He has been part of our lives for more than six decades of music, but for many of us Gene Chandler will always be the “Duke of Earl.” One of the true aristocrats of Chicago soul, Chandler, born Eugene Dixon, first came to prominence with the doo-wop group The Dukays before stepping out and, in 1962, turning “Duke of Earl” into one of the iconic songs of the era.
“Duke of Earl” opened the door, and Chandler walked through for the rest of the decade with a string of urbane follow up hits, including “Rainbow,” “Just Be True,” “Nothing Can Stop Me,” “A Man’s Temptation” and “I Fooled You This Time.”
And then, in 1970, Gene Chandler returned with yet another career hit, turning the Russell Lewis/Herman Davis composition “Groovy Situation” into an adult soul gem. He continued recording successfully through the decade and had another big hit in the disco era with “Get Down.”
Chandler also stretched out into music production, working with Mel & Tim (“Backfield in Motion”), Johnny Nash and the great Jerry Butler (the collaborative album Gene and Jerry: One on One), and in the 1980s took on a role as an executive at the Chi-Sound label, which helped legendary Chicago acts like the Chi-Lites and the Impressions get back on the charts.
Chandler performed sporadically in the 2000s on the oldies circuit before retiring in 2018. He has received many well-deserved honors, including the Grammy Hall of Fame, the R&B Music Hall of Fame, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the naming of a street in Chicago as “Gene Chandler Way.”
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Chandler when he was inducted into the R&B Hall of Fame, and he was as engaging, smooth, and enjoyable in person as he was onstage. Truly a one of a kind performer.
By Chris Rizik
