Gene Chandler was born Eugene Dixon in Chicago 1937. He began to sing in a number of local groups and joined the Dukays who were signed by Carl Davis and Bill “Bunky” Shephard to their tiny Nat label where they recorded ‘Duke Of Earl’, co-written by Chandler. The song was assigned to the Vee-Jay label, for national distribution, and was released in 1961 attributed to Gene Chandler. It went to the top spot on both the pop and R&B charts selling a million copies and marking the start of Chandler’s solo career.

Chandler was at the centre of Chicago's thriving soul scene and when he joined Ewart Abner’s Constellation label in 1963 a string of hits followed breaking both the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B Top 5.

This long-overdue collection brings together the cream of Chandlers Chicago recordings from the legendary Constellation label, featuring Chandler’s smooth, effortless, vocals, and Curtis Mayfield’s signature sound that filled the dance floors on both sides of the Atlantic.

TRACK LIST LP

SIDE A

1. A Song Called Soul
2. Think Nothing About It
3. If You Can't Be True (Find a Part Time Love)
4. Everybody Let's Dance
5. Nothing Can Stop Me
6. (Gonna Be) Good Times
7. I Hate To Be The One To Say
8. Just Be True

SIDE B

1. Bet You Never Thought
2. Baby, That's Love
3. (I'm Just A) Fool For You
4. I Can Take Care Of Myself
5. Mr. Big Shot
6. I Can't Save It
7. Buddy Ain't It A Shame
8. You Can't Hurt Me No More