Rufus is an American band formed in Chicago in 1970 and originally composed of Lee Graziano, Chuck Colbert Jr, Al Ciner, Paulette McWilliams, James Stella, Kevin Murphy and Willie Weeks.
The group released their first Single "Brand new day" in 1970, a Single which unfortunately went somewhat unnoticed.
The following year, in 1971, they signed with Epic Records, the label with which they were to make their first album. Album that will never see the light of day after the label has purely and simply thanked them.
It was the departure of Paulette McWilliams in 1972 and especially the providential arrival of her replacement, an 18-year-old singer named Chaka Khan, that would radically change the fate of the group.
The beneficial effects of the change of singer were immediate with the production of 2 successful songs the following year in 1973 : "Whoever's Thrilling You (Is Killing Me)" and "Feel good". The group begins finally begins a semblance of takeoff.
A takeoff that was confirmed the following year with the release in 1974 of 2 albums, just that. The debut "Rags to Rufus" was to produce the biggest hit of their entire career as a Single with the hugely massive "Tell me something good", a Single that would sell over a million copies. Followed by little "You got the love" which will also experience a nice course in the Charts.
The second album "Rufusized", the only album in the entire career of the group ranked across the Channel, will produce two other top hits which are "Once you get started" and "Please pardon me (You remond me of a friend)", two Singles which will be released a year later in 1975.
A year 1975 which also sees Chakan Khan become a real social phenomenon, a starization due mainly to the super sexy outfits she wears in concert as well as the antics she adores performed outside. A starization that is seriously beginning to displease the other members of the group ...
New album "Rufus featuring Chaka Khan" still in 1975, album which adds a last Single of big caliber "Sweet thing" to this exceptional year in all respects for the group. The same album would produce another major Single "Dance wit me" which was released the following year in 1976.
The year 1977 saw the release of the album “Ask Rufus”, an album with certain success but which would only hit the United States and produce a single major title with the Single “At midnight (My love will lift you up)". An album whose recording was weighed down by the terrible relationship between Chaka Khan and the band's drummer. So execrable that cohabitation within the group becomes almost impossible between the 2.
With eventually the mandatory departure of one of the two and in this game it is the singer who will decide to take her career back in hand and stand on her own feet. A departure formalized with the signing of a contract with the Warner Bros. label. Recordset the realization of a first solo album in 1978. Album which will produce the enormous Single "I’m every woman", Single which will make a real worldwide hit and launch the singer's solo career in a sensational way.
Despite the singer's hasty departure, the group continued their adventure and still managed to release the album “Street player” in 1978. Album with less success than that released by its ex-singer but whose biggest success, namely “Stay" will be a title composed by the latter…
The group will try it all for the following year in 1979 by releasing 2 albums in quick succession. Starting with “Numbers”, an album with mixed success to say the least. This is the second, "Masterjam", which will be the only one to succeed and above all to produce a world-class Single with the title "Do you love what you feel".
The following decade will be more complicated to manage than expected with the release of 3 albums with the most mixed success. "Party‘ til you’re broke" and "Camouflage" in 1981 and "Seal in red" in 1983.
It is the return - furtive - of Chaka Kahn on the live album "Stompin 'at the Savoy - Live" which will once again save them always in 1983. All thanks to the enormous Single "Ain't nobody", title added to the album as a bonus track and which will quite simply become one of the biggest Dance hits of the decade.
They will obtain a last notorious hit with another bonus track "One million kisses" also present on the same album, Single which will be released in 1984 and which will indeed be the last success of the group this time ...
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
Brand new day 1970
Fire one, fire two, fire three 1971
Whoever's thrilling you (Is killing me) 1973
Tell me something good 1974
You got the love 1974
Once you get started 1975
Please pardon me (You remind me of a friend) 1975
Sweet thing 1975
Dance with me 1976
At midnight (My love will lift you up) 1977
Hollywood 1977
Stay 1978
Do you love what you feel 1979
80s Decade :
Any love 1980
I'm dancing for you love 1980
Tonight we love 1981
Sharing the love 1981
Better together 1982
Take it to the top 1983
Ain’t nobody 1983
One million kisses 1984
Clips :
1970 ... beginnings to say the least confidential. The sound and style are trendy but that does not do everything as they say ...
1971 ... 1971 will not be more favorable to them. You have to give time to time and especially give them time to refine their style ...
1973 ... it will take them two more years to finally see their efforts rewarded. With this first classified title which finally allows them to hope for the future
1974 ... the providential arrival of Chaka Khan will have changed everything. So much so that they get here the biggest success of all their discography. Like what, it was really enough of not much. HU-GE !
1974 ... a year 1974 which saw them take off in a brilliant way. Everything is now smiling at them with obvious insolence and each title that comes out now further strengthens their status as a phenomenon of the moment
1975 ... the group is now on a dynamic of success that will last a few years, even ten years. Oh yes, nothing more !
1975 ... and they're good at everything. The fast as well as the softest. A peculiarity only found with the greatest of course ...
1975 ... a title which literally floats in the air and which shows that in the Intimist, this group has nothing to envy the competition, it is clear !
1976 ... the group continues its momentum but the second part of the 1970s is not going to be as glorious as they might have imagined. All because of an inspiration that has become 'normal' again ...
1977 ... this title will do a little better than its predecessor but that will not be enough to send the group back to the front of the pack. Can and must do better !
1977 ... the competition begins to take serious steps ahead. The group is resisting rather well but the level is still fairly average ...
1978 ... 1978 will be the same as 1977. The group is on the spot and lives on its achievements. No miracle in sight at first sight ...
1979 ... there is a slight improvement but not enough to allow them to return to the front of the stage in a shattering way. We will have to be a little more patient ...
1980 ... a passage to the following decade for the less rhythmic. And which suggests a semblance of evolution in terms of style and sound. Rather a good omen for the rest of the events ....
1980 ... the improvement is confirmed. Even if this does not translate into the Charts by a meteoric rise to the top of the list, that does not prevent the group from repositioning himself ideally for the future ...
1981 ... the group has been able to adapt to the latest musical trends and the result is more than positive. All that remains is to release THE title Dance that could make them definitively return to the legend ...
1981 ... a nice title which will meet only a modest level of success but with more than certain quality. There is really better from the group for some time, it's undeniable ...
1982 ... an extremely rare thing concerning them, this year 1982 will be a single title year. A year of transition before the arrival of a year 1983 which risks upsetting the course of time concerning them ...
1983 ... a year 1983 which starts off on the hats of wheel with a first title which pulsates as they say. But it is not this one that will create the event, it is the following ...
1983 ... comes THIS title ! A title which will not remain as their best ranked but which will undoubtedly remain as their most emblematic. They sign here quite simply one of the biggest dance hits of the decade and at the same time offer themselves a direct ticket for posterity. MAS-TER-FUL !
1984 ... as paradoxical as it may seem, the adventure will stop in this year 1984. One could have imagined that after the enormous success encountered on the previous title, the group had started again. Quite the opposite is going to happen. Final clap ...
Wiki :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :