The Real Thing were the leading British black soul group of the seventies and eighties. They placed numerous singles in the British top five, including a number one and a number two, and had a style that incorporated elements of The Temptations, The O’Jays, Parliament Funkedelic, and Earth, Wind & Fire. They also tackled British racial issues within their songs way before anyone else. Yet, the group is virtually unknown in the U.S., where they only charted one single. Read my biography on this underappreciated group who deserve much more recognition in this country, especially considering the times that we are living in today.