A minor but talented Philadelphia female soul quartet,
Honey & the Bees made some relatively little-known records for the Arctic and Josie labels in the late '60s and early '70s with the aid of musicians that played on classic 1970s
Gamble-Huff productions. These included
Leon Huff himself on piano, and
Ron Baker,
Earl Young,
Bobby Eli, and
Norman Harris in the rhythm section; Harris and
Thom Bell were among those who contributed to the songwriting.
Honey & the Bees spent years on the club circuit, opening for bigger soul acts in Philadelphia and throughout the East Coast before disbanding in 1973. Group member Gwen Oliver married
Fred Wesley of
the JB's, whom she met when
Honey & the Bees opened for
James Brown in 1971. ~ Richie Unterberger