Black Music Sunday This is a weekly series that highlights black music 250 stories Covering performers, genres, history and more, each with a lively soundtrack of its own. I hope there will be some familiar songs and perhaps some new introductions.
As she continues to emphasize female musicians during Women’s History Month, she is happy to celebrate Yvette Marie Stevens, known as “Chaka Khan,” and turns 72 on Sunday.
Biography.com tells the story of her beginnings:
Chaka Khan was born on March 23, 1953 in Chicago, Illinois to Yvette Marie Stevens. Known for her powerful voice, a ton of curly hair and a charismatic stage, Karn first exploded into the music scene in the 1970s. She formed her first group, Christarette, and when she was 11 years old, along with her younger sister Yvonne. Included in Karn’s early musical heroines Billie Holiday and Gladysnight. The sisters later joined the Afroart Theatre and started another musical group known as Shade of Black.
In 1969, Khan was active in the Black Power Movement, attended the Black Panther Party, and collaborated with the organization’s free breakfast programme for children. Around this time she took a new name: Chaka Adunne Aduffe Yemoja Hodarhi Karifi. She also dropped out of high school and said goodbye to her formal education.
In the early 1970s, after performing with several other groups, Khan joined the powerful band Rufus of R&B and Funk Sound. When the group released their debut album of the same name in 1973, the world got their first taste of Khan’s powerhouse vocals.
As a former member of the Black Panther Party, myself and Yemoja The New World Africa’s Diaspolic Faith System can be identified with her early life experiences.
There is no recording of her teenage group, The Crystalettes, but you can listen to Chaka Khan and Rufus.
Khan tells her own story in this absorption 2020 interview with comedians and actresses Luenell Campbell For vladtv:
On this 2020 Vladtv Flashback, music icon Chaka Khan sat down with Luenell to tell her life story. After her early days, Chaka Khan became politically active, married at the age of 17 and signed a record-breaking contract. She joined the Chicago funk band Rufus to act as a firing pad for her musical career, which ultimately led to her solo career. Chaka also discussed recording classics such as “Through Wire” and the complaints with Kanye oversampled tracks.
Khan also discussed her own story very openly on her video channel:
The order of Women’s History Month is a recording of her, even though it became the national anthem. Capitol FM Radio It points out the influence of the debut solo single “I’m Every Woman” of her first album “Chaka” in 1978.
Chaka Khan’s iconic hit single “I’m Every Woman” was released in 1978 and soon became the definitive national anthem of empowerment and self-expression.
Written by legendary songwriting duos Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, the song showed off Kahn’s powerful vocal talent and founded her as a solo artist after successfully stinting with the band Rufus. It was released under the Warner Bros label “I’m Every Woman.” It marked a key milestone in Khan’s career and set the stage for future success
[…]
One of the lasting qualities of “I’m Every Woman” is the ability to resonate with young women of various generations. The lyrics of the song celebrate the multifaceted nature of women and embrace their strength, independence and versatility.
Lines like “I’m every woman, it’s all in me” convey a strong message of self-development and confidence, encouraging women to embrace their identity and abilities. The song has become the national anthem of women’s empowerment, frequently featured in campaigns and events promoting gender equality and women’s rights. Its universal appeal lies in its ability to inspire and raise, making it a timeless production that keeps talking to new audiences.
[…]
The enduring popularity of “I’m Every Woman” is evident in its numerous cover versions. Whitney Houston’s 1992 “Bodyguard” soundtrack brought the song to a new generation, and it was a hit in itself. Houston’s version continued to remain true to the original spirit, ensuring the song was a beloved classic, while adding a vocal flare to her signature. In recent years, “I’m Every Woman” has been featured in a variety of media, from commercials to films, showing its continued relevance. The song’s empowerment and self-worth message resonates strongly today, just as it did in 1978, and becomes a lasting favorite for celebrating femininity and strength.
For those who weren’t alive, or were too young to wander around a disco in the late 70s, I prove the fact that it’s a huge dance hit:
she Kennedy Center Bio (This may not be known by that name in the future due to DESPOT DONALD) points out something extraordinary about her vocal range.
Chaka Khan is a true Renaissance woman. A singer, songwriter, producer, visual artist, writer, actor, philanthropist, entrepreneur, activist and mother, Chaka is an international musical icon who has influenced and continues to do so with multiple generations of artists. From the moment she plunged into the music scene as the 18-year-old lead singer of the multi-sial band Rufus in the 1970s, her powerful voice and the stage presence that stopped the show, separated her in her 40-year career, and she developed a vast international fanbase and performed on six continents. Chaka is a 10-time Grammy Award winner (22 Grammy Award nominations) Those with the rare ability to sing in eight musical genres, including R&B, jazz, pop, rock, gospel, country, classical, dance music. She released 22 albums, winning 10#1 Billboard Magazine Chart Songs, 8 RIAA Certified Gold Singles, and 11 RIAA Certified Gold and Platinum Albums.
Her collaborations with other musicians are legendary.
With Prince:
I recently featured it here with George Duke.Black Music Sunday: Celebrating George Duke, Jazz, Funk and Fusion Master”:
and 4 plays:
Regarding her multi-genre approach, this live 1992 jazz performance at Blue Note in New York might surprise a few of you.
Miles Davis clearly knew the jazz abilities, as evidenced at this 1998 concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Khan’s autobiography was written along with Tonia Bolden, who posted it This explanation From the dust jacket blurb:
Rolling Stone compared it to melted caramel, and Miles Davis compared it to his horns.
Chaka Khan’s sc-hot soulful voice first captivated most of us with Rufus and “Tell Me Bood” in 1974, and in his most recent Grammy Award-winning performance, sang “What’s going on?” in the shadow of Motown. With the Funk brothers. Over the years, she has won 12 hits and nine number one albums. He has appeared on the Billboard charts over 100 times. 19 Grammy nominations and eight Grammy awards won. Her achievements in the music industry are legendary, and like her 20 albums, they are generally well known.
But the personal side of Chaka, what fame and fortune cost her, and the stories she taught her, have not been told so far. With Chaka! Through the fire, Chaka Khan gives us the entire story of the woman behind the diva, revealing her high and low points. A happy childhood in a beloved creative home was shattered by escalating the battle between parents. When they finally split, Chaka’s father disappeared without even saying goodbye, Chaka confusing, disappointing and accusing her mother. She reunited with her teenage father and found out that he was a liberal and generous parent due to her strict mother. Chaka began experimenting with drugs and joined the Black Panthers. Soon afterwards she turned front for a band called Rufus.
“Stour the Fire” was also a hit title in 1984.
You can continue to post music to the story today. However, the video is already heavy so join in the comments section below. Please post your favorites.
I wish Chaka Khan a great birthday. And thank you for the gift she has given us over the decades.
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