Mel and Tim

Mel and Tim, born Melvin McArthur Hardin and Hubert Timothy McPherson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, are an American soul music duo active from 1969 to 1974. Cousins by birth, they moved to Chicago where they were discovered by Gene Chandler. Their aunt Yolanda Hardin, a former singer, played a pivotal role in their career, signing them to her Bamboo Records label and helping with songwriting and publicity. Their debut single "Backfield in Motion" was an immediate success, reaching number 3 on Billboard's R&B chart and Number 10 on its pop chart in 1969. The record sold over one million copies and earned a gold disc. Their follow-up single "Good Guys Only Win in the Movies", also the title of their first album, was released shortly after. Mel and Tim then moved to Stax Records, where they recorded their second top 5 R&B hit, the ballad "Starting All Over Again" in June 1972. This song climbed to number 19 on the Billboard pop chart and stayed there for 20 weeks, becoming their second million-seller. The duo performed at the Wattstax charity concert that year but struggled to replicate their earlier successes with later recordings. Tim McPherson passed away in 1986.

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