.jpg)
Welcome To Northernsoultrain
Gene Chandler
From 1962 to 1970 Gene Chandler put half a dozen songs in the top forty, but he will always be best known for the first of these. Duke Of Earl topped the pop and R&B charts
in 1962 and launched his career.
Born Eugene Dixon in Chicago in 1937, he attended Englewood High School where he formed a group called the Gaytones in 1955. Two years later he joined a local singing group known as the Dukays, and a short time later went to Germany to serve a hitch with the U.S. Army. On his return in 1960 he re-joined the Dukays as lead singer, and the group signed with Nat the following year.
The Dukays recorded Duke Of Earl for VeeJay in 1961. The inspiration for the name of the song and one of it's co-writers was Dukays vocalist Earl Edwards, who was known at the time as "Duke." When they ran into contract difficulties with Nat, Eugene Dixon left the group, changed his name to Gene Chandler, and began to promote the song. Chandler's recording of Duke Of Earl went to number one and remained there for three weeks early in 1962.
GENE CHANDLER
in 1962 and launched his career.Born Eugene Dixon in Chicago in 1937, he attended Englewood High School where he formed a group called the Gaytones in 1955. Two years later he joined a local singing group known as the Dukays, and a short time later went to Germany to serve a hitch with the U.S. Army. On his return in 1960 he re-joined the Dukays as lead singer, and the group signed with Nat the following year.
The Dukays recorded Duke Of Earl for VeeJay in 1961. The inspiration for the name of the song and one of it's co-writers was Dukays vocalist Earl Edwards, who was known at the time as "Duke." When they ran into contract difficulties with Nat, Eugene Dixon left the group, changed his name to Gene Chandler, and began to promote the song. Chandler's recording of Duke Of Earl went to number one and remained there for three weeks early in 1962.
Gene Chandler recorded some more songs for Vee-Jay that didn't do well, then changed to the Constellation label and began to work with the talented Chicago-area songwriter/producer Curtis Mayfield. Mayfield helped him a great deal and the result was a few more top forty songs, including Just Be True, What Now, and Nothing Can Stop Me. Mayfield also wrote Rainbow, a song that was recorded by and is closely associated with Gene Chandler.
Chandler began to dress up like ... the Duke of Earl. He wore a monacle and a cape, and had a top hat and a cane. He appeared this way frequently, whether or not he was performing at the time, and appeared in a motion picture dressed in this garb and singing Duke Of Earl.
Chandler was popular as a soul singer on the R&B charts. He recorded duets with such other Chicago-area singers as Barbara Acklin and Jerry Butler. He founded his own labels, including Mr. Chand and Bamboo, on which he produced two cousins from Mississippi: Mel and Tim put Backfield In Motion in the top ten in 1969. Chandler followed up with a big hit of his own with Groovy Situation on Mercury in 1970.
He continued his association with Curtis Mayfield in the 70's. Gene worked at a frantic pace, became involved with drugs for a time and spent some time in jail briefly in 1976. He became executive vice-president of Chi-Sound and started to record disco songs under the direction of producer Carl Davis. His disco dance records were very popular in the UK in the late 70's.
Gene Chandler continued recording into the 80's, but the odds are he will never find greater popularity than he did with Duke Of Earl, a classic rock-and-roll song from the early 60's. Nothing can stop the Duke of Earl.
Back to the ARTISTS page
Chandler began to dress up like ... the Duke of Earl. He wore a monacle and a cape, and had a top hat and a cane. He appeared this way frequently, whether or not he was performing at the time, and appeared in a motion picture dressed in this garb and singing Duke Of Earl.
Chandler was popular as a soul singer on the R&B charts. He recorded duets with such other Chicago-area singers as Barbara Acklin and Jerry Butler. He founded his own labels, including Mr. Chand and Bamboo, on which he produced two cousins from Mississippi: Mel and Tim put Backfield In Motion in the top ten in 1969. Chandler followed up with a big hit of his own with Groovy Situation on Mercury in 1970.
He continued his association with Curtis Mayfield in the 70's. Gene worked at a frantic pace, became involved with drugs for a time and spent some time in jail briefly in 1976. He became executive vice-president of Chi-Sound and started to record disco songs under the direction of producer Carl Davis. His disco dance records were very popular in the UK in the late 70's.
Gene Chandler continued recording into the 80's, but the odds are he will never find greater popularity than he did with Duke Of Earl, a classic rock-and-roll song from the early 60's. Nothing can stop the Duke of Earl.
Singles
A MAN'S TEMPTATION 1967
BABY THAT'S LOVE 1965
BIG LIE 1965
BLESS OUR LOVE 1964
CHECK YOURSELF 1967
DUKE OF EARL 1962
EVERYBODY LET'S DANCE 1965
FESTIVAL OF LOVE 1965
GROOVY SITUATION 1970
JUST BE TRUE 1964
KISSING IN THE KITCHEN 1965
LONELY ISLAND 1965
MAN'S TEMPTATION 1963
MIRACLE AFTER MIRACLE 1965
NIGHT OWL 1961
NOTHING CAN STOP ME 1965
PRETTY LITTLE GIRL 1963
RAINBOW '65 PT1 1965
RAINBOW '65 PT2 1965
RAINBOW IN MY HEART 1962
SOUL HOOTENANNY PT 1 1965
STAND BY ME 1965
TEAR FOR TEAR 1962
THINK NOTHING OF IT 1964
WAIT FOR TEARS
WHAT NOW 1964
YOU CAN'T HURT ME NO MORE 1965
YOU THREW A LUCKY PUNCH 1962
 |
Jump aboard the train for a trip back to the home page