ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey—The National R&B Music Society honored Philadelphia’s legendary soul group, The Delfonics, with a plaque on The Atlantic City Walk of Fame on April 24. The induction ceremony took place at Atlantic City Brighton Park. Family, friends and fans attended the event, including the group’s last surviving member, Wilbert Hart. This was a tremendous honor for The Delfonics, who are now among a select group of music legends recognized in this way.
The Delfonics, led by the late great William Hart Muhammad, achieved considerable success throughout the 1970s and early ’80s, producing a string of hit singles such as “La-La Means I Love You,” “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),” and “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide From Love).”
The National R&B Music Society is a distinguished nonprofit organization committed to safeguarding and perpetuating the tradition of classic R&B music. Since its inception in 2008, the Society has been distinguished for honoring and acknowledging those who have made significant contributions to this genre.
Among the inaugural class of honorees, who were also recognized with a plaque, were James Brown, Little Anthony and the Imperials, and Grover Washington Jr. The Walk of Fame is situated in Brighton Park, located at 1801 Boardwalk, in Atlantic City, N.J., and Stuart Bascombe, a prominent board member of the Society, hosted the event.
›Wilbert Hart and Yusuf Hart, representing his father, William Hart Muhammad, accepted the plaque for The Delfonics. The 9-by-12-inch memorial now stands prominently embedded in the ground as a tribute to the iconic group.
Pamela Muhammad, the wife of William Hart Muhammad, attended the event and shared with The Final Call her commitment to preserving her late husband’s legacy.
“It means that we will continue to keep William’s legacy alive. He started this at the early age of 17. So, we are going to keep his legacy alive.”
Yusuf Hart expressed gratitude for receiving the award on behalf of his father, emphasizing its importance and the significance of being a part of a legacy of freedom, justice, and equality that his father, who represented esteemed leaders like the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, stood for. He attributed the honor to blessings from Almighty God Allah, making it all the more significant.
Wilbert Hart, the sole surviving member of the group and a member of the Nation of Islam’s Willingboro, N.J. Study Group, expressed his gratitude toward receiving the honor. Speaking to The Final Call, he shared, “It is truly humbling and magnificent to know that our efforts have been recognized and appreciated.”
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