Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now

Gene McFadden and John Whitehead were songwriters and producers at Philadelphia International Records, where they worked on many of the tracks that helped define the Philadelphia Soul sound. In 1972, they wrote the O'Jays hit "Back Stabbers" with Leon Huff, who co-owned the label with Kenny Gamble. Subsequent hits the pair penned include "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders (1973) and "Bad Luck" by Harold Melvin. By the late '70s, McFadden and Whitehead were hankering to record their own material and convinced Gamble and Huff to let them try. Exhilarated by the opportunity, they thought, "ain't no stopping us now!" and wrote this motivational song. It was inspired by their personal experience, but resonated with anyone looking forward to a challenge. The song went to #1 on the R&B charts and also found a home on Top 40 radio. It has aged well, and is still played on a variety of formats.

McFadden & Whitehead wrote and produced this song with their keyboard player Jerry Cohen. Recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, other musicians on the track include guitarists Dennis Harris and Bobby Eli, bass player James Williams, and drummer Keith Benson. The backing vocals were done by the female trio of Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson and Evette Benton, who sang on many of the recordings that came out of Sigma. They had various appellations, including The Sweeties, The Philadelphia Angels, and The Girls.

This was the only hit for McFadden & Whitehead. They released two more albums: I Heard It In A Love Song (1980) and Movin' On (1983). Whitehead's sons Johnny and Kenny had some success in the '90s as part of an R&B group called the Whitehead Brothers.