The Friday Cocktail Hour stays in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a second consecutive week. The Philadelphia sound ruled the soul charts in the 1970’s thanks to the production team of Gamble, Huff, and Bell. It still rules here.

Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt wrote I’ll Be Around in 1973 for The Spinners. It was originally the B-side of the single, but it ended up doing better than the A-side. It happens.

We begin with The Spinners:

The Spinners may have personified the Philly Sound, but they were originally from Detroit. Terri Wells was from the City of Brotherly Love.

I dig this album cover as much as this rendition of this week’s song. Jeffrey Osborne also attended.

Joan Osborne with a sweet version of the Bell-Hurtt classic from her covers album How Sweet It Is:

Daryl Hall & John Oates. Say no more.

It’s time to Seal the deal:

What would the Friday Cocktail Hour be without instrumental versions of the week’s tune? We have two winners this week: Funk Inc out of Indianapolis and the out of this world guitarist Larry Carlton.

That’s it for this week. Let’s drink to some drier weather with a dry Martini, gin, of course. It’s what Bogie and Claire Trevor would want. Never argue with them.