The Three Degrees is a philly soul, disco, smooth soul and soul band formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, PA by Fayette Pickney, Shirley Porter, and Linda Turner. They were discovered by Richard Barrett . Linda Turner and Shirley Porter were replaced by Helen Scott and Janet Jones in 1963, Sheila Ferguson replaced Scott in 1966, and Valerie Holiday replaced Jones in 1967. Their vocals are featured on the end of the Soul Train theme song, "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" by MFSB. In 1976 Pickney left and was replaced by Scott. Victoria Wallace replaced Ferguson in 1986, but was replaced by Cynthia Garrison. The group appeared in William Friedkin's hit 1971 film The French Connection, as a nightclub act singing "Everybody's Going To The Moon".

The group's career was revitalised towards the end of the 1970s by a foray into disco music, with a string of hits produced by Giorgio Moroder, featuring his signature electronic rhythms as earlier pioneered by Donna Summer.

A well-known fan of the group was HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, who invited them to perform at Buckingham Palace. Whether his patronage did much for their credibility is an open question.