The New Birth

The New Birth, an American funk and R&B group, was conceived in Detroit, Michigan, by Vernon Bullock and co-founded in Louisville, Kentucky, by former Motown songwriters/producers Harvey Fuqua. The group's origins trace back to 1963 with the instrumental outfit The Nite-Liters, which included Tony Churchill, James Baker, Robin Russell, Robert "Lurch" Jackson, Austin Lander, Leroy Taylor, Charlie Hearndon, and Nathaniel "Nebs" Neblett. In 1970, Bullock, Fuqua, and Churchill brought together vocal groups The Now Sound and Mint Julep with The Nite-Liters to form New Birth. Their self-titled debut album was released on RCA in the same year. The group's second album, Ain't No Big Thing, But It's Growing, featured a cover of "It's Impossible" in 1971. In 1972, the reorganized ensemble reached the Billboard R&B top 10 with their cover of "I Can Understand It". The group issued several notable albums including It's Been a Long Time (1974), which featured hits like "Wild Flower", and Blind Baby (1976), featuring the Number 1 R&B single "Dream Merchant". After moving to Warner Bros. Records, they released Behold the Mighty Army in 1977. Key members Leslie Wilson and Jerry Bell left the group in the early 1980s. New Birth continued touring with a new lineup and released albums such as God's Children (1998) and Lifetime (2005). James Baker died on October 24, 1993, and Leroy Taylor died on January 17, 2012. Robin Russell died in 2021.  Melvin Wilson died on March 31, 2023, from pancreatic cancer. Leslie Wilson died on October 27, 2025.