The Buckinghams were by far one of the biggest pop-rock hit makers to come out of our city. Named for The Buckingham Fountain in Chicago (of course), the group was originally known as the Pulsations. They changed their names to a British-sounding name in hopes of benefitting from the British Invasion, the trend in the mid-60s during which British Rock Groups trounced their American counterparts in terms of record sales. But their sound was pure Chicago: witness their Horn-driven oh-so-hip brass-rock sound (and some fly suits) circa 1967, below.
When they had their first hit, “Kind of a Drag,” they were signed to local USA Records (a small local label best known for its blues, soul, and garage rock releases). Based on strong record sales, they were signed to Columbia Records (at the time, the biggest label in the industry). In 1967 Cash Box Magazine named them “The Most Promising Vocal Group in America”. Billboard Magazine called them “The Most Listened to Band in America” that same year. But meteoric success wasn’t to last.
They followed up with huge hits like “Don’t You Care”, “Susan”, and a cover of “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” (all of which were Top 20 Chart toppers). But, their second album was produced by James William Guercio, who had stylistic clashes with the group. The group started out with a more rock and blues-based sound, but their Guercio-produced album was much slicker (yet much more off-kilter, too) featuring long edits and sometimes psychedelic horns and strings by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra that countered what the group wanted to sound like: more homegrown. For comparison purposes, here’s an early rare performance on a local TV show showcasing their homegrown bluesy-rock sound (note their notably less outrageous suits):
Fast Forward to about 1969. The group gained artistic control and parted ways with Guercio; but, consequently, their hits dried up. After a couple of additional albums, the group split: but for a moment in time, they were Chicago’s answer to the British Invasion. Below, “And Our Love”, a piece of Baroque brass-rock from their 1967 album “Time and Charges” (which I highly recommend).
Don Cornelius: made Soul a household name.
One of the most amazing things about the life of Don Cornelius (and to be clear, this post is about his life… not his death) is the trajectory of his rise to prominence as an ambassador of Soul.
Starting out as a radio journalist here on Chicago’s WVON in the early 1960s, he built important relationships with both Chicago music stars and National acts. These relationships would prove invaluable later.
When Soul Train launched in 1970 here in Chicago, voiceover work was by Joe Cobb (another WVON radio personality), who continued to be “the voice of Soul Train” for many years along with another Chicago radio legend: Sid McCoy. Cobb was the voice that called out “Sooooooooul Train” on each episode. One more Chicago connection: the first Soul Train theme song was a funky instrumental called “Soultrain” that was by an outfit called the Ramrods; and the song that took viewers to commercial breaks was “Familiar Footsteps”, a deep, doo-wop drenched slow jam by Chicago’s Gene Chandler.
Don Cornelius later expressed regret about the second (most famous) theme song: “TSOP” by Philadelphia’s MFSB. Gamble and Huff related that they worked on the song specifically for the show, and asked Don if he had a request for the song’s title. He didn’t. The song went on to sell over a million copies.
Initially, the show aired on Channel 26 WCIU, and an early sponsor was Joe Louis Milk. For the first episode, Don Cornelius put up $400 of his own money; but he soon landed the most famous sponsor of Soul Train’s 35 year run: Johnson Products, a quintessentially Chicago Based black business behemoth, and the makers of Afro Sheen and Ultra Sheen.
The following year, the show’s production was moved out to Los Angeles, but an additional program called Soul Train Local continued to air on WCIU here in Chicago throughout the 1970s. For more on this, click here.
Don Cornelius was more than a television host, he was a producer and an entrepreneur who broadcast visions of Soul to Omaha, Nebraska, Hartford, Connecticut, and all points in between. Soul Train was the conduit that transmitted the music of lesser known artists (such as Chicago’s own Brighter Side of Darkness) to a much wider audience.
Once called a “time capsule” of Soul Music and Culture by Spike Lee, the show also documented beautiful intimate moments with superstars (such as the 1979 appearance of Aretha Franklin [pictured above] during which she played the piano and sang amidst a circle of fans). Another such moment with Aretha Franklin (a frequent guest on the show) involved Aretha and Smokey Robinson sitting at the piano, reflecting on their early days in Detroit. They even sang the Miracles’ classic “Ooh Baby Baby” together.
Soul Train also documented electrifying live performances (no, not all Soul Train performances were lip-synced) by artists like Sly Stone, James Brown, and Al Green.
In short, Don Cornelius was a visionary who created a show unlike any before (or since). It proved that there was an audience for what was once considered an unprofitable niche market. What many didn’t realize is the ultimate impact of Don Cornelius’ creation. He made Soul a Household Name.
2 comments | tags: Al Green, Brighter Side of Darkness, Don Cornelius, Joe Cobb, Johnson Products, Sly Stone, Soul Train, WCIU, WVON | posted in Arts & Culture, Chicago Cultural History, Commentary, Film and Television, Local Chicago Music, Music