Russell Thompkins Jr of the Stylistics returns to “Say Hello”

He possesses one of the most memorable voices in soul music history. As lead singer of The Stylistics, Russell Thompkins, Jr. was the immaculate falsetto voice of such all-time favorite songs as “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” “You Are Everything,” and “Betcha By Golly Wow.” And the SoulTracks Lifetime Achievement Award winner sounds as good as ever, more than five decades after first coming into our lives.

Russell is back in 2025 with a brand new single penned by the legendary Grammy winning songwriters Melvin and Mervin Steals, perhaps best known for the Spinners classic “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love,” and co-produced by them with McKinley Jackson. The trio have worked with Russell on the beautiful new single, “Say Hello,” a song written over a half century ago that recalls the luscious productions of the greatest Philly songs of the 70s. “Say Hello” tells the relatable story of a man who recognizes he let the love of his life slip through his fingers, and hopes it is not too late. It is the first of several Steals compositions we expect to receive new life this year.

“Say Hello” is both a great new entry for adult soul radio in 2025, and a reminder of why we fell in love with Philly Soul in the first place