The Chi-Lites

The Chi-Lites (pronounced /ˈʃaɪlaɪts/) are a Chicago-based smooth soul vocal group. During the 1970s, they racked up 11 Top 10 U.S. 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 tenor and falsetto, and most of the group's hits were written by Record, in collaboration with songwriters like Barbara Acklin.^[1] Allmusic journalist, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, states "the Chi-Lites had a lush, hearty sound distinguished by their four-part harmonies and layered productions".

Career

The Chi-Lites began with the merging of two 1950s doo wop groups, Eugene Record, Robert "Squirrel" Lester, and Clarence Johnson from "The Chanteurs", with Creadel "Red" Jones and Marshall Thompson from "the Desideros". Originally known as the "Hi-Lites", they became the Chi-Lites in 1964; Johnson left the group that year.^[1]

The Chi-Lites had been around for nearly a decade before they finally had a hit single in the late 1960s.^[1] 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.^[1] Shortly afterwards, Creadel "Red" Jones and Marshall Thompson, who had sung with the Desideros, teamed with the trio to form the Hi-Lites, and over the next four years, the Hi-Lites released a number of singles on local labels.^[1] In 1964, they changed their name to Marshall & the Chi-Lites, adding the "C" as tribute to their hometown Chicago.^[1] By the end of the year, Johnson left the group and the remaining quartet truncated their name to the Chi-Lites.^[1] Over the next four years, the group continued to perform and release independent singles, with Record slowly emerging as the group's frontman, lead singer, songwriter, and producer.^[1]

In 1968, the Chi-Lites signed with Brunswick Records, whose creative side was headed by an established Chicago-based producer Carl Davis.^[1] He had been brought in by Brunswick a couple of years earlier to revive the label, including Jackie Wilson's recording career. Davis and Record initially worked together on producing the group and early the following year, "Give It Away" became their first national hit single, reaching #10 on the U.S. R&B chart.^[1] Despite the moderate success of "Let Me Be the Man My Daddy Was," the group was not able to deliver another big hit until "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)" climbed into the R&B Top Ten in early 1971.^[1]

That release began a string of ten Top Ten hits that ran intermittently over the next four years, with Record now handling production alone and Thom (Tom Tom) Washington providing arrangements. The follow-up, "(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 chart; the latter was a number-one pop hit in the spring of 1972.^[1] "Have You Seen Her" sold around three million copies,^[2] and "Oh Girl" sold a million by May 1972; both records being granted gold disc status.^[3]

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.^[1] 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".^[1] This period also ushered in a significant degree of success in Europe, and most notably the United Kingdom, where the band's smooth soul sound also popularised by acts such as Barry White, and The Stylistics, found favour. Between 1972 and 1976 the band had a number of UK Top 10 pop hit records, including "Have You Seen Her" (1972 & 1975), "Homely Girl" (1974), "Too Good To Be Forgotten" (1974), "It's Time For Love" (1975), and finishing off with "You Don't Have To Go" (1976).^[4] Around this time, the band replaced Kensey with Doc Roberson.^[1]

Shortly afterwards, Brunswick, now an independent record label owned by Jackie Wilson's manager Nat Tarnopol, became involved in serious financial problems, mainly brought on by a U.S. Government payola inquiry into record companies. These financial problems prevented the label from properly promoting the group's records.^[1] Frustrated, Record left the band to become a solo recording artist for Warner Bros.^[1] 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 was a major hit, although their first release "Happy Being Lonely" made the R&B Top 30.^[1][5]

The group totally disbanded at that point, but it was re-formed in 1980 with the original hit-making quartet in the 70s of Record, Thompson, Jones, and Lester back together.^[1] The group began recording again with Carl Davis who had set up his own label called Chi-Sound and Record was also offered an executive post.^[1] Although their first singles were more successful than their Mercury records, they did not have a genuine hit until 1982, when "Hot on a Thing (Called Love)" reached #15 R&B.^[1] Their stay at Chi-Sound produced two good albums before the label folded. The following year, they moved to Larc Records, where they had a final Top Ten hit with "Bottoms Up."^[1] Late that year, Jones retired and the group continued to tour as a trio throughout the remainder of the decade.^[1]

Record left in 1990 and was replaced by new lead Frank Reed; this version of the Chi-Lites became a regular on the oldies and soul circuit.^[1] Reed left in the early 1990s 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.) Throughout the 1990s, Watson left twice; each time, Reed returned as lead singer.

In 1997, while returning home from a concert in Pennsylvania, the Chi-Lites were involved in a serious car crash which resulted in both Reed and Thompson's wife Constance being ejected from the vehicle. Constance died from her injuries and Reed had to have a metal plate inserted in his back. Hold On To Your Dreams was included on the Help Wanted album in her honor. The title track "Help Wanted" was co-written by road manager Ray Foreman, their lead in the background Diane Womack, Bruce Thompson and Barbara Acklin, who also co-wrote "Let me be the man my daddy was", "toby", and Letter to myself" with Eugene Record.

By the early 2000s, the group was composed of Marshall Thompson, Robert Lester and Anthony Watson. The group was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 2000 when Record re-joined the group on stage to perform and accept the award.

Thompson was jailed in 2001 for selling police badges^[6], and 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. The cureent lineup is Marshall Thompson, Robert Lester, and Frank Reed.

The Chi-Lites were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005, shortly before Record died after a long bout with cancer. Jones had died soon after leaving the group; Jones' son Darren claims that Marshall Thompson and their label withheld royalties from their family.^[7][8]

Legacy

In 1990, Paul Young's cover version of "Oh Girl" reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. In November 1982, The Jam covered "Stoned Out of My Mind" on their "Beat Surrender" maxi-single. In 1990, rapper MC Hammer had a major pop and R&B hit with his version of "Have You Seen Her". In 2003, "Are You My Woman (Tell Me So)" (1971) was sampled by the R&B producer, Rich Harrison, for Beyoncé's hit single, "Crazy in Love". In the same year, The Chi-Lites track "That's How Long" was sampled by Jay-Z (himself a guest on "Crazy in Love") for his song "December 4th" on the The Black Album. Meanwhile, Paul Wall sampled "Oh Girl" for his 2006 hit, "Girl".

Vandy Hampton joined The Impressions in the early 1980s and remained until the early 2000s. He died in 2005.^[9]

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)

• Diane Womack-Foreman – (born Diane Marie Womack, March 1, 1952, Chicago)

• Samotta Acklin – (born Samotta Acklin, Born August 197?, Chicago)

• Anthony Watson – (born Anthony Reynard Watson, Mobile, Alabama)

Discography

Singles

Albums

Compilation albums

See also

• List of soul musicians
• List of disco artists
• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart
• List of acts who appeared on American Bandstand
• Guests on Soul Train
• List of performers on Top of the Pops

References

External links

• Chi-Lites official website
• The Chi-Lites at Allmusic
• Chi-Lites at the Rolling Stone website