Mel and Tim
| Company type | Music duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Melvin McArthur Hardin, Hubert Timothy McPherson |
| Defunct | 1974 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Soul music recordings |
Mel and Tim were a soul music pair from the United States who performed together between 1969 and 1974. They gained recognition with tracks such as "Backfield in Motion", "Starting All Over Again", and "Good Guys Only Win in the Movies".
Career
Melvin McArthur Hardin (born November 30, 1948) and Hubert Timothy McPherson (born December 9, 1949), cousins hailing from Holly Springs, Mississippi, were discovered in Chicago by Gene Chandler. Their creative efforts and career advancement were supported by Yolanda Hardin (Mel’s mother and McPherson’s aunt) along with cousins Walita, Catha, Donny, and Darris Maxwell.
Yolanda, who had experience as a vocalist, signed the duo to her Bamboo Records label, where they produced the track "Backfield in Motion". Released in 1969, this single climbed to number 3 on the Billboard R&B chart and reached number 10 on the pop chart. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. Their next single, "Good Guys Only Win in the Movies", also served as the title for their first album.
Subsequently, they joined Stax Records and issued the ballad "Starting All Over Again" in June 1972, which became a top 5 hit on the R&B charts. The song peaked at number 19 on the Billboard pop chart and remained there for 20 weeks, marking their second million-selling single. This track was featured as the lead single from their second album, produced by Phillip Mitchell at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Their last album under their own name was released in 1973. That same year, Mel and Tim appeared at the renowned Wattstax benefit concert; however, their later releases did not achieve similar commercial acclaim.
Tim McPherson died on July 4, 1986.
The song "Backfield in Motion" was later interpreted by Anthony Swete, while "Starting All Over Again" was covered by Hall and Oates on their 1990 album Change of Season.
Charted singles
| Year | Title | US Pop | US R&B | AUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | "Backfield in Motion" | 10 | 3 | 79 |
| 1970 | "Good Guys Only Win in the Movies" | 45 | 17 | — |
| 1972 | "Starting All Over Again" | 19 | 4 | — |
| 1973 | "I May Not Be What You Want" | 113 | 33 | — |
| 1974 | "That's the Way I Want to Live My Life" | — | 79 | — |
| "Forever and a Day" | — | 88 | — |
Albums
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1970 | Good Guys Only Win in the Movies |
| 1972 | Starting All Over Again |
| 1973 | Mel and Tim |