Consisting of multi-instrumentalist John Winston and vocalist Gregory Charley, Kiara was a Detroit-based duo that had a brief but enjoyable moment in the sun in the late 80s.
R&B fans first heard Kiara via the nice ballad “Quiet Guy,” which cracked the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart at #88 and helped establish their foothold in the competitive R&B marketplace.
In 1988, the duo made a decisive move to major-label status with Arista Records and dropped their debut set To Change And/Or Make A Difference, an apt title for their musical and societal aspirations. The album climbed to #23 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart.
The lead-off smash “The Best of Me” reached #5 on the Hot Black Singles chart, and it was followed by a duet with a young Shanice Wilson on the sleek, keyboard-driven “This Time,” a hit that went all the way to #2 on the R&B chart and #78 on the Hot 100. Unfortunately, the duo’s next album, Civilized Rogue (1990) reached only #53 on the R&B chart and the third album, Condition of the Heart (1994) failed to chart at all. But that doesn’t take away from the luster of the group’s biggest hits and the place it held particularly on adult soul radio.
After the group’s active years, Gregory Charley went on to write and produce for other acts, while John Winston returned to Detroit, where he taught music in the public schools and formed a nonprofit performing arts organization.
For fans of sophisticated male vocal duos who bridged the classic soul tradition and the polished new jack swing era, Kiara remains a hidden gem—under-recognized but deeply worthy of rediscovery.
By Chris Rizik
