* En anglais uniquement
Formed in 1967 in Philadelphia by
Ron Tyson,
Joe Freeman, Carl Enlow, and Andrew Collins,
the Ethics combined Motown-styled songs with sweeping string and horn arrangements in a nascent version of what would come to be known as the Philly sound. Led by
Tyson's considerable songwriting skills and
Eddie Kendricks-like tenor, the group recorded for independent labels Wale, Kent, and Golden Fleece, turning out songs like "Standing in the Darkness" and "I Want My Baby Back" that certainly deserved a wider audience than they received. Working with
Vince Montana's rhythms and
Thom Bell's sophisticated horn and string arrangements,
the Ethics were truthfully just a little ahead of their time. The Ethics had split by the time the 1970s dawned, and they watched from the sidelines while newer Northern soul groups like
the O'Jays followed the same template to massive success.
Tyson later joined the reconstituted
Temptations put together by Otis Williams. ~ Steve Leggett