Rufus (band)
Rufus was an American funk band that became popular in the 1970s and was the musical springboard for singer Chaka Khan .
biography
After the rock band The American Breed broke up in the late 1960s, former members first formed the soul and funk band Ask Rufus in Chicago , Illinois in 1970 . When the singer Ron Stockert left the band in 1974, they only called themselves Rufus. With the song Tell Me Something Good (1974, US # 3) composed by Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan as lead singer, a rise began that kept the band at the top of the charts throughout the 1970s.
After many line-ups and renaming (Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan and Rufus), Chaka Khan, who had previously started solo projects, left the band for good in the early 1980s and concentrated exclusively on a solo career.
Members
Original cast
- Al Ciner (guitar, until 1974)
- Kevin Murphy (keyboards, until 1977)
- Lee Graziano (drums, until 1973)
- Chuck Colbert (bass guitar, until 1973)
- Paulette McWilliams (vocals, until 1973)
- Willie Weeks (bass guitar, until 1973)
- James Stella (vocals, until 1973)
Other members
- Dennis Belfield (bass guitar, 1973–1974)
- Robert "Bobby" Watson (bass guitar, from 1974)
- Chaka Khan (vocals, from 1973)
- Andre Fischer (drums, 1973–1978)
- John "JR" Robinson (drums, from 1978)
- Tony Maiden (guitar, from 1974)
- Ron Stockert (vocals, 1973–1974)
- David Wolinski "Hawk" (keyboard, from 1977)
Discography
Albums
year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DE | UK | US | |||
1973 | Rufus | - | - |
US175 (6 weeks) US |
appeared in 1977 in Germany as Pop Gold
|
1974 | Rags to Rufus | - | - |
US4th
gold
(30 weeks)US |
feat. Chaka Khan
|
1975 | Rufusized | - |
UK48 (2 weeks) UK |
US7th
gold
(24 weeks)US |
feat. Chaka Khan
|
1976 | Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan | - | - |
US7th
gold
(32 weeks)US |
feat. Chaka Khan
|
1977 | Ask Rufus | - | - |
US12
platinum
(25 weeks)US |
feat. Chaka Khan
|
1978 | Street player | - | - |
US14th
gold
(26 weeks)US |
with Chaka Khan
|
1979 | Masterjam | - | - |
US14th
gold
(26 weeks)US |
Rufus & Chaka
|
Numbers | - | - |
US81 (9 weeks) US |
||
1981 | camouflage | - | - |
US98 (14 weeks) US |
with Chaka Khan
|
Party 'Til You're Broke | - | - |
US73 (11 weeks) US |
||
1983 | Live - Stompin 'at the Savoy | - |
UK64 (5 weeks) UK |
US50 (33 weeks) US |
with Chaka Khan
recorded live in February 1982 at the Savoy Theater from New York |
More albums
- 1983: Seal in Red
* Only the albums Numbers , Party 'Til You're Broke and Seal in Red were released without Chaka Khan.
Compilations
- 1982: The Very Best Of
- 1984: Twelve inches on tape
- 1995: Rufusized & Masterjam (2 CDs)
- 1997: Tell Me Something Good
* All compilations given are productions with Chaka Khan.
Singles
year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DE | UK | US | |||
1974 | Tell Me Something Good Rags to Rufus |
- | - |
US3
gold
(17 weeks)US |
|
You Got the Love Rags to Rufus |
- | - |
US11 (16 weeks) US |
||
1975 | Once You Get Started Rufusized |
- | - |
US10 (13 weeks) US |
|
Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me of a Friend) Rufusized |
- | - |
US48 (6 weeks) US |
||
1976 | Sweet Thing Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan |
- | - |
US5
gold
(21 weeks)US |
|
Dance wit Me Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan |
- | - |
US39 (8 weeks) US |
||
1977 | At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up) Ask Rufus |
- | - |
US30 (12 weeks) US |
|
Hollywood Ask Rufus |
- | - |
US32 (8 weeks) US |
||
1979 | Do You Love What You Feel Masterjam |
- | - |
US30 (15 weeks) US |
|
1981 | Sharing the Love Camouflage |
- | - |
US91 (5 weeks) US |
|
1983 |
Ain't Nobody Stompin 'at the Savoy |
DE9 (21 weeks) DE |
UK6th
platinum
(21 weeks)UK |
US22 (19 weeks) US |
Chart entry in DE only in 1989
|
* All chart singles are productions with Chaka Khan.
More singles
|
|
Awards for music sales
Note: Awards in countries from the chart tables or chart boxes can be found in these.
Country / Region | gold | platinum | Sales | swell |
---|---|---|---|---|
Awards for music sales (country / region, awards, sales, sources) |
||||
United States (RIAA) | 7 × gold7th | platinum1 | 5,500,000 | riaa.com |
United Kingdom (BPI) | - | platinum1 | 600,000 | bpi.co.uk |
All in all | 7 × gold7th | 2 × platinum2 |
swell
- ↑ a b Chart sources: DE UK US
- ^ The Billboard Albums by Joel Whitburn , 6th Edition, Record Research 2006, ISBN 0-89820-166-7 .