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Gene Chandler

 




Gene Chandler | WGN TV | tc1005




Singer, song writer, part time would-be Duke and Record Producer Eugene Drake Dixon (Gene Chandler) was born in Chicago on July 6, 1937. He  is best known for his two million-selling hits “Duke Of Earl” (actually by the Dukays with him as lead singer, then re-released under his name) and “Groovy Situation”. 

Chandler has many awards including a Grammy Hall Of Fame inductee, winner Producer of the Year Award, and The Rhythm and Blues Foundation’s Pioneer Award. Mr Chandler has had a long and successful career and is one of very few artists to have had chart hit records during the doo-wop, rhythm and blues, soul, and disco eras, notching up a total of forty Pop and R&B chart hits between 1961 and 1986.

Gene Chandler recorded for Veejay Records, then Chess Records for a short time, but the records he made for Chess, while not hugely successful, have stood the test of time as memorable recordings. He subsequently recorded for Chicago companies Costellation and Mercury. For many years he was associated with singer and song writer Curtis Mayfield.

He formed two record companies: Bamboo and Mr. Chand. A Bamboo release, "Backfield in Motion" by Mel and Tim, was a major success in 1969.

His son, Defrantz Forrest, currently sings with the reformed former Motown group The Originals.



On 3 December 2016 part of 59th Street in Chicago was renamed "Gene Chandler Duke Of Earl Way". |  City Of Chicago


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