Christopher Cimini, 27, ended up in the building after a heavy night of drinking, according to Philadelphia Police Captain John Gallagher.
Surveillance footage caught Cimini breaking in the building and using a lighter to walk around the offices. The lighter set off combustibles in a closet on the 3rd floor of the building.
Cimini is charged with arson, burglary and risking a catastrophe.
Describing the burned-out remains of their historic “Sound of Philadelphia” offices as “total devastation,” legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame songwriter-producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff held a press conference today to express their outrage and sorrow from seeing the iconic birthplace of Philly Soul Music ravaged early Sunday by a fire termed “suspicious” by officials.
Despite the extensive damage to the third-floor at 309 S. Broad St., where the Philadelphia International Records (PIR) offices and recording studio are located and the fire apparently originated, Gamble & Huff vow to rebuild their home of 40 years, a major tourist attraction where Michael Jackson, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, the O’Jays, Lou Rawls, Chubby Checker and dozens more created worldwide smash hits.
This is a February 2, 1963 advertisement for Chuck Jackson’s classic single “Tell Him I’m Not Home.”
The track was released by Wand, which was a subsidiary Scepter Records.
Scepter was owned by Florence Greenberg, who was honored during the Grammy’s with the Trustee Award on Sunday night (January 31).
Greenberg’s labels recorded a variety of African-American artists including Dionne Warwick, Chuck Jackson and The Shirelles, who were the first female pop group to have a #1 pop single.
Wilson was performing his hit single, “Lonely Teardrops” at a Dick Clark show at the Latin Casino in New Jersey, in September of 1975 when he suffered a massive heart attack.
A battle over his finances broke out between Wilson’s wife, Harlean and lawyers Edward Adourian and Wayne Bryant, who up until 1978, had guardianship over Wilson and controlled his finances.
The official public viewing for R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass will be held Friday (January 22, 2010) at 10 a.m. at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, 2800 West Cheltenham Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19150.
The funeral will be held Saturday, (January 23, 2010) at 10 a.m., also at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.
