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CHICAGO, IL — Record wrote or co-wrote many of the group’s most popular songs, including “Have You Seen Her,” and “Oh Girl,” which became a No. 1 hit in 1972. He often sang lead as well, infusing tracks with his smooth, velvety tenor and melancholy tone.
Some of his songs have been famously sampled or redone by contemporary artists. In 1990 MC Hammer recorded a rap version of "Have You Seen Her?," and Beyoncé’s 2003 hit "Crazy in Love" sampled the horn riff in "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)," a Chi-Lites song written by Record. He picked up a Grammy award when the “Crazy in Love” won for best R&B song.
The Chi-Lites stared out in the late-50’s doo-wop era as the Chanteurs, formed by Record with Robert Lester and Clarence Johnson. A year after releasing their first single in 1959, Creadel Jones and Marshall Thompson joined the trio, and the group became the Hi-Lites, changing its name to the Chi-Lites in 1964.
In 1968, they signed with the Brunswick label and released the No. 10 R&B hit, “Give It Away.” The Chi-Lites hit their stride in the early 70s, with a string of romantic ballads and a number of political songs, including "(For God’s Sake) Give More Power to the People," "There Will Never Be Any Peace (Until God Is Seated at the Conference Table)," both written by Record. Eleven of the group’s songs reached the Top 20 on the R&B charts from 1969 to 1974.
Record left the group in 1976 and recorded three solo albums for Warner Brothers. He returned to the Chi-Lites in 1980, and the group had two more minor hits on Record’s label, Chi-Sound, "Hot on a Thing (Called Love)" and "Bottom’s Up." He became a born-again Christian and gospel singer in the late ‘80s, and released a gospel album, “Let Him In,” in 1998. He had planned to remix and re-release it, said his wife of 31 years, Jacki Record, but fell ill before those plans were realized.
At EUR press time funeral arrangements were pending.
Reprinted with permission www.eurweb.com.
