I was still a teenager the first time I sat at a recording session in the world-famous Sigma Sound Studio. I was lucky to have access since the studios were designed and owned by Joe Tarsia, a relative. Sigma was the place where the Philly Sound was created. Hundreds of artists and producers passed through their doors, especially during the studio's ‘70s heyday. Gamble and Huff, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, Elton John, The O’Jays, David Bowie, The Tramps, The Jacksons.
A group of musicians who called themselves MFSB—mother, father, sister, brother—was essentially Sigma's house band. One of MFSB's founding members was a dear friend of mine, a frequent Rhythm Revue guest, and a gracious host at his own Grooveyard studio near his Philadelphia hometown. Guitarist, songwriter, producer Bobby Eli, “Electronic Eli,” died on August 17, 2023.
Eli Tartarsky was 13 when he received his first guitar as a gift. He was spotted with his guitar by Weldon McDougal, a local Philly record producer, who invited him to Virtue Studios, which was located nearby Temple University, where Eli was a student. At Virtue, he met drummer and vocalist Earl Young, future bass singer with The Tramps of “Disco Inferno” fame. Together, Eli and Earl and several other musicians, including bassist Ronnie Baker and guitarist Norman Harris, would become the core of MFSB. They backed almost every major singer and vocal group who recorded in Philadelphia between the late ‘60s and the early ‘80s. MFSB had a massive hit of their own in 1974. with “T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia),” which became the theme song for Soul Train.
Bobby Eli had another career as a songwriter. It started when he met Vinnie Barrett. Bobby and Vinnie wrote and produced a number of big hits, including “Sideshow” for Blue Magic, “Just Don't Want to Be Lonely” for Ronnie Dyson, soon covered by The Main Ingredient who made it a major hit, and “Love Won't Let Me Wait” by Major Harris.
Bobby Eli's achievements are too numerous to list, but he continued well into the new century and I'm proud to say he became a part of Rhythm Revue with a series of shows that chronicled the Sound of Philadelphia. It's just unfortunate that illness prevented the project from continuing past 2016. I'm glad to have known Bobby Eli and to have been his friend. He was generous, easygoing and enormously talented.
Listen above.
Recommended Listening
"Sideshow" by Blue Magic
"Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" by Ronnie Dyson or Blue Magic
"Love Won't Let Me Wait" by Major Harris
"Got to Get You Back" by Sons of Robin Stone
"Zoom" by Fat Larry's Band
"Eli's Coming" by Bobby Eli
Deep cut:
"Bo Did It" by The Hidden Cost (Early MFSB recording)
Listen for Felix Hernandez's hour-long tribute to Bobby Eli on Rhythm Revue on Sunday afternoon, August 27.
