The Chi-Lites

「Chi-Lites」合唱團是在1960年成立于芝加哥的，發(fā)起人是馬歇爾湯普森（Marshall Thompson）。他早年曾經為一些歌手與團體的樂隊擔任過鼓手，后來又跟好朋友克理戴爾瓊斯（Creadel Jones）共同參加過一支樂隊的演唱工作。1959年，湯普森與瓊斯認識了「歌唱者」（Chanteurs）三重唱的尤金瑞柯德、克萊倫斯強森（Clarence Johnson）與勞勃賴斯特（Robert Lester），雙方相談甚歡，決定共組一支五重唱團體，為自己取名為「Hi-Lites」，并且獲得了唱片合約。在連續(xù)幾首單曲都沒有獲得成功之后，他們不但失去了唱片合約，連團名也保不住，因為他們發(fā)現(xiàn)，「Hi-Lites」這個名字已經被另外一支團體捷足先登了。不得已之下，他們只好另外想個別的名字，而因為他們是來自芝加哥的，所以他們靈機一動，決定在原先的團名前面加上一個「C」，變成了「Chi-Lites」，除了讓人家知道他們是從哪里來的，也期許自己有朝一日能夠成為「芝加哥的光彩」。 另外，由于團體是由馬歇爾發(fā)起的，因此他們在1964年以「Marshall & the Chi-Lites」的名義重新出發(fā)。到了那一年的年底，他們進一步決定再把團名簡化，就此成為「Chi-Lites」合唱團。?
?在幾位團員中，尤金瑞柯德的音樂才華是最突出的，合作的過程中，他很快的脫穎而出，成了團體最重要的人物，不但擔任絕大多數(shù)歌曲的主唱，還包辦了大部分歌曲的譜寫工作，甚至連唱片的制作也攬下來了。只可惜，他們的機運仍然欠佳，陸續(xù)又被其他幾家唱片公司炒了魷魚，好不容易再度獲得Mercury的合約、又再度被趕出門。1969年，他們終于開始有了轉機。富有作曲才華的尤金瑞柯德一直努力的譜曲，也因為他的歌曲得到了MCA唱片旗下一家副牌的賞識，頭一次有唱片公司主動跟他們簽約。擅長以華麗的假聲演唱、并且負責制作的瑞柯德，為這個團體賦予了一種浪漫的聲音。他們接連唱紅了好幾首歌曲，深獲好評，甚至還被某些樂評家冠上「新古典」的美名。 只是，他們還缺少「臨門的一腳」，為了想要打開更高的知名度，于是他們嘗試改變風格，唱一首節(jié)奏比較輕快的歌曲，果然在1971年以「Give More Power to the People」創(chuàng)下他們成軍以來最好的成績，得到第二十六名。接著，他們重新回到抒情歌謠曲的路線，以「Have You Seen Her」獲得了第三名，以及藍調排行的冠軍。在勉強只拿到第九十五名的「I Want to Pay You Back (For Loving Me)」之后，他們在1972年春天推出了「A Lonely Man」專輯，并且由瑞柯德所譜寫的抒情歌謠曲「Oh Girl」打頭陣，當作首支單曲。按照往例，瑞柯德仍然負責制作、并且擔任主唱。他采用了簡單得驚人的編曲手法，只有一支口琴和最精簡的弦樂組，烘托著他基本上相當單薄的高音，其余幾位團員在和聲的時候甚至往往連歌詞都沒有，但是卻唱出了一種熱情而又絕望的感覺，令人動容。1972年四月八日，這首歌第一次上榜，獲得第八十名，隨即快速的扶搖直上，七個星期后，就在五月二十七日登上了冠軍寶座，同時也再度奪下藍調排行的榜首。他們的美夢終于成真，成了「芝加哥的光彩」
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
One of the most popular smooth soul groups of the early 70s didnt hail from Philadelphia or Memphis, the two cities known for sweet, string-laden soul. Instead, 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 70s, 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 Gods 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 Records warm, pleading tenor and falsetto, and the majority of the groups 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 in the late 60s. Eugene Record, Robert Lester, and Clarence Johnson formed the doo wop group the Chanteurs in the late 50s, 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 groups 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 wasnt 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 Gods 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, as well. in the spring of 1972.
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 groups 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.
The original lineup of the Chi-Lites re-formed in 1980, and the group began recording for Eugene Records label, Chi-Sound. Although their first singles were more successful than their Mercury Records, they didnt 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 1990 to record as a solo artist. He was replaced by Anthony Watson. By the early 90s, Jones had re-joined the group, and this version of the Chi-Lites became a regular on the oldies and soul circuit during the 90s.