洛福斯乐团

Rufus was an American funk band from Chicago best known for launching the career of lead singer Chaka Khan. They had several hits during their career, including "Tell Me Something Good", "Sweet Thing", "Do You Love What You Feel", and "Ain't Nobody". Rufus and Chaka Khan were one of the most popular and influential funk bands of the 1970s; they had four consecutive number-one R&B albums, ten top 40 pop hits, and five number-one R&B singles among other accolades.

Biography

Origins

In 1968, the American Breed (Gary Loizzo, guitar/vocals; Al Ciner, guitar; Charles "Chuck" Colbert, bass; and Lee Graziano, drums) had a top ten hit with the classic-rock single "Bend Me, Shape Me". After their success, Colbert and Graziano (without Loizzo, who pursued a successful production career) created a new group adding later-day American Breed members Kevin Murphy (keyboards) and Paulette McWilliams (vocals) as well as James Stella (vocals), and Vern Pilder (guitar) from the bar band Circus. They re-emerged in 1969 with the name Smoke. In 1970, after switching their management to Bob Monaco and Bill Traut, the group's name was changed again to Ask Rufus, taken from the title of the advice column in Mechanix Illustrated. At that point, Ciner came back replacing Pilder and Willie Weeks was added on bass after Colbert left. In 1971, the band signed a contract with Epic Records and recorded an album which was not released; then Epic dropped their contract in early 1972. Weeks was replaced by Dennis Belfield, James Stella by keyboardist/vocalist Ron Stockert, and Lee Graziano by Andre Fischer.

Paulette McWilliams and Chaka Khan had met and they became the best of friends through their spouses Howard Towles and Hassan Khan. Khan attended most Ask Rufus gigs when they performed in Chicago. When McWilliams decided that she was leaving Ask Rufus, she told them she had the perfect singer to replace her; she also asked Khan if she was interested. After the band hesitantly agreed, McWilliams remained for a few weeks to teach Khan the material. McWilliams got Khan a gig with the group Lyfe, formed by Chicago's Cash McCall. Khan had been performing at the Pumpkin Room on the south side of Chicago, with a local group, Lock and Chain which was led by drummer Scotty Harris.

Early career

Bob Monaco was part of a booking company known as Ashley Famous with Jim Golden. They booked Ask Rufus, with Paulette McWilliams and also the Rotary Connection with Minnie Riperton. Monaco was responsible for helping get Ask Rufus their deal on ABC Dunhill. Monaco returned to Los Angeles, convinced the label to give him a demo budget and then quickly returned to Chicago where the group recorded eleven songs in two days at Marty Feldman's Paragon Studios. After they took the demo tapes to ABC Dunhill in 1973, the group was immediately asked to sign a long-term recording contract.

A few weeks before Monaco saw Rufus perform, the group had already caught the attention of musician Ike Turner who flew them to Los Angeles to record at his studio Bolic Sound in Inglewood, California. Turner wanted Khan to become an Ikette; she declined saying that she was "really happy with Rufus. But Ike's attention was certainly a boost." The group returned to Los Angeles shortly after that to record Rufus at Quantum Recording Studios in Torrance, California; it was released in 1973. Although the songs "Whoever's Thrilling You (Is Killing Me)" and "Feel Good" (both featuring Khan) brought the group some attention from R&B radio stations, the album itself had minimal sales and the Stockert-led "Slip & Slide" failed to catch major attention from pop radio. The group quickly re-entered the same studio to record their follow-up album Rags to Rufus.

Ciner and Belfield left the group shortly thereafter along with Stockert who was replaced by keyboardist Nate Morgan, based in Los Angeles. Additionally, Tony Maiden and bassist Bobby Watson, who was also from Los Angeles, were recruited by drummer Andre Fischer. The trio's addition to Rufus added a unique sound to the group, bringing a stronger funk and jazz influence to complement Khan's now emerging powerful lead vocals.

Success, stardom and tension

Rags to Rufus was released in 1974 and two of its singles—the Stevie Wonder-penned "Tell Me Something Good" and the Parker-Khan composition, "You Got the Love"—became smash hits and Rags to Rufus went Platinum. They landed opening spots for the tours of several top stars, including Stevie Wonder, Cheech and Chong, and the Hues Corporation. "Tell Me Something Good" also gave Rufus their first Grammy Award. In addition it sold over one million copies and was awarded a Gold disc by the RIAA on August 9, 1974.