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The Chi-Lites


tpj1965

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The Chi-Lites were a Chicago-based smooth soul vocal quartet from the early 1970s, one of the few from the period to not come from Memphis or Philadelphia. They were led by Eugene Record, and scored eleven Top Ten R&B hits in the early part of the decade.

The group formed in the late 1950s when The Chanteurs (Record, Robert "Squirrel" Lester, and Clarence Johnson) teamed up with Marshall Thompson and Creadel "Red" Jones of the Desideros to form The Hi-lites. Wishing to add a tribute to their home town of Chicago, they changed their name to "Marshall and the Chi-Lites" in 1964. Johnson left later that year, and their name was subsequently shortened to The Chi-Lites.

Their major hits came in 1971 and 1972, with "Have You Seen Her" and "Oh Girl", the latter a Number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972. Other transatlantic chart smashes followed, although the output became more fragmented as the group's personnel came and went. For example, bass singer Jones left in 1973, and was replaced in quick succession by Stanley Anderson, Willie Kensey, and then Doc Roberson. Shortly thereafter, Eugene Record left, and David Scott and Danny Johnson entered. More personnel changes ensued, when Johnson was replaced by Vandy Hampton in 1977.

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. Creadel Jones left for a second time in 1982, and the group was a trio. Record left again in 1988, and new lead Frank Reed was recruited, considered by many to be one of the best in the group's history. Reed left for reasons unknown, and singer Anthony Watson would join the group. (It should be noted that Lester took over singing lead on "Oh Girl", while Watson led on their other songs.) By then, the group also featured a female member.

Chi-Lites - Oh Girl

The Chi Lites - Have You Seen Her

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  • 3 months later...

The Chi-lites worked with Jackie Wilson on his last album in 1975 and helped tp produce the finest track of the album and its most successful single, which shows they were not above working with a friend who was abit down on his luck. They went up in my estimation after I found out about that.

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