ABOUT US: (continued from HOME page)

Although the album sold poorly, Rufus gained a fan in Stevie Wonder
thanks to their cover of his "Maybe Your Baby." Wonder gave them a new composition, the slowly grinding "Tell Me Something Good," that he'd written specifically with Khan's vocal style in mind. Pulled as a single from their second album, 1974's Rags to Rufus, "Tell Me Something Good" was a Top Five smash that turned Rufus and Khan into stars; Chaka co-wrote with Ray Parker Jr. the R&B chart-topping follow-up, "You Got the Love". Clearly, the band had found its niche, and a number of personnel shifts ensued: Stockert, Belfield and Ciner left the band and were replaced by Bobby Watson on bass, Tony Maiden on Guitar and Nate Morgan on Piano. Their funk sensibility thus bolstered, Rufus returned with a strong new album before year's end, Rufusized, which spawned two more hits in "Once You Get Started" and "Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me of a Friend)." The billing on 1975's Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan made the singer's star power official, and produced one of the group's biggest self produced hits in the R&B number one "Sweet Thing." Dave "Hawk" Wolinski joined as a second keyboardist from the group Medura for 1977's mellower Ask Rufus Album (the hit was "At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up and Dennis Belfield's Everlasting Love)"), and William "Moon" Calhoun formerly of the Gap Band and writer of "Stay," replaced drummer Fischer on 1978's Street Player. Fischer persued and attained success as a grammy Award winning Producer and stints as Sr. Vice president A&R MCA Records Urban Music Department, Vice President Jazz A&R for Quincy Jones Quest Records and Vice President Writer Development for 20th Century Fox Records.

Following the release of Street Player, Khan made what was perhaps an inevitable move into great solo recording with the release of her debut, Chaka; despite scoring a significant hit with "I'm Every Woman," she remained an official member of Rufus. The band's next album, Numbers, was recorded without Chaka, and upon its release in 1979, it saw limited success. Khan was back on board later that year for Masterjam, produced by Quincy Jones, and the band (featuring new drummer John "J.R." Robinson) was back on top of the R&B charts with "Do You Love What You Feel". However, Khan was absent for 1980's Party 'Til You're Broke, and although she returned for 1981's Camouflage, Rufus' chart fortunes were lessoning. Khan returned for 1983's Stompin' at the Savoy, a double-record set featuring three sides of live material and one side of new studio recordings. One of those new songs, Hawk wolinski's "Ain't Nobody," became Rufus' final number one R&B hit, and also won a Grammy, allowing the group to end its career on a high note. Her contract up, Khan finally left and became a superstar thanks to a cover of Prince's "I Feel for You,"and David Foster's "Through The Fire". Tony Maiden and Chaka reunited on the medley "Packed my Bags/You got the love" on Chaka's 2007 album,
Funk This.