Chi-Lites (Formed in 1960 as the Hi-Lites)

One of the great vocal groups of the early '70s, the Chi-Lites origins actually date back to the doo-wop era of the 1950s. They came out of two separate groups, the Desideros and the Chaunteurs. The new group called themselves the Hi-Lites and comprised Eugene Record, Robert Lester, Marshall Thompson, Creadel Jones, and Clarence Johnson. The Hi-Lites made one single for James Shelton's Daran label, then Johnson left the group. Their next song, 'I'm So Jealous', was picked up for national distribution by Mercury on its Blue Rock subsidiary. While on that label, the group changed their name to the Chi-Lites. Two more releases followed on Blue Rock in 1965, and both flopped. By 1966, the Chi-Lites were back with Shelton and came out with 'Pretty Girl', a ballad that did very well locally.

Then they met producer Carl Davis, who had started a company at Roosevelt and Wabash. Davis saw that Eugene Record was writing good songs and signed the Chi-Lites to his Dakar label. Their 1967 debut release for the label, 'Price of Love', truly ignited the group's career. In late 1968, the Chi-Lites signed with Brunswick and had their first national R&B hit, 'Give It Away', early the next year. The follow-up, 'Let Me Be The Man My Daddy Was', also fared well with black America. While pop chart success was still a couple of years off, the basic ingredients of the Chi-Lites were there - Eugene Record's excellent melodies and lyrics, and the group's tightly-sung neo-doo-wop harmonies.

The group began the '70s with the album "I Like Your Lovin'", on which they were dead ringers for the "Psychedelic Shack"-era Temptations. The LP produced two hit R&B singles, the title track and 'Are You My Woman (Tell Me So)', but it was not among the Chi-Lites' best material, primarily because it simply didn't play to their strengths. 1971 proved to be a key year for the Chi-Lites. They kicked it off with the album "Give More Power To The People", whose title track became their first top forty pop hit. At the year's end, the Chi-Lites hit #3 pop and #1 R&B with the gorgeous ballad, 'Have You Seen Her'. In 1972, they hit #1 on both charts with 'Oh Girl'.

....And the hits kept coming. The albums "A Lonely Man" (1972), "A Letter To Myself" (1973), and "Toby" (1974) all sold well and produced numerous hit singles, although primarily on the R&B charts. In 1975 the Chi-Lites released "Half of Love", which produced only one hit single, the double-sided 'It's Time For Love'/'Here I Am', and that peaked only at #27 R&B.
There are any number of hit compilations available - most of them will have a reasonable selection but will vary in the quality of packaging, but quite a few of them can also be picked up at a bargain price. The Primer recommends the compilation on Music Club as a very cheap introduction but the Rhino CD, and particularly the Kent "Best Of" are equally fine choices and have more content.

By 1976, the Chi-Lites were having a tough time. Their company was tried and convicted of fraud and conspiracy. In January, the group pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges. In May, they received a year's probation and were required to pay fines. Eugene Record left the group in 1976 and signed with Warner Brothers as a solo artist. Marshall Thompson reorganized the Chi-Lites and brought in a new lead. The group then signed with Mercury. But neither act was able to match their previous success. In 1980, Record got back together with the group for a reunion album and signed with Carl Davis' Chi-Sound label. The Chi-Lites' last appearance on the R&B charts, 'Gimme Whatcha Got', was in 1984.

People often forget the Chilites when looking back at some of the great groups of the soul era. For a start, they hailed from Chicago, a town better-known primarily for its gritty urban blues and driving R&B than the sweet soul of ex doo-wop groups. But the Chi-lites should be recognised as a group that, along with a few others, in many ways pushed at the boundaries for the period - for example Eugene Record was not only the lead vocalist but also co-wrote much of their best material and had significant input into the lush, creamy sound distinguished by their four-part harmonies and layered productions.