Bobby Eli (March 2, 1946 – August 17, 2023) – Why Don'Cha (1977)
Bobby Eli (March 2, 1946 – August 17, 2023) – Why Don'Cha (1977)
A superb disco funk cut from MFSB lead guitarist Eli's debut solo LP featuring many MFSB members, co-written by Charles Collins, Michael Foreman, and Dennis Harris.
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The great MFSB lead guitarist Bobby Eli is also a multi-instrumentalist songwriter, producer, and arranger. He played on, co-wrote or produced many of the most iconic soul and disco records of the 70s.
Born Eli Tatarsky in Philadelphia, he was one of the founding members of MFSB, the house band for Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s Philadelphia International Records.
One of his early Philly soul/funk gems was “I Can Dig It” (1969) by The Daley Diggers which he co-wrote with the other legends who later formed the core of MFSB, Norman Harris, Earl Young, and Ronnie Baker, plus Jimmy Bishop of WDAS-FM. Another of their early collaborations was the blistering funk instrumental “Trippin'” (1970) by The Interpretations which Eli, Harris, Baker and Young co-wrote and Bishop produced, released on Jubilee Records.
As MFSB’s lead guitarist, Eli played on numerous classic Philly soul albums, including virtually everything released in the 70s by PIR label stars the O’Jays, Billy Paul, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Bunny Sigler, Dexter Wansel, and the Three Degrees.
MFSB, early 70s
He also played on non-PIR projects, like the Spinners’ classic albums for Atlantic produced by Thom Bell; Jimmy Ruffin’s self-titled 1973 LP on Polydor; Armed And Extremely Dangerous (1973) and The Player (1974) by First Choice, released on Philly Groove Records; Ecstasy, Passion & Pain’s self-titled 1974 debut LP on Roulette; Bingo (1974) by The Whispers; and the multiple albums released in in the mid-70s by the Trammps on Atlantic, Blue Magic on ATCO, and the Salsoul Orchestra on Salsoul Records.
Eli produced the all-time disco classic “This Time Baby” (1979) for Jackie Moore, which was co-written by Bell and James, arranged by Jack Faith, and mixed by John Luongo and Michael Barbiero. Some of the most well-known songs he co-wrote included “Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" by the Main Ingredient and Blue Magic's “Sideshow” and “Three Ring Circus.” All three were released in 1974 and co-written by Eli and songwriter Vinnie Barrett, aka Gwendolyn Hines Woolfolk.
Bobby Eli and Vinnie Barrett, circa 1975
In 1977, Eli released his debut solo LP, Eli's Second Coming. He produced and arranged the entire album, and wrote or co-wrote five of its eight tracks. It came out on Silver Blue Records, which at the time was distributed by Henry Stone’s T.K. Productions.
Along with Sweetheart of Sigma Barbara Ingram and Ron Kersey, he co-wrote the sexy disco cut “Love Chant” (1976) which was the LP’s first advance single.
The superb, upbeat disco funk jam “Why Don’Cha” was co-written by three of the album’s other veteran Philly session players and MFSB members: drummer Charles “Good Ol’ 77” Collins, bassist Michael “Sugar Bear” Foreman, and guitarist Dennis Harris, who was Norman Harris’ cousin. The LP also featured MFSB members Larry Washington on congas, T.J. Tindall on guitar, Vincent Montana Jr. on vibes, Kersey on keyboards, and Don Renaldo leading the horn and string section.
Happy birthday to the great Bobby Eli!
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