Gene Chandler
Gene Chandler is remembered by the rock & roll audience almost solely for the classic novelty and doo wop-tinged soul ballad "Duke of Earl"; the unforgettable opening chant of the title leading the way, the song was a number one hit in 1962. He's esteemed by soul fans as one of the leading exponents of the '60s Chicago soul scene, along with Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler. Born Eugene Dixon, he was a member of the doo wop group the Dukays and "Duke of Earl" was actually a Dukays recording; Dixon was renamed Gene Chandler and the single bore his credit as a solo singer. Chandler never approached the massive pop success of that chart-topper (although he occasionally entered the Top 20), but he was a big star with the R&B audience with straightforward mid-tempo and ballad soul numbers in the mid-'60s, many of which were written by Curtis Mayfield and produced by Carl Davis. Chandler's success became more fitful after Mayfield stopped penning material for him, although he enjoyed some late-'60s hits and had a monster pop and soul smash in 1970 with "Groovy Situation." His last successes were the far less distinguished disco- and dance-influenced R&B hits "Get Down" (1978) and "Does She Have a Friend?" (1980).
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
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Discography
14 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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The Duke Of Earl
R&B - Released by Vee-Jay Records on Jan 1, 1962
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Greatest - Gene Chandler
Soul - Released by Crimson on Feb 12, 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Rock'n'Roll Nostalgia
Pop - Released by Nostalgic Melody Music Production on Jan 28, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Duke of Earl
Pop - Released by Remember that Records on Jul 30, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Together Again
Gene Chandler, Clarence Carter
R&B - Released by Geffen on Jan 1, 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Goodnight My Love / Duke of Earl
Rock - Released by Warwick Records on Apr 16, 1965
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Duke Of Earl (Re-Recorded - Sped Up)
R&B - Released by Cleopatra Records on Apr 28, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Just Be True
R&B - Released by nagel heyer records on Aug 21, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo