The Chi-Lites
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The Chi-Lites (pronounced "SHY-lights"; in IPA, pronounced /ˈʃaɪlaɪts/) are a Chicago-based smooth soul vocal group, best known for their early 1970s hits, "Oh Girl" and "Have You Seen Her".
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[edit] Career
The Chi-Lites were from Chicago, a town better known for its gritty urban blues and driving R&B. Led by vocalist Eugene Record, the Chi-Lites had a lush, creamy sound distinguished by their four-part harmonies and layered productions. During the early 1970s, they racked up 11 Top Ten R&B singles, ranging from the romantic ballads "Have You Seen Her" and "Oh Girl" to protest songs like "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People" and "There Will Never Be Any Peace (Until God Is Seated at the Conference Table)." All the songs featured Record's warm, pleading tenor and falsetto, and the majority of the group's hits were written by Record, often in collaboration with other songwriters like Barbara Acklin.
The Chi-Lites had been around for nearly a decade before they finally had a hit single in the late 1960s. Eugene Record, Robert "Squirrel" Lester, and Clarence Johnson formed the doo wop group the Chanteurs in the late 1950s, and they released one single on Renee Records in 1959. Shortly afterward, Creadel "Red" Jones and Marshall Thompson, who had sung with the Desideros, teamed with the trio to form the Hi-Lites. Over the next four years, the Hi-Lites released a number of singles on local labels. In 1964, they changed their name to Marshall & the Chi-Lites, adding the "C" as tribute to their hometown Chicago. By the end of the year, Johnson left the group and the remaining quartet truncated their name to the Chi-Lites. Over the next four years, the group continued to perform and release independent singles, with Record slowly emerging as the group's lead singer, songwriter, and producer.
In 1968, the Chi-Lites signed with the large Chicago indie label Brunswick Records, and early the following year "Give It Away" became their first national hit single, reaching number ten on the R&B charts. Despite the moderate success of "Let Me Be the Man My Daddy Was," the group wasn't able to deliver another big hit until "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)" climbed into the R&B Top Ten in early 1971, beginning a string of ten Top Ten hits that ran intermittently over the next four years. The follow-up to "Are You My Woman?," "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People," was their first pop hit, setting the stage for a pair of slow, soulful ballads, "Have You Seen Her" and "Oh Girl," which both reached number one on the R&B charts; the latter was a number-one pop hit in the spring of 1972.
'Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)' has subsequently taken on a life of its own. Producer Rich Harrison astutely sampled a horn part from the introduction and used it in the song 'Crazy In Love', a U.K. and U.S. Pop No. 1 for Beyonce Knowles in 2003.
Shortly after the release of the hit "Stoned Out of My Mind," the Chi-Lites began to splinter in 1973, when Jones left the group and was replaced by Stanley Anderson, who was quickly replaced by Willie Kensey. The revamped lineup had three Top Ten R&B hits — "Homely Girl," "There Will Never Be Any Peace (Until God Is Seated at the Conference Table)," and "Toby" — before they replaced Kensey with Doc Roberson. Shortly afterward, Brunswick became involved in serious financial problems, which prevented the label from promoting the group's record. Frustrated, Record left the band to become a solo recording artist for Warner Bros. The remaining trio, augmented by David Scott and Danny Johnson (who was replaced by Vandy Hampton in 1977), signed with Mercury, but none of their singles were hits.
At that point, the group totally disintegrated, but re-formed in 1980, with the mid 1960s quartet of Record, Thompson, Jones, and Lester back together. The group began recording for Eugene Record's label, Chi-Sound. Although their first singles were more successful than their Mercury Records, they didn't have a genuine hit until 1982, when "Hot on a Thing (Called Love)" reached number 15. The following year, they moved to Larc Records, where they had their final Top Ten hit with "Bottoms Up." Late that year, Creadel Jones retired and the group continued to tour as a trio throughout the remainder of the decade. Record left the group in 1988 to record as a solo artist. He was replaced by new lead Frank Reed. This version of the Chi-Lites became a regular on the oldies and soul circuit.
Reed left in the early 90s, and Anthony Watson joined the group as the new lead vocalist. (It should be noted that Lester took over singing lead on "Oh Girl", while Watson led on their other songs.) The group would also featured a female member. Throughout the 1990s, Watson left twice. Each time Frank Reed returned as lead singer. By the early 2000s, the group was comprised of Marshall Thompson, Robert Lester, Anthony Watson, and Tara Henderson.
Thompson was jailed in 2001 for selling police badges[1], and Frank Reed returned to temporarily take his place. Upon Thompson's return, Watson was reportedly fired from the group, and Reed once again assumed the role of lead vocalist. Thompson's wife took over as female vocalist at that time.
The Chi-Lites were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005. Eugene Record died that year. Creadel Jones died shortly after leaving the group; Jones' son Darren claims that Marshall Thompson and Buckeye Records withheld royalties from their family.[2][3]
[edit] Principal personnel
- Eugene Record – (December 30, 1940 - 22 July 2005).
- Creadel 'Red' Jones – (September 26, 1940 - August 25, 1994).
- Robert "Squirrel" Lester – (born August 16, 1942, McComb, Mississippi).
- Marshall Thompson – (born Marshall Donald Thompson, August 24, 1942, Chicago).
- Frank "Tchallah" Reed – (born Frank Kevin Reed, September 16, 1954, Omaha, Nebraska).
- Tara Thompson – (born Tara Janene Henderson, June 29, 197?, Chicago).
- Anthony Watson – (born Anthony Reynard Watson, Mobile, Alabama)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 1969: Give It Away (Brunswick) - US #180, R&B #16
- 1970: I Like Your Lovin' (Do You Like Mine?) (Brunswick)
- 1971: (For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People (Brunswick) - US #12, R&B #3
- 1972: A Lonely Man (Brunswick) - US #5, R&B #1
- 1972: The Chi-Lites Greatest Hits (Brunswick) - US #55, R&B #4
- 1973: A Letter To Myself (Brunswick) - US #50, R&B #4
- 1973: The Chi-Lites (Brunswick) - US #89, R&B #3
- 1974: Half a Love (Brunswick) - R&B #41
- 1974: Toby (Brunswick) - US #181, R&B #12
- 1976: Happy Being Lonely (Mercury)
- 1977: The Fantastic Chi-Lites (Mercury)
- 1980: Heavenly Body (Chi-Sound) - US #179, R&B #42
- 1981: Me and You (Chi-Sound) - US #162, R&B #31
- 1983: Bottom's Up (Larc) - US #98, R&B #15
- 1991: Just Say You Love Me (Ichiban) - R&B #77
- 1998: Help Wanted (Heroes Are in Short Supply) (Copperson)
- 2004: 20 Greatest Hits (Brunswick)
[edit] Singles
- 1969: "Give It Away" - US# 88, R&B #10
- 1969: "Let Me Be The Man My Daddy Was" - US# 94, R&B #15
- 1969: "The Twelfth Of Never" - R&B #47
- 1970: "24 Hours of Sadness" - R&B #30
- 1970: "I Like Your Lovin' (Do You Like Mine)" - US# 72, R&B #11
- 1971: "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People" - US #26, R&B #4, UK# 32
- 1971: "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)" - US# 72, R&B #8
- 1971: "Have You Seen Her" - US #3, R&B #1, UK # 3
- 1971: "I Want To Pay You Back (For Loving Me)" - US# 95, R&B #35
- 1971: "We Are Neighbors" - US# 70, R&B #17
- 1972: "Oh Girl" - US #1, R&B #1, UK# 14
- 1972: "We Need Order" - US# 61, R&B #13
- 1972: "A Lonely Man" - US# 57, R&B #25
- 1972: "The Coldest Days Of My Life (Part 1)" - US# 47, R&B #8
- 1973: "I Found Sunshine" - US# 47, R&B #17, UK# 35
- 1973: "My Heart Just Keeps On Breakin'" - US# 92, R&B #46
- 1973: "Stoned Out Of My Mind" - US# 30, R&B #2
- 1973: "A Letter To Myself" - US# 33, R&B #3
- 1974: "Homely Girl" - US #54, R&B #3, UK #5
- 1974: "There Will Never Be Any Peace (Until God Is Seated At The Conference Table)" - US# 63, R&B #8
- 1974: "You Got To Be The One" - US# 83, R&B #15
- 1975: "That's How Long" - US# 78, R&B #7
- 1975: "Toby" - US #78, R&B #7
- 1980: "Heavenly Body" - R&B #36
- 1981: "Have You Seen Her" (new recording) - R&B #48
- 1981: "Me and You" - R&B #70
- 1982: "Hot on a Thing (Called Love)" - R&B #15
- 1983: "Bottom's Up" - R&B #7
- 1997: "Help Wanted (Heroes Are in Short Supply)" - R&B #95
- 1998: "Hold on to Your Dreams" - R&B #93
