CHANGE:  One of the best bands in soul, disco and R&B genres during the 80’s. This European/American group was created by Jaques Fred Petrus, Mauro Makavasi, and Davide Romani. 

Their first album was “The Glow Of Love“. This featured the distinguished vocals of the late Luther Vandross. The album immediately became an incredible hit and reached the #10 spot on Billboard’s “Black Album ” chart. It stayed there for nine weeks, becoming the #1 Disco Single/ Album of the year. This debut album received seven Grammy Award nominations and included the hits “A Lovers Holiday“, “The Glow Of Love“, “Searching“, “Angel In My “Pocket“, and “The End“. “The Glow of Love” is one of the most popular, covered and sampled dance songs, with over 40 licensed uses to date according to the National Music Publishers Association in the United States. In fact, “The Glow Of Love” is the #3 all time greatest dance/club hit recording according to Billboard’s 100 Anniversary Issue. 

CHANGE’s second album, “Miracles“, also reached the #1 spot on Billboard’s “Black Music” Chart, remaining for six weeks.“Miracles” is still considered a pure masterpiece of music. Tracks from this album include the singles. “Hold Tight“, “Miracles“, “Paradise“, “On Top“, “Your Move“, “Heaven Of My Life” and the beautifully sung and orchestrated ballad, “Stop For Love“. This album showed a distinct and mature musical expression that even surpassed their debut album. The third album, “Sharing Your Love“, was the first album to be recorded in its entirety in New York. Highlights on this R&B oriented album were the singles, “The Very Best In You“, “Promise Your Love“, “Sharing Your Love“, “Oh What A Night“, and“Take You To Heaven“. Their fourth album, “This Is Your Time“, was recorded in Europe. “This Is Your Time“, “Angel“, “Don’t Wait Another Night” and “Got To Get Up” are a few of the well known Songs. 

Star producers and longtime friends, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were enlisted to write and produce the innovative “Change Of Heart Album. This fifth album yielded the hits “Change Of Heart“, and “You Are My Melody” which redefined Soul and R&B, creating a high–tech groove. Other hits included “Say You Love Me Again“, “It Burns Me Up“, “Warm“, “I Got My Eyes On You” and “Lovely Lady“. This is without a doubt one of the greatest albums of the time. The sixth Album, “Turn On Your Radio“, included the hit singles, “Let’s GoTogether“. “Oh What A Feeling” and “Mutual Attraction“.

A Los Angeles vocal trio, the Hues Corporation enjoyed two big hits in the mid-’70s, notably “Rock the Boat” in 1974 for RCA. While it was lightweight, mainly pop work, it did take The Hues Corporation to number two on the R&B charts and get them their lone pop chart topper. The next single, “Rockin’ Soul,” peaked at number six on the R&B charts and number 18 on the pop charts. They had their final R&B hit the next year with “Love Corporation,” which reached number 15, but it was evident that the audience was losing interest in their material. “I Caught Your Act” was the last release in 1977. H. Ann Kelley, Flemming Williams, and Bernard “St. Clair Lee” Henderson were the original lineup. Tom Brown replaced Williams in the wake of “Rock the Boat’s” success. He was then replaced by Karl Russell in 1975.

Best known for the stuttering number three single “Give Me Just a Little More Time,” the Chairmen of the Board were one of the smoothest and most popular soul acts to emerge from Detroit in the early ’70s. Although their time at the top of the R&B charts was brief — their first Top Ten arrived in 1970, their last in 1973 — they recorded a handful of ’70s soul classics, all distinguished by the high, trembling vocals of General Norman Johnson, who also wrote the bulk of the group’s material.

Born and raised in Norfolk, VA, Johnson began singing in the church choir when he was a child, eventually forming his first vocal group, the Humdingers, when he was 12. During high school, he formed the Showmen, and in his senior year, the group recorded the rock & roll tribute “It Will Stand.” The single scraped the pop and R&B charts in 1961, and Johnson stayed with the Showmen for the next seven years, releasing a series of singles on Minit and Swan Records that became regional hits. By the end of the group’s career, they had become staples on the beach music circuit on the East Coast. Johnson decided to leave the group for a solo career in 1968, eventually working his way to Detroit, MI, where he signed with former Motown producers and songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland’s fledgling Invictus record label. Johnson formed a group with former Showman Danny Woods; ex-Stone Soul Children Harrison Kennedy; and Eddie Curtis, who had formerly sang with Lee Andrews & the Hearts and Huey Smith & the Clowns. Originally, the group was called the Gentlemen, but they quickly changed their name to the Chairmen of the Board.