The Delfonics

The Delfonics were an American soul vocal group formed in Philadelphia in 1965, central to the birth of the lush, orchestral Philadelphia soul sound. The group was anchored by songwriting brothers William Hart and Wilbert Hart, joined originally by Randy Cain, with William Hart's high, emotive falsetto set against the group's smooth harmonies as their signature sonic trait.

Their partnership with producer and arranger Thom Bell, a key architect of the Philly Groove label sound, gave the Delfonics a grand, string- and horn-laden production style that helped define what would become known as Philadelphia soul. Their breakthrough single, «La-La Means I Love You», became one of the defining ballads of the genre, and it was followed by hits such as «Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)» and «Ready Or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love)», the latter later famously sampled by the Fugees.

By the early 1970s, Randy Cain was replaced by Major Harris, and the group's momentum began to fade as their arrangement with Philly Groove weakened. The Hart brothers eventually went their separate ways, but the Delfonics' catalog remains foundational to the soul genre and a major influence on the smooth, romantic strand of R&B that followed, as well as a frequently sampled source in hip-hop production.