Chi-Lites singer/composer dies in Chicago aged 64
THE LEAD singer and composer of '70s soul group The Chi-Lites, Eugene Record, died in Chicago on 22nd July. Best known for the transatlantic Chi-Lites hits "Have You Seen Her", "Oh Girl" and "Homely Girl", Record became a born again Christian in 1988 and subsequently recorded a gospel album.
Beginning his career with the Chanteurs doowop group in the '50s, by 1960 he had formed the Hi-Lites, a quintet who recorded for Mercury. As The Chi-Lites, the group recorded their first major hit in 1969 with "Give It Away". In 1971 a bigger hit, "(For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People" was followed by "Have You Seen Her", a million selling sweet soul ballad. Further Chi-Lites hits were "A Letter To Myself", "Stoned Out Of My Mind", "Homely Girl", "Too Good To Be Forgotten" and "You Don't Have To Go". Record quit The Chi-Lites in 1976 and signed a solo deal with Warner Brothers who released three albums. He rejoined The Chi-Lites in 1980, who recorded four more albums and had a minor UK hit with "Changing For You" in 1983.
In 1988 Record had a conversion experience, claiming to have heard the
voice of God telling him to change his life. He retired from The
Chi-Lites, became a church minister and released a gospel album 'Let
Him In' on his own Evergreen Records in 1998.
I saw the CHI-LITES,in 1973 at a club in Birmingham,England called Rebbecas.I already loved "OH GIRL"and "HAVE YOU SEEN HER" but the song Eugene Record sang at the end made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up,especially the intro,it was called "A LETTER TO MYSELF".I saw many Soul ,Tamla Ska and Reggea artists in those years,but that performance was one that has stuck with me all my life,as an all time great.