ABOUT
Blue Magic is a veteran R&B/soul vocal group with a flair for smooth ballads that became famous during the 1970s. Their best known songs include the circus-themed 1974 hits, "Sideshow" and "Three Ring Circus."
Formed in 1972 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the original lineup consisted of Keith Beaton (tenor), Richard Pratt (bass), brothers Vernon and Wendell Sawyer (baritones), and lead singer Ted Mills (tenor), with instrumental backing provided by the MFSB studio house band. After signing with Atco Records, they recorded several singles which became hits on the R&B charts before releasing their eponymous debut album in 1974, which went gold.
Blue Magic debuted in early 1973 with the Ted Mills-penned "Spell," which became a Top 40 hit on the R&B charts. This smash was followed by "Look Me Up" (1973) and "Stop To Start" (1974) before their fame took off in mid 1974 with "Sideshow," which topped the R&B charts, made the Pop/Rock Top 10 and Adult Contemporary Top 40, and soon after became a million-seller. "Three Ring Circus" (1974), a Top 5 R&B hit, also became a major crossover success, reaching #36 and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts, respectively. The group's long string of hits, which continued through 1989 on the R&B charts, also includes "Chasing Rainbows" (1975), "What's Come Over Me" (1975, with Margie Joseph), "Grateful" (1976), "Summer Snow" (1976), "Romeo And Juliet" (1989), and "It's Like Magic" (1989). Other songs for which they are widely known include their extended remake of the Main Ingredient's "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" from Blue Magic's 1974 debut album.
In the early 1980s, Richard Pratt became the first original member to leave Blue Magic, followed by a number of other personnel changes over the years. The group has continued to perform actively to the present day in two incarnations, one headed by Pratt and the other by Vernon Sawyer.
MERCHANDISE
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SONGS
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Blue Magic
- Sideshow 1974
- Stop To Start 1974
- Three Ring Circus 1974
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