Misplaced Pages

#716283

56-409: The Chi-Lites ( / ˈ ʃ aɪ l aɪ t s / , SHY -lytes ) are an American R&B/Soul vocal quartet from Chicago. Forming at Chicago's Hyde Park High School in 1959, The group's original lineup consisted of singers Robert Lester , Eugene Record , Creadel Jones, Clarence Johnson, Burt Bowen, Eddie Reed and Marshall Thompson . The Chi-Lites' greatest fame came during the late 1960s through

112-640: A Great Love". Bowen left the group and was replaced by Sollie McElroy of the Flamingos , who was soon replaced by Marshall Thompson of the Desideros. In 1960, Reed died and Thompson brought in Creadel "Red" Jones who was a member of the Desideros to replace him. In early 1964 the group changed their name to the Hi-Lites and released a song, "I'm So Jealous", with Record on lead. Noting that the name Hi-lites

168-416: A Saturday night, between 7pm and 9pm. The final show was on 30 December 1989, and was a best of 1989 called Killer Cuts part 2 . Killer Cuts Part 1 had been aired on 23 December 1989. He would often present the shows with his own laconic slant by introducing records with remarks such as 'This one has a government meltability warning', 'Carefully selected so that only the best reach the turntable' and 'Open

224-514: A copy of an all-important 12-inch vinyl single or album. Vincent would play a selection of UK and US imports, thus strengthening the sales and reach of the music both in London and further afield. The show's cult status was such that many fans would travel to locations where even the weakest signal of BBC Radio London could be received – these locations included High Wycombe, Marlow, Luton, Dunstable and even as far north as Northamptonshire. Remarkably,

280-591: A long battle with cancer. Marshall Thompson and Squirrel Lester, along with more recent addition Frank Reed and the group's first female member, wife Tara Thompson, continued as the Chi-Lites, recording and touring over the last two decades with other soul groups such as the Stylistics and Ray, Goodman & Brown . In 2005 the group released the single "Mother Love". Lester died in January 2010, leaving Thompson

336-487: A new high school that would serve Hyde Park's current white student body also attracting other white students located next to the school. The plan was in violation of the United States Civil Rights Act of 1964, the plan was never carried out. By 1967, the school was predominantly African–American by a total of 97%. Although the demographics among students had changed, the teaching staff remained

392-409: A popular Sunday evening soul show between 9 and 11pm, carried on Radio 2's national FM transmitter (88 – 91 MHz) as well as the regular 275/285 metres medium-wave frequencies. He presented these until 1989, playing jazz-funk with artistes like Rick James , The Fatback Band , Brass Construction , Funkadelic , The Crusaders , Ronnie Laws and Eddie Henderson . By 1987 his show was on Radio1 FM on

448-427: A significant boost due to unknown and new artists being given a media platform. Though Vincent was a figurehead in the jazz-funk-soul community, to many thousands of others he was the voice of current affairs phone-ins such as The Robbie Vincent Telephone Programme on BBC Radio London until he left in 1983 and was succeeded by the then former Greater London Council leader Ken Livingstone . Vincent later re-emerged as

504-417: A three-hour show called 'Sunday Morning Soul' on Sundays for the relaunched Jazz FM service on DAB, Sky, Freesat and the web. Talking in 2011 about his early 'missionary enthusiasm' for soul music, Vincent told The Soul Survivors magazine: "Don't forget, I grew up in an era where Tamla Motown didn't put their artist photographs on the cover sleeves because they were black and they worried they might alienate

560-559: A top ten Billboard R&B hit spending nine weeks on the chart and peaking at No. 10 on March 15, 1969. Their major hits came in 1971 and 1972, " Have You Seen Her " and " Oh Girl ", the latter becoming a number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 27, 1972. Each sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA . Other transatlantic chart hits followed, although their output became more fragmented as

616-504: A white audience." On 29 November 2013, Vincent announced his decision to leave Jazz FM and was denied a final farewell show on the station following his announcement. On 8 and 25 May 2020, Vincent reprised his 'soul show' 1980s style with two four hour special programmes on Jazz FM each between 10 am and 2 pm in a Bank Holiday 'Lockdown Special' during the Covid-19 outbreak in the UK. It

SECTION 10

#1732780486717

672-522: Is an English radio broadcaster and DJ. As a champion of jazz, funk and soul music in the UK during the late 1970s he made an important contribution both live in clubs and on radio. In 1995 he was voted Independent Radio Personality of the Year at the Variety Club of Great Britain annual awards. The teenaged Robbie Vincent moved up from newspaper messenger boy, aged 15, to print journalist reporting for

728-578: Is rated a 2 out of 10 by GreatSchools.org , a national school quality information site. GreatSchools’ Summary Rating is based on four of the school’s themed ratings: the Test Score Rating, Student or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, and Equity Rating and flags for discipline and attendance disparities at a school. The school was established by the Chicago Board of Education as Hyde Park High School in 1863. The school

784-644: The Evening Standard on the trial of the notorious gangsters, the Kray twins , and from the troubles in Northern Ireland. His broadcasting career began on 6 October 1970, along with fellow DJ David Simmons, at BBC Radio London , newly founded as one legitimate answer to Britain's avalanche of illegal UK pirate radio stations. With a potential audience in Greater London of 7.5million, he

840-500: The Excello label. In 1980, Thompson, Jones, and Lester re-formed the group. Lester was the lead singer. The new group continued using the Chi-Lites established name. Creadel Jones left for a second time in 1982, and the group would remain a trio. In 1983, the group released the critically acclaimed Bottoms Up album and achieved notable club and R&B chart success with the title track and "Changing For You." Released on LARC Records,

896-891: The Atlantic City Walk of Fame at Brighton Park. Presenters Wil Hart (original member of The Delfonics ), Leroy Burgess , Stuart Bascombe and Russell Patterson (original members of Black Ivory ), Cliff Perkins (original member of Soul Generation ) and Marvin Brown (original member of The Unifics ) inducted The Chi-Lites as the 6th honorees into the Atlantic City Walk of Fame. Current sidemen Soul Train American Bandstand The Sammy Davis Jr. Show Midnight Special Saturday Night Live Eugene Record performed "Have You Seen Her" on April 8, 1978. Into The Night Hyde Park Academy High School Hyde Park Academy

952-537: The Chanteurs. The group was formed at Hyde Park Academy High School where majority of the members attended (Record attended Englewood High School and Thompson would later transfer to DuSable High School in his senior year and study music under Walter Dyett ) in Chicago in 1959. The group performed at their High School "Senior Varieties" talent show. Soon after, they released a single written by Johnson, "You've Got

1008-609: The Chi-Lites received the 2,702 star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The award presenters were Sirius XM radio personality Jeff Foxx from New York and Jimmy Walker , best known for his role as J.J. on Good Times . Joining Marshall Thompson was the current group his wife Tara Thompson, Fred Simon, Warren Tipton and Mack Miller. Former original Chi-Lites, now deceased, Eugene Record, Robert Squirrel Lester, and Creadel Red Jones will also be remembered. On April 26, 2024, The Chi-Lites along with Dionne Warwick were inducted into

1064-688: 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 (Heroes are in Short Supply) album in Constance's honor. Reed was subsequently replaced once again by Watson until Watson's permanent departure in 2002. On December 13, 1999, BMI named The Chi-Lites, "Oh Girl" No. 36 of

1120-723: The Chi-Lites were named as one of the honorees. The group was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 2000 and Record appeared with the group on stage to perform and accept the award. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005, and were honored with an induction into the R&;B Music Hall of Fame on August 17, 2013, at the Waetejen Auditorium in Cleveland. On September 30, 2021,

1176-430: The Chi-Lites. Eugene Record was the musical group's sole songwriter and lead singer. Record never collaborated with members outside his singing group. In 1968, the group meet with record producer Carl Davis and signed a contract with Brunswick Records out of Chicago. The Chi-Lites with members Record, Thompson, Lester and Jones recorded their first charting song, "Give It Away" written by Davis and Record. The single became

SECTION 20

#1732780486717

1232-556: The FM transmissions as MW broadcasts were of poor quality, of the show which was on air from 11:30am to 2pm. He played imports, promos, new releases and the soul anthems that were filling dance-floors at cutting-edge underground clubs such as Flick's in Dartford and The Gold Mine on Canvey Island. For many, Vincent's radio show was the first source for essential listening – resulting in jazz-funk and soul DJs and fans going to specialist shops for

1288-468: The IHSA regulations mandated that the school mascot be changed. Hyde Park boys' basketball team have been regional champions four times (2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09). The boys' track and field placed first in the state in 1903 and 1929. The girls' basketball team won regional titles three consecutive seasons (2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05). Robbie Vincent Robbie Vincent (born 9 June 1947)

1344-624: The Saturday show started to include a Fusion Jazz 40 (which often would mirror the Fusion Few Chart in Blues and Soul magazine). Many import 12-inch singles and albums would not have been officially released in the UK without Robbie Vincent's support. Some of these included tracks by Maze (feat. Frankie Beverly) , Brass Construction , Tania Maria , Earl Klugh and Alfie Silas. The first official playing of Lionel Richie 's All Night Long

1400-542: The UK Charts and reached No. 61. Record left again in 1988, and new lead Frank Reed joined to replace him. Singer Anthony Reynard Watson replaced Reed later that year and the duty of lead vocals would alternate between Reed and Watson over the course of the next decade. (Lester took over singing lead on "Oh Girl", while Watson led on their other songs). In 1997, while returning home from a concert in Pennsylvania,

1456-571: The US and Latin America were given prime exposure on Vincent's show, including Phyllis Hyman, Angela Bofill and Brenda Russell. Established artists looking for new directions also received some focus including Herbie Hancock (Vincent declined to play Rockit but did play 'Autodrive') and Fatback Band (their International hit 'The Girl Is Fine (So Fine)'. He also gave exclusive UK exposure to Fatback's spin-off act C-Brand in 1983 ('Wired For Games' by C Brand

1512-707: The album was also released in the UK on the R&;B label under the distribution wing of PRT. "Changing For You" album version was released in the UK as a 12" single which became popular in London clubs including Flicks in Dartford and The Goldmine in Canvey Island. "Changing For You" also remained on the Caister Weekender playlist for two years. "Changing for You" and the title track "Bottoms Up" were heavily played and promoted by UK Jazz Funk Soul DJ Robbie Vincent . An edited version of "Changing for You" entered

1568-511: The breakfast show on London's Jazz FM although left when the management changed at the end of 2002. In 1986 Vincent was also seen on British TV screens when he co-hosted BBC Breakfast TV's Hospital Watch (also updating later in the afternoon) alongside Debbie Thrower , Maggie Philbin and Frank Bough . That same year he also presented a TV programme called Go for it . The programme invited 'middle class families' to lose weight on national television via “simple” challenges. In 1994, Vincent

1624-722: The city during a two–year period. The school name changed to Hyde Park Academy High School in 2012 when the school became International Baccalaureate. On February 15, 2013, President Barack Obama delivered a televised speech in the school's gymnasium addressing the issue of gun violence in Chicago. Hyde Park competes in the Chicago Public League (CPL) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Hyde Park sport teams are known as Thunderbirds. Hyde Park team name and mascot were known as Indians from 1863 until 2009 when

1680-496: The discussion show Talkabout , picking up on the current affairs side of his work at Radio London. In 1978, such was the growing appetite for soul music that he and the other DJs in what became dubbed the south of England's 'Soul Mafia' staged the first 'Purley all-dayer', a fiercely athletic black-music dance marathon at Tiffany’s in Purley, the London suburb. As a direct response to similar Northern soul all-nighters, it attracted

1736-608: The early 1970s (with members Record, Jones, Lester and Thompson), scoring eleven top-ten R&B chart hits from 1969 until 1974. The group also charted 21 songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Chart, and had chart hits in Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada, as well as in the U.S. The original members were lead singer Eugene Record, Robert "Squirrel" Lester, Clarence Johnson, Burt Bowen, and Eddie Reed of

The Chi-Lites - Misplaced Pages Continue

1792-475: The east, Harper Avenue to the west, 62nd street to the north and 63rd Street to the south. Hyde Park moved to its present site at 6220 South Stony Island Avenue in July 1914. The school underwent several major renovations during the 20th century. From the school's beginning, Hyde Park's student body was predominantly White. Whites were the highest populated in the area. The school's demographics began to change during

1848-548: The fanatical 'soul tribes' from across Britain. A year later, Vincent helped instigate the popular Caister Soul Weekender events in the Norfolk holiday park (the first was called '1st National Soul Weekender' in April 1979). The original Soul Mafia DJ line-up was supplemented by Greg Edwards (presenter of Soul Spectrum on Saturday evening on London's Capital Radio ), Chris Brown and Jeff Young. In 1980, Vincent's signature song

1904-526: The fans would choose the tracks to be played. On 16 October 1982, one such All Winners Show unearthed a long lost jazz-funk band called Prince Charles and the City Beat Band and within weeks, their song 'In The Streets' was re-released in the UK. The band went on to have a renewed career in the next few years and UK hits. On the same show, The Trammps 'Soul Bones' was played resulting in a scurry to find deleted copies of this forgotten soul classic. On

1960-422: The fridge door and make sure it's packed with ice'. In 1989 Vincent moved to work for LBC radio. His night-time phone-in show was one of the highest rated programmes on the station. In 1995 Vincent's personality won him a Variety Club award. As Radio 2 began to modernise, he briefly was heard on the station in the autumn of 1997 but this did not last. After a spell at Kiss FM , from February 1998 he hosted

2016-489: The group's personnel came and went. Bass-singer Jones left in 1973, and was replaced in quick succession by Stanley Anderson, Willie Kinsey, 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. The Chi-lites cut some tracks for the Inphasion label in 1979, which appeared on an obscure album for

2072-489: The mid–1940s after the government pushed for integration of schools and neighborhoods. Over a span of twenty years beginning in 1947, the white population at the school began to decline due to whites being opposed to accepting low income African–Americans to attend the school. In January 1966, The Chicago board of education was charged with violation federal and state laws when they approved a plan to modernize Hyde Park (due to its growing population of African–Americans) and build

2128-466: The phone-in host on LBC 's Nightline programme from 11 pm Monday–Friday in the late 1980s. The Robbie Vincent Show acquired a cult following when it was broadcast by Radio London on Saturdays from 1976. The show was broadcast in mono on the station's FM frequency of 94.9 MHz as well as being on MW (medium wave) frequency where it was allocated on 1457 kHz (206 metres) from Brookman's Park. Many fans made pirate cassette tape recordings, normally from

2184-419: The presses that week. The show grew to be considered essential listening by the capital's soul music fans. A year later, in 1977, Vincent was first heard on BBC Radio 1 , hosting a soul and disco show on Saturday evenings which was simulcast on VHF/FM at a time when Radio 1 was only broadcast on medium wave most of the time. He returned for another stint in 1978. In 1982 he was again heard nationally presenting

2240-563: The same show, a composite of Merry Clayton 's 'When The World Turns Blue', John Klemmer 's 'Adventures in Paradise' and Teena Marie 's 'Portuguese Love' was a sequence which has remained as a memorable highlight. Other notable successes as a result of Vincent's UK airplay included Gilberto Gil and Sadao Watanabe . Vincent was also the first DJ to play Teena Marie 's comeback recording in 1983 called 'Fix It' following her signing from Motown Records to Epic. Careers previously restricted to

2296-429: The same. The opening of Kenwood High School (now Kenwood Academy ) in 1966 resulted in white enrollment at the school becoming negligible to non-existent; by the 1970–1971 school year, all 1,268 students enrolled were Black. In April 1973, the school became a magnet school and its name changed to Hyde Park Career Academy , establishing the school as a "career academy". The push to change the school's name and curriculum

The Chi-Lites - Misplaced Pages Continue

2352-449: The signal also reached 120 miles west of London to Bath where one avid listener had set up a huge FM aerial connected to a Hi-Fi tuner and would record the shows on cassette. In the days long before the internet this was regarded as a quite an achievement. The recorded shows were often used as a buying guide to obtain the latest music in the specialist London import shops such as Bluebird Records and Groove Records among others. In 1983

2408-517: The sole remaining founding member of the group. Lester was replaced by Fred Simon (formerly of the Lost Generation). In February 2014, Reed died after an illness. In 2018, Warren Tipton, the father of rapper Freddie Gibbs , joined the group. As of 2020, Thompson is continuing the Chi-Lites' legacy as the last surviving member. On June 17, 2020, Hollywood Walk of Fame announced their Class of 2021 to receive stars on Hollywood Boulevard , and

2464-464: The top 100 songs of the century (1900-1999). In 2003, the Chi-Lites 1970 hit "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)" was sampled by Beyonce in her song " Crazy in Love ," and their 1974 song "That's How Long" was used as the backdrop for one of the tracks on Jay-Z 's Black Album . In March 2004, the group reunited with former lead Eugene Record for a PBS Soul Music special. Record died in July 2005 following

2520-426: Was "Get It" by The Dramatics and a year later Vincent became manager of UK soul funk band Second Image, securing record deals with Polydor and then in 1984, MCA Records. He acted as their sole personal manager until the band split in 1986. Vincent became part of both a soul revival as well as a move for commercial acceptance of jazz-funk. In addition, the mainstream jazz movement, so often omitted from history, received

2576-408: Was already in use and wanting to honor their home town they changed their name to Marshall & the Chi-Lites in 1964. Under their new name they recorded four songs: "Pretty Girl" written by Record, who also was on lead, "Love Bandit" written by Jones with Thompson on lead, "Price of Love" and "Baby It's Time". Clarence Johnson left the group later that year, and their name was subsequently shortened to

2632-451: Was announced on 4 December 2020 that Vincent would be presenting a 4 hour 30 minute 'New Year's Eve Special' on Jazz FM from 20.00 on 31 December 2020 to 00.30 on 1 January 2021. On Sunday 4 April 2021, (Easter Sunday), Vincent returned to Jazz FM to present the first of a series of his Music Garden shows from 1pm to 3pm. Vincent continues to broadcast on Jazz FM with his own show each Sunday between 1pm and 3pm. Vincent returned as DJ at

2688-704: Was broadcast late in the evening and was among the first to establish the format for the radio phone-in in the UK. Vincent said on his website, "Prime Minister Ted Heath gifted me the three day week in December 1973 and the early shut down for TV. The BBC Radio London station manager said "yes" to a night time phone in show. As the TV shut down the lights went off, radio really triumphed, and my evening phone in succeeded beyond all expectations." His celebrity interviewees included prime minister Margaret Thatcher , "at her charming best", he says on his own website. In 1976, Vincent

2744-461: Was by Vincent on his Saturday show in autumn 1983 as a promo, well ahead of Richie's album Can't Slow Down . In 1980 Vincent was credited with launching the UK career of US jazz-funk combo, Maze with Frankie Beverly , and was one of the few British radio presenters to have interviewed Marvin Gaye . The Saturday show standard format would be displaced by Vincent's popular 'All Winners Show' where

2800-525: Was commissioned to compile a CD, Classic Jazz-funk 5 , for the Mastercuts series of compilations. Titled The Robbie Vincent Edition , it featured many of the tracks he was one of the first to air on the radio in London, ranging from Grover Washington, Roy Ayers and Gabor Szabo to Blue Feather and OPA. Vincent spent most of 2003 travelling and during late December and early January 2004 he presented five daytime shows on 94.9 BBC Radio London. In 2006 he

2856-473: Was housed in several locations from its opening until 1886 when the board of education dedicated a three-floor school building located at Kimbark Avenue and 56th Streets in Hyde Park neighborhood. Hyde Park remained at the location from 1889 until it was decided that a new location was needed to house the school's growing population in 1910. Chicago officials decided on a site bordered by Stony Island Avenue to

SECTION 50

#1732780486717

2912-525: Was made by then principal Weldon Beverly Jr. who served as principal of the school from 1975 until 2003. Hyde Park began to offer International Baccalaureate classes to its students during the 2000–2001 school year. In 2004, Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan and Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley introduced the Renaissance 2010 program. Under this program, Hyde Park was forced to accept more than 300 more area–students than any other high school in

2968-428: Was occasionally a guest presenter on Tony Monson's 10   am to 1   pm weekday show on Solar Radio in the UK. He jointly presented the show on several occasions when he brought in all the music. More recently, he could be seen and heard at London's Clapham Grand soul nightclub. He DJ'd there along with others such as Chris Hill and DJ Froggy . Vincent returned to the airwaves on 12 October 2008 and presented

3024-512: Was pursuing his own tastes by also hosting a music show on the same station over Saturday lunchtimes. In his own words: "Moving from a mixed format of Slade , Rod Stewart , Marc Bolan and endless sound-tracks ... soul and jazz began to take over without management really noticing." He played artists such as Evelyn 'Champagne' King and Crown Heights Affair and invited guest soul DJs, such as Chris Hill , Tom Holland, DJ Froggy , Sean French, to play their favourite three records that came hot off

3080-459: Was re-released in 2015). For the UK scene, Vincent supported Second Image, I-Level , and early 12-inch singles from Loose Ends . In spring 1983, Vincent played a 7-inch single by unknown funk band Mtume – the song ' Juicy Fruit ' became a successful UK hit, being released as an extended 12-inch single largely as a result of Vincent's promotion. Vincent moved to BBC Radio 1 on New Year's Day 1984 to present The Sound of Sunday Night which became

3136-440: Was to spend 13 years helping to shape the sound of local FM radio, starting before legal commercial competition arrived. During the miners' strike of early 1974 and the resulting three-day week that limited the nation's consumption of electricity, Vincent was hosting a new style of show called 'Late Night London' and playing devil's advocate with listeners who called in by telephone to air their problems or opinions. The programme

#716283