decades, and are still a popular live draw. Other albums include Everybody's Angel (1991), Eleven Kinds of Loneliness (1992), Lovers in the City (1995) and The Cappuccino Songs (1998). They left Avco for H&I and the Stylistics' popularity rapidly declined in the US, though their British popularity continued for the rest of the 70s. A later album, The Sweet Keeper, saw Tikaram begin to appeal to a specialising audience. They struggled hard to find producers who could come up with the right material, and partnerships with Hugo & Luigi and Van McCoy were notably unsuccessful. She enjoyed success in 1988 with her album Ancient Heart, which included hits such as the enigmatic Twist in my Sobriety. Just as with The Delfonics, The Stylistics were to some extent a vehicle for Bell's own creativity. Tikaram was born in Münster, Germany and later moved with her family to Basingstoke, England.

The group split with Thom Bell in 1974, and the split proved devastating commerically to the group. Of Malaysian ancestry, she became successful in her teens but has since faded into obscurity. Their hits from this period included "Betcha by Golly, Wow", "I'm Stone in Love with You", "You Make Me Feel Brand New" "Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart" and "You Are Everything". Her style is based on acoustic guitar and on short songs. The bittersweet lyrics from Creed were a key factor in creating hugely memorable music. Tanita Tikaram (born August 12, 1969) is a pop/folk singer/songwriter. Bell imported the sweet soul techniques he had perfected with the Delfonics and his arragmements worked perfectly with Thompkins' falsetto.

Signing to Avco Records, the Stylistics began working with producer Thom Bell, who had already produced a catalogue of hits for The Delfonics, and songwriter Linda Creed. They had their first hit in 1971 (see 1971 in music) with "You're a Big Girl Now". They formed in 1968 (see 1968 in music) and comprised Russell Thompkins Jr, Herb Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. The Stylistics are one of the most well-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s.