Greetings to everyone in this noble group. I want to introduce myself as Orlando Gibson and I am the only living child/son of Paul Carl Gibson Sr. who was a member of the United Four from Chester, PA in the 60's. He and his first cousin George Harris, both currently still alive. I have been researching my fathers music career and learned that he used the pseudonym Carl Lanfield while working with Harthon Records. This was confirmed with a search of the Library of Congress under his stage name attatched to 4 songs that he was credited as writer/composure on with Vivian McDougal and one with Weldon. However, when I checked BMI the songs are fully registered but he has never recieved a IPI# to recieve royalties, probably because the publishers and label used his stage name for copyright and BMI. My family are working to amend this so that my father and cousin along with the families of the other members of the United Four can recieve their due recognition as the in-house sound of Harthon that catapulted the label. I have heard of the visit and audition at Hitsville and that the split between United Four and Harthon since a child from my father's and mother's mouths. I have corresponded with Dave Moore who contacted my first cousin Carmen a few years ago seeking to interview my father and cousin George for his book. He was able to help me understand deeper the significance of the United Four to the evolution of the classic Philly Soul sound. I have also corresponded with Eddie Holman and he was able to speak with my father after 50 years. United Four were pre Philadelphia International and if you listen closely you will hear the difference in the Larks sound prior to Harthon and post 1967 when Vivian McDougal (wife of Weldon A. McDougal) of the United Four joined her husbands band transforming The Larks into the Four Larks circa 1967-1969. Apparently nothing else is known about my fathers group after the Motown trip. However, "Carl Lanfield" is credited on a Chantlers song entitled "In The Beginning" (1970) released by the local Chester, PA label Ches-Love post United Four. Weldon got hired by Berry Gordy and the United Four exited the historic stage.
Currently, my father is 86 years old, living with my cousin in Wilmington, Delaware suffereing from dementia and George Harris is still pretty active and living in Chester, Pennsylvania today. I discovered this thread seeking more answers and I must say that this had been an educational read, very informative.
Thanks
Email: gullahchiefajamu@gmail.com
