Blue Magic (band)

Blue Magic is an American R&B and soul group, and one of the more popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. Founded in 1972, the group's original members included lead singer Ted Mills with Vernon Sawyer, Wendell Sawyer, Keith Beaton, and Richard Pratt. From 1972 to 1976 they had 6 top twenty hits on Billboard's R&B chart. Their most notable song was a number one R&B hit single entitled, "Sideshow", which peaked at number 8 on Billboard's pop chart. "Sideshow" sold over one million units and was awarded an RIAA gold record certification. Other notable songs included, "Spell", "What’s Come Over Me", "Three Ring Circus", "Look Me Up", "Welcome To The Club" and "Stop to Start".

Blue Magic was inducted into The Atlantic City Walk of Fame, Presented by The National R&B Music Society, on April 28, 2025.

History

Origins

Blue Magic was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1972 when former member of The Delfonics, Randy Cain, brought in singer-songwriter Ted Mills to do some writing with the Philly-based WMOT production company to create a new band. A short time later the group Shades of Love, featuring Keith Beaton, Richard Pratt, Vernon Sawyer and his brother Wendell, came in to audition. (According to Marc Taylor in his book A Touch of Classic Soul of the Early 1970s, "although the group performed admirably, they lacked a standout lead singer".) The execs decided to replace the Toppicks, the act Mills recorded with. They inserted Shades of Love (which they owned contractually) with Ted Mills and retitled the group Blue Magic. They were signed with Atco Records through WMOT in the same year.

First album

The group was one of the earliest acts produced by Norman Harris, a Philadelphia recording veteran. The group's harmonies were supported by the MFSB studio house band.

Their second release was the uptempo "Look Me Up"; which reached number 36, stayed on the R&B chart for 11 weeks, and was popular on the early disco scene. Their next single was the ballad "Stop to Start". This hit was even more successful, reaching number 14 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 74 on the pop chart. The next single release became their first Billboard US top 10 R&B and Pop hit, "Sideshow". It climbed to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the R&B chart. The Blue Magic album also went gold. In addition to the four hit singles, it also included another Richard Dickson inspired creation, the hit ballad "What's Come Over Me", a seven-minute rendition of the Main Ingredient million seller "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely", the solid album closer "Tear It Down", and the uptempo "Welcome to the Club".

The first single from their 1975 follow-up album The Magic of the Blue, entitled "Three Ring Circus", also sold well,

Because their biggest hits were slower songs, the group became known mostly for their ballads.

Success and third album

The album Thirteen Blue Magic Lane in 1975 maintained the group's popularity, and spawned their version of the popular dance number "We're on the Right Track", as well as the ballad "Chasing Rainbows". The song "What's Come Over Me" from their debut album was re-worked as a duet with Margie Joseph dubbed in alongside Mills' original lead vocals. The new approach saw the song climb to number 11 on the R&B chart again in 1975.

The 2000s–present

Mills appeared in the touring play, Girl, He Ain't Worth It with The Manhattans, Meli'sa Morgan and Tito Jackson, and appeared in the play Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places. In 2007, Mills recorded the album 3 Tenors of Soul with Russell Thompkins, Jr., original lead singer of The Stylistics, and William Hart of The Delfonics released on Shanachie Records and produced by Bobby Eli.

Mills appeared and gave two concerts for the audiences at the 2014 Soul Train Cruise in February 2014 on the Holland America Eurodam.

On March 11, 2018, Blue Magic reunited to appear on the television series, Unsung on TV One season 12, episode 4.

On July 14, 2018, Mills rescued a man from a burning car on route 22 in Hillside, New Jersey. "I knew it was somebody trapped in there and needed help getting out," said Mills, a Summit resident. "It was flipping in the direction that I was driving."

Former lead Ted Mills continues to pursue a solo career. The name was formally trademarked by Wendell Sawyer and Keith Beaton some years earlier. Vernon Sawyer has his own version of the group, while Richard Pratt led another one at the time of his death in 2022.

Former lead vocalist Rod Wayne died in 2016.

Richard Pratt (born on June 30, 1952) died on March 1, 2022, at the age of 69.

Keith Beaton (born on July 30, 1950) died on January 13, 2023, at the age of 72.

On April 28, 2025 Blue Magic were inducted into the Atlantic City Walk of Fame Presented by, The National R&B Music Society. The Stylistics, Ray, Goodman & Brown, Jean Carne and the late Phyllis Hyman were also inducted.

Original members

Ted Wizard Mills - lead tenor
Wendell Sawyer – lead baritone
Keith "Duke" Beaton – tenor
Richard Pratt - bass
Vernon Sawyer- baritone

! width="35"| US R&B

| rowspan="2"| 1974

| style="text-align:left;"| Blue Magic

| 45

| 4

| 42

| rowspan="2"| ATCO

| style="text-align:left;"| The Magic of the Blue

| 71

| 14

| —

|| 1975

| style="text-align:left;"| Thirteen Blue Magic Lane

| 50

| 9

| —

| rowspan="2"| ATCO/WMOT

|| 1976

| style="text-align:left;"| Mystic Dragons

| 170

| 44

| —

|| 1978

| style="text-align:left;"| Message from the Magic

| —

| rowspan="1"| ATCO

|| 1981

| style="text-align:left;"| Welcome Back

| —

|| Capitol

|| 1983

| style="text-align:left;"| Magic #

| —

| 52

| —

|| Mirage

|| 1989

| style="text-align:left;"| From Out of the Blue

| —

| 48

| —

|| OBR, Columbia

|| 1995

| style="text-align:left;"| My Magic Is Real

| —

|| Hot Prod.

|| 2020

| style="text-align:left;"| Share a Dream

| —

|| Essential Media Group

| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Live albums

Live! (with Major Harris & Margie Joseph) (1976, WMOT)

Compilation albums

Greatest Hits (1986, Omni)
The Magic of the Blue: Greatest Hits (1990, Atlantic)
The Best of Blue Magic: Soulful Spell (1996, Rhino)

Singles

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Single

! colspan="6"| Peak chart positions

|- style="font-size:smaller;"

! width="35"| US

! width="35"| CAN

| rowspan="3"| 1973

| style="text-align:left;"|"Spell"

| —

| 30

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Look Me Up"

| —

| 36

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Stop to Start"

| 74

| 14

| —

| 59

| —

| rowspan="2"| 1974

| style="text-align:left;"|"Sideshow"

| 8

| 1

| 35

| 68

| 5

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Three Ring Circus"

| 36

| 5

| 26

| 62

| 87

| —

| rowspan="4"| 1975

| style="text-align:left;"|"Love Has Found Its Way to Me"

| —

| 45

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Chasing Rainbows"

| —

| 17

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"What's Come Over Me" (with Margie Joseph)

| —

| 11

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Magic of the Blue"

| —

| rowspan="4"| 1976

| style="text-align:left;"|"Grateful"

| 104

| 15

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Freak-N-Stein"

| —

| 73

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Teach Me (It's Something About Love)"

| —

| 48

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Summer Snow"

| —

| 40

| —

|| 1977

| style="text-align:left;"|"I Waited"

| —

| rowspan="2"| 1981

| style="text-align:left;"|"Land of Make-Believe"

| —

| 77

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Seems I Haven't Seen Her"

| —

| rowspan="3"| 1983

| style="text-align:left;"|"See Through"

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Magic #"

| —

| 69

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Since You Been Gone"

| —

| rowspan="3"| 1989

| style="text-align:left;"|"Romeo and Juliet"

| —

| 20

| —

| 89

| style="text-align:left;"|"It's Like Magic"

| —

| 31

| —

| style="text-align:left;"|"Secret Lover"

| —

| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

External links

Blue Magic on Soul Tracks
as The Blue Magic
as Blue Magic