Bill Champlin

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Bill Champlin

Bill Champlin (born May 21, 1947 in Oakland , California , as William Bradford Champlin ) is an American singer , guitarist , keyboard player , arranger , record producer and songwriter . He is best known for his membership in the bands Chicago and The Sons of Champlin . He won two Grammy Awards as a songwriter.

biography

At his high school in Mill Valley , California, Champlin, who played piano and guitar, formed the band "The Opposite Six" in 1961, which in 1967 became The Sons of Champlin . They released a number of albums and were popular as a live band, but never made the commercial breakthrough they had hoped for. In 1977 the group disbanded. In the meantime, Champlin had another band project called "The Rhythm Dukes" in the early 1970s.

After the end of the Sons, Champlin worked in Los Angeles as a studio musician and songwriter. In 1979 he won his first Grammy as co-author of the song After The Love Has Gone , a hit for Earth, Wind & Fire , and in 1982 the second as co-author of Turn Your Love Around , a hit for George Benson . In 1980 Champlin was named "Most Valuable Player" for his work as an accompanist.

Bill Champlin can be heard as backing musician and singer on hundreds of recordings by well-known musicians and bands, including REO Speedwagon , Al Jarreau , Boz Scaggs , The Tubes , Lee Ritenour , Amy Grant and Barry Manilow .

The first two solo albums Champlins were released in 1978 and 1981, but they sold poorly. In the 1990s, five more solo albums followed, which were created alongside his work for Chicago . From 1981 to 2008 Champlin was a member of this group.

After the Sons of Champlin had already reunited for a gig in 1985, the group resumed their musical collaboration in 1997, which continues to this day. In 2008 a new solo album Champlins was also released.

Discography (solo)

Studio albums

  • 1978: Single (Full Moon Records / Epic Records )
  • 1981: Runaway ( Elektra Records )
  • 1990: No Wasted Moments (Elektra)
  • 1992: Burn Down The Night ( Emotion )
  • 1994: Through It All (Turnip The Music Group)
  • 1995: He Started To Sing (Turnip The Music Group)
  • 2008: No Place Left To Fall (DreamMakers Music)

Live albums

  • 1996: Mayday (Champlin Records)

Singles

  • 1981: Tonight, Tonight
  • 1981: Sara
  • 1990: The City
  • 1991: Memories of Her
  • 1996: Southern Serenade

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Web presence of Bill Champlin, see web links
  2. ↑ Allmusic, see web links
personal data
SURNAME Champlin, Bill
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Champlin, William Bradford
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American singer, guitarist, keyboard player, arranger, record producer, and songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH May 21, 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH Oakland , California , United States