When Allan Felder, songwriter and producer for acts like The O’Jays, Eddie Kendricks, and The Delfonics, died in 1999, he left behind a catalog of over 350 soul music works that by then had already endured for thirty years. The collection fell into the care of his widow, Evelyn Byrd Felder, whom Allan had married in 1976. With no background in the music industry and an illness to battle, Evelyn safeguarded her husband’s life’s work to the best of her ability, collecting royalty checks and upholding each copyright with the help of the Philadelphia music community.

After ten years of managing the catalog this way, Evelyn received a call from Reservoir SVP of Creative & Business Development Faith Newman, who offered to purchase Allan’s works. Evelyn wasn’t ready to part with this crucial bit of her husband’s legacy, and declined.

In 2012, Faith approached again. She and Evelyn gradually established a rapport that saw Evelyn introduce Faith to the family’s legal team and even host Faith at her home in Philadelphia. After continued conversation and negotiation, Evelyn sold the Allan Felder catalog, by now nearly fifty years old, to Reservoir in November 2015.

“Allan’s catalog was like a child that needed a mother,” Evelyn says, referencing the upkeep she felt unable to offer the works. “It needed someone to pamper it and bring it to life. Personal matters didn’t allow me to travel or do the promotional work his music needs for exposure, and things weren’t happening organically either. By the time Faith approached me the second time, it was clear that I could not do this on my own. I needed help, and I feel good knowing that the music now has a home and a team to look after it.”

Evelyn cites her relationship with Faith as part of what convinced her that the Felder catalog would be well represented and protected at Reservoir.

“Faith approached me with such dignity and good faith,” she says, noting the pun. “Working with her brought me a sense of assuredness that I was doing the right thing for Allan’s work.”

With this burden lifted, Evelyn Felder is free once again to first be a fan of her husband’s music. She highlights cuts of particular significance from their days together.

“Most of Allan’s music from the 1970s was influenced by very specific people and events in his life,” Evelyn says. “He wrote the song ‘Let Me Make Love To You’ for The O’Jays right around the time that we met. There’s also the song ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ by The Whispers, which I think is about me, because I was wearing a red coat with a hood when I met him!”

“Allan was very happy and loving,” Evelyn remembers. “And he was a visionary—he wanted to be not only a part of the Philly Sound, but a lasting legacy in music. He would have loved to be a part of Reservoir.”