Milwaukee has lost its greatest soulman. Soul singer, songwriter and band leader Harvey Scales passed away last night in Atlanta. He was 78.
Known as “Twistin’ Harvey” early in his career, Scales found success leading his group the Seven Sounds in the ’60s, and remained active in Milwaukee his entire life, frequently playing Summerfest and other outdoor events, always working up a sweat.
Scales’ biggest successes came writing for others. He co-write Johnnie Taylor’s platinum single “Disco Lady,” a number one Billboard hit that sold more that million copies. He also penned songs for The O’Jays, The Dramatics and The Dells. He was awarded a Wisconsin Area Music Industry lifetime achievement award in 2009.
We'll have more details on memorials for Scales as they become available. In the meantime, we've rounded up some of our favorite Scales tracks.
