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Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes are arguably the most-covered Philly soul group in history: many of their hits have been re-recorded by other artists, including Simply Red, David Ruffin, Jimmy Somerville and Sybil, while dance music DJ Danny Rampling cites “Wake Up Everybody” as his favorite song of all time. Today, Gil Saunders continues to perform as a solo artist, and still performs all the hits of the past as well as his own material.
Several members of various incarnations of the Blue Notes continue to tour as “Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes”. Harold’s widow currently manages Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes featuring Lead singer, Donnell “Big Daddy” Gillespie, Anthony Brooks, Rufus Thorne, John Morris and Sharon Paige.
For his album This Note’s for You, singer Neil Young named his back-up band The Blue Notes without permission from name rights holder Harold Melvin. Melvin took legal action against Young over use of the Blue Notes name, forcing the singer to change the name of the back-up band to “Ten Men Workin’” during the balance of the tour that promoted the This Note’s for You album.
The band is mentioned on Snoop Dogg’s 1993 album Doggystyle. In the intro for “Doggy Dogg World” Snoop says “Bitch, you without me is like Harold Melvin without the Blue Notes, you’ll never go platinum!”
Former member Jerry Cummings was featured in Bill Maher’s documentary, Religulous. Cummings is now an ordained minister, and wanted to be known in the film as Dr. Jeremiah Cummings, although possessing no doctorate.
Teddy Pendergrass’ death on January 13, 2010 caused the name of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes to receive a great deal of news media mention.
Rapper Big Boi uses a sample of “I Miss You” on his song “Shine Blockas” feat. Gucci Mane.
