Rufus and/or Chaka Khan
Repository of reviews and playlists
My Desert Island Album: Rufusized
My Desert Island songs: “You Got the Love”; “Please Pardon Me”; “I’m Every Woman”; “Ain’t Nobody”; “I Feel For You”
The history of Rufus and Chaka Khan is a wee bit complicated for the uninitiated.
Basically, Rufus formed from the remnants of the American Breed, best known for the pop hit “Bend Me, Shape Me”. In 1969 that band’s guitarist (Al Ciner) and keyboardist (Kevin Murphy) recruited some other Chicago musicians to make a new band called Smoke. The band later changed its name to Ask Rufus then to simply Rufus.
By 1972, the group consisted of Dennis Belfield (bass), Ron Stockert (vocals, keyboards), Paulette Williams, and Andre Fischer (drums). However, Williams decided to leave the ensemble on good terms and even recommended a good friend to replace her.
Thus entered Chaka Khan to the Rufus fold.
The band’s first album, the funk-rock Rufus, was a commercial dud as they seemed stuck between Sly & the Family Stone and the Doobie Brothers. However, Khan’s lead vocals caught the attention of Stevie Wonder. The band’s second album, Rags to Rufus, was an enormous hit going gold on the strength of “Tell Me Something Good”, which Wonder wrote specifically for them. The album’s other big smash was “You Got the Love”, which Khan co-wrote with former Wonder session guitarist Ray Parker, Jr.
From there it was off to the races.
From 1974 to 1979, Rufus racked up five gold albums and one platinum album. Four of the LPs topped the R&B charts and three cracked the pop top 10. Hit singles rolled in too. “Once You Get Started”, “Sweet Thing”, “At Midnight”, “Stay”, “Do You Love What You Feel”, “Hollywood”, etc.
The band’s lineup also saw some changes during this period; the big change up was was when Stockert and Belfield departed following Rags to Rufus and were replaced by Tony Maiden (guitar, vocals) and Bobby Watson (bass). That shift made leaned Rufus more into the funk. Fischer remained on drums through 1977 when he was temporarily replaced by Richard “Moon” Calhoun and then permanently replaced by John Robinson. Another key addition in 1977 was David “Hawk” Wolinski coming aboard as a keyboardist, vocalist, and arranger. He’s the pen behind “Do You Love What You Feel” and “Ain’t Nobody”.
Of course, the biggest change of all was in 1978 when Chaka Khan embarked on a solo career. This was no surprise. Only the band’s first album was credited solely as “Rufus”. Their next four album’s were officially billed as “Rufus featuring Chaka Khan”. Then on 1978’s Street Player the credit was “Rufus and Chaka Khan”.
Anyhoo, from ‘78 to 1983, Rufus and Chaka Khan would record separately and together. In this period Rufus had three albums without Chaka; Chaka had five albums without Rufus; and they did three albums together.
Rufus finally broke up in 1983, but Khan kept on with her solo career. By that point she had two gold albums as a solo artist, but here greatest success awaited in 1984/85 when I Feel For You was released. The album went platinum and the title track was the fifth biggest single of 1985.
Khan never again replicated that level of success, or even her earlier hits like “I’m Every Woman”. But she has managed to release generally pleasant music since then, which is remarkable for someone with two dozen albums to their credit. As for the other members of Rufus, some became in-demand session musicians, particularly the ubiquitous John Robinson, who has played drums on a zillion hits.
All in all, a pretty great cast of players and vocalists.
I would be remiss to also not mention the honorary Rufus members, folks who weren’t technically in the band, but were long-time associates.
Lalomie Washburn: wrote several of their classic songs and was a backing vocalist
Gavin Christopher: another vocalist who had some timely songwriting
Angela Winbush and Rene Moore: a recording duo in their own right (Rene & Angela), the two had major contributions to the band in the early 1980s.
PLAYLISTS and ALBUM REVIEWS
The Rufus Era (1973-1977)
Album Reviews
Rufus: D+
Rags to Rufus: B-
Rufusized: A
Ask Rufus: A-
The Rufus and Chaka Khan Era (1978-1983)
Album Reviews
Chaka: B+
Numbers: C-
Masterjam: B-
Naughty: A-
Camouflage: C+
Chaka Khan: B
Seal In Red: F
The Chaka Khan Era (1984-2019)
Album Reviews
Destiny: D+
CK: C
The Woman I Am: C-
ClassiKhan: C
Funk This: C+
Hello Happiness: C+