Black Ivory

Black Ivory is an American R&B group from Harlem, which had a number of hits in the 1970s, The group features songwriter and prolific disco producer Leroy Burgess, Stuart Bascombe, and Russell Patterson. They were managed by Patrick Adams, an executive at the Today/Perception record company. Burgess was the lead voice of the majority of their hits in the early 1970s.

Their 1972 debut album, Don't Turn Around, became a top 20 hit spending 19 weeks on the Billboard R&B albums chart and peaking at No. 13. Black Ivory scored three top 40 R&B hits in 1972, including the singles "Don't Turn Around" (No. 38) and "You and I" (No. 32) from their debut album. Another single from that album, "I'll Find a Way (The Loneliest Man in Town)" peaked at No. 46 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. Their single, "Time Is Love", was the third top 40 R&B hit, peaking at No. 37. Other charting singles include "Spinning Around" (No. 45), "What Goes Around (Comes Around)" (No. 44), and "Will We Ever Come Together" (No. 40), and later, their cult classic, "Mainline" with Russell Patterson as lead singer (written by Burgess, but recorded after he left the group in 1977), they were primarily known for sweet soul ballads.

In 1995, the group reunited and returned to the stage on the Classic Soul circuit, featuring all three original members, with Stuart Bascombe doing most of the leads. They have been performing and recording together ever since. In recent years, Black Ivory has released a Christmas single entitled "Snow", and in November 2011, they released a new album, Continuum on their own label SLR Records.

Black Ivory songs have been sampled by many R&B and Rap artists, helping to keep their legacy alive. Black Ivory are featured artists in the award-winning 2018 documentary, Mr. Soul! a film based on the host and executive producer of Soul!, Ellis Haizlip, the first "black Tonight Show. The cast received Peabody Awards.

Black Ivory celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 2019. They received multiple awards in 2019 commemorating their milestone including a 13-page article in the London magazine, The Soul Survivors, and performing at The Jazz Café in London, England.

In 2025, Black Ivory release a single “Goin’ Outta of My Head”, a beautiful cover of Little Anthony & The Imperials song.

As of 2025, Black Ivory is the only Soul/R&B group from the 1970s who are still performing with all of the original members from their first release.