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Chaka Khan

Born in Great Lakes, IL

Chaka Khan's Genre:

Quiet Storm, R&B, Urban, Funk, Soul, Smooth Soul, Club/Dance

Biography

Best known in the mainstream for her superb 1984 cover of Prince's "I Feel for You," R&B singer Chaka Khan enjoyed solo success as well as popularity as a member of the group Rufus. Born Yvette Marie Stevens in Great Lakes, IL, on March 23, 1953, she was raised on Chicago's South Side, and at the age of 11 formed her first group, the Crystalettes. While still in high school, she joined the Afro-Arts Theater, a group which toured with Motown great Mary Wells; a few years later, she adopted the African name Chaka Khan while working on the Black Panthers' breakfast program. After quitting high school in 1969, Khan joined the group Lyfe, soon exiting to join another dance band, the Babysitters; neither was on the fast track to success, but her fortunes changed when she teamed with ex-American Breed member Kevin Murphy and André Fisher to form Rufus.

Debuting in 1973 with a self-titled effort on the ABC label, Rufus was among the pre-eminent funk groups of the decade; distinguished by Khan's dynamic vocals, the group earned half a dozen gold or platinum albums before she went solo in 1978. Produced by Arif Mardin, Chaka proved to be a significant hit on the strength of the single "I'm Every Woman" (a hit over a decade later for Whitney Houston); however, Khan's success was somewhat tempered by her public rivalry with the remaining members of Rufus, to whom she was still contractually bound for two more LPs. (Their differences were eventually resolved in a 1982 concert at New York's Savoy Theater, issued as Stompin' at the Savoy.) As a solo artist, Khan recorded backing vocals for Ry Cooder's 1979 effort Bop Till You Drop, then cut her sophomore album, 1980's Naughty; it was not a hit, however, nor was its follow-up, What Cha' Gonna Do for Me.

In 1982, Khan recorded Echoes of an Era, a collection of jazz standards featuring performances from Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea, and Lenny White. Her pop career was on shaky ground when she released 1984's I Feel for You, a platinum-seller launched by its title cut, a Grammy-winning, rap-inspired rendition (featuring memorable cameos from Melle Mel and Stevie Wonder) of a fairly obscure Prince album track. Still, while subsequent LPs like 1986's Destiny and 1988's C.K. kept Khan riding high on the R&B charts, her standing in pop's mainstream again began to wane, and at the end of the 1980s, she relocated to Europe.

In 1990, she won another Grammy for "I'll Be Good to You," a duet with Ray Charles. Come 2 My House, released on Prince's independent label, appeared in 1998, years after Khan had a falling out with Warner Bros. Just after penning the autobiography Chaka! Through the Fire, she collected another Grammy -- in 2004 -- for performing Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" with the Funk Brothers in Standing in the Shadows of Motown. Classikhan, featuring several interpretations of jazz standards, followed later that year. As she continued an active touring schedule, she recorded Funk This, a set of relatively funky originals and covers (produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis), released in 2007. ~ Jason Ankeny

AOL Radio Stations Chaka Khan is Featured on (15)

Whitney Houston Tribute

This station is the musical story of Whitney Houston. You'll hear the artists that influenced her, like her cousin Dionne Warwick, her Godmother Aretha Franklin, and her mother Cissy Houston. You'll also hear the artists that she had a profound impact on including singers like her friend Mariah Carey, aspiring divas like Christina Aguilera, and the next generation of great voices like Beyonce and Rihanna. Join Slacker Radio as we pay tribute to one of the greatest and most inspirational voices of all time.

Donna Summer Tribute

Donna Summer passed away on May 17, 2012 after a private battle with lung cancer. She was only 63. On this station, you will hear Donna Summer's greatest hits, deeper tracks from her vast body of work, collaborations that she was featured on, artists that influenced her, and the generations of musicians that she directly inspired. Join Slacker Radio in this look at the legacy of one of the greatest female vocalists and pop musicians of all time- here on the Donna Summer Tribute station.

Old School R&B

Old School R&B on Slacker Radio is the station that will put a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip! You'll hear all the classics from Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Motown, to Earth, Wind and Fire, The Gap Band and Kool and the Gang, to Michael Jackson, Prince and Rick James, to Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson and Boyz II Men. Old School R&B on Slacker Radio will not only keep you singing along with a smile on your face but will make you get up and shake it.

Sweating to the Oldies

A day at the gym doesn’t have to be all pounding bass and overly aggressive lyrics. Some of the most motivational, high energy music comes from Motown and Classic Rock- and that’s what you’ll hear on this station. Get your heart rate up with Wilson Pickett’s “Land of 1000 Dances”, and power through your reps with Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song”. Sweating to the Oldies on Slacker Radio is classic hits for the fitness-minded.

Classic Soul

Classic Soul on Slacker Radio celebrates some of the greatest music ever made, spanning almost 40 years of smooth, soulful tunes that'll make you feel the true power and passion of music.

Disco

Wildly popular in clubs and on radio from the early '70s through the early '80s, Disco on Slacker Radio revisits the divas, supergroups, one-hit wonders, producers and DJ's that made you want to dance.

Slow Jamz

Dim the lights and enjoy the most romantic artists of all time, from Marvin Gaye and Barry White to Maxwell and Alicia Keys. Your very own "quiet storm" is right here, on Slacker Slow Jamz...so chill the champagne and groove!

Graffiti6 Showcase

This is the Graffiti6 Artist Showcase station on Slacker Radio. Tune in to hear a station built entirely by the members of Graffiti6 including music hand-picked by Jamie and TommyD as well as commentary by each about the songs that influenced their music and their lives.

A Very Soulful Christmas

Hear the soulful side of the holiday season with classic soul legends, R&B favorites and a little Gospel for good measure. Get your holiday grooving with Ray Charles, James Brown, The Supremes, Luther Vandross, Mary J. Blige and many more.

Funk

The Aqua Boogie can give you More Bounce to the Ounce with the Magic Voice Box and make you Weak at The Knees! Slacker’s Funk Radio delivers top funk artists Like Parliament, Zapp and Roger, The Bar-Kays and more. Get ready for the Return of the Muthaship baby bubba!

Smooth Jazz

Relax and refresh with Smooth Jazz on Slacker Radio. Ride the wave of sophisticated grooves and sultry sax stylings from today's top artists as well as Smooth Jazz pioneers.

R&B

Slacker R&B is built upon a vast library of sexy music for sexy people, centering on the past 15 years of hits. You'll hear the biggest songs of today, as well as the tunes you've been grooving to since the mid-nineties--with a bit of old school flavor and a lot of surprises.

'80s Hits

80's Hits takes the biggest hits from the decade of big hair and music videos and puts it together on one station. From the new wave of Duran Duran, to the arena rock of Def Leppard, from the end of disco to the beginning of hip hop (remember Tone Loc?), it's all on 80's Hits.

Chaka Khan's Selected Discography (27)

Chaka Khan [Video]

1982 Warner Bros Records8 Songs

Epiphany: The Best of Chaka Khan, Vol. 1

1996 Reprise RecordsCOMPILATION199616 Songs

Life Is a Dance (The Remix Project) Album Cover

Artists Related to Chaka Khan (50)

	Earth, Wind & Fire	Earth, Wind & Fire were one of the most musically accomplished, critically acclaimed, and commercially popular funk bands of the '70s.
	Commodores	Renowned for the R&B hits "Just to Be Close to You," "Easy," and "Brickhouse," to name but a few, Commodores were one of the top bands during their long tenure at Motown.
	Atlantic Starr	Atlantic Starr was among the top urban contemporary acts of the '80s and fared well in the adult contemporary market as well, but their roots were '70s soul and funk.
	Cameo	An outlandish, in-your-face stage presence, a strange sense of humor, and a hard-driving funk sound that criss-crossed a few musical boundaries earned Cameo countless comparisons to Parliament/Funkadelic in their early days.
	The Isley Brothers	First formed in the early '50s, the Isley Brothers enjoyed one of the longest, most influential, and most diverse careers in the pantheon of popular music -- over the course of nearly a half century of performing, the group's distinguished history spanned not only two generations of Isley siblings but also massive cultural shifts which heralded their music's transformation from gritty R&B to Motown soul to blistering funk.
	The O'Jays	The O'Jays were one of Philadelphia soul's most popular and long-lived outfits, rivaled only by the Spinners as soul's greatest vocal group of the '70s.
	Rick James	In the late '70s, when the fortunes of Motown Records seemed to be flagging, Rick James came along and rescued the company, providing funky hits that updated the label's style and saw it through into the mid-'80s.
	The Gap Band	The Gap Band, centered around brothers Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, toiled in obscurity for several years prior to becoming one of the most popular funk groups of the late '70s and 1980s.
	Stevie Wonder	Stevie Wonder is a much-beloved American icon and an indisputable genius not only of R&B but popular music in general.
	Teena Marie	No white artist sang R&B more convincingly than Teena Marie, whose big, robust vocals were so black-sounding that when she was starting out, some listeners wondered if she was a light-skinned African-American.
	Luther Vandross	Luther Vandross was one of the most successful R&B artists of the 1980s and '90s. Not only did he score a series of multi-million-selling albums containing chart-topping hit singles and perform sold-out tours of the U.
	Teddy Pendergrass	Teddy Pendergrass started singing gospel music in Philadelphia churches, becoming an ordained minister at ten years old.
	Kool & the Gang	Formed as a jazz ensemble in the mid-'60s, Kool & the Gang became one of the most inspired and influential funk units during the '70s, and one of the most popular R&B groups of the '80s after their breakout hit "Celebration" in 1979.
	Marvin Gaye	One of the most gifted, visionary, and enduring talents ever launched into orbit by the Motown hit machine, Marvin Gaye blazed the trail for the continued evolution of popular black music.
	Midnight Star	The synth-funk unit Midnight Star scored several times on the charts during the mid-'80s, led by their double-platinum album No Parking on the Dance Floor in 1983.
	Maze	Combining a Philadelphia soul sound with a strong appreciation of Marvin Gaye, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly was among the top R&B acts of the late '70s and '80s.
	The Whispers	The Whispers are a veteran R&B quintet with an impressive 23-year legacy of R&B hits. Formed in Los Angeles by twins Walter and Wallace Scott, Nicholas Caldwell, Marcus Hutson, and Gordy Harmon (who left in 1973), the Whispers turned up on the Dore label in 1964 with "I Was Born When You Kissed Me.
	Anita Baker	With her classy, refined brand of romantic soul, Anita Baker was one of the definitive quiet storm singers of the '80s.
	Shalamar	Shalamar was the creation of Dick Griffey, the booking agent for the television R&B program Soul Train, and British R&B producer Simon Soussan.
	Barry White	Say the name Barry White and you'd be hard pressed to follow it with the name of any other recording artist with such a huge, cross-sectional following.
	Gladys Knight & The Pips	One of the great soul singers, Gladys Knight was a performer from her childhood years, forming the Pips with her brother Merald and a couple cousins.
	Patti LaBelle	Soul diva Patti LaBelle enjoyed one of the longest-lived careers in contemporary music, notching hits in a variety of sounds ranging from girl group pop to space-age funk to lush ballads.
	The Ohio Players	With their slinky, horn-powered grooves, impeccable musicianship, and eye-popping album covers, the Ohio Players were among the top funk bands of the mid-'70s.
	Stephanie Mills	Stephanie Mills first came to fame as "the little girl with the big voice" as the star of the hit Broadway play, The Wiz, an adaptation of L.
	Al Green	Al Green was the first great soul singer of the '70s and arguably the last great Southern soul singer.
	Sade	When singer Sade and her band of the same name were establishing themselves, their record company, Epic, made a point of printing "Pronounced Shar-day" on the record labels of their releases.
	Prince	Few artists have created a body of work as rich and varied as Prince. During the '80s, he emerged as one of the most singular talents of the rock & roll era, capable of seamlessly tying together pop, funk, folk, and rock.
	The Temptations	Thanks to their fine-tuned choreography -- and even finer harmonies -- the Temptations became the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s; one of Motown's most elastic acts, they tackled both lush pop and politically charged funk with equal flair, and weathered a steady stream of changes in personnel and consumer tastes with rare dignity and grace.
	Rose Royce	Rose Royce -- the Los Angeles-based group comprised of Henry Garner (drums); Terral "Terry" Santiel (congas); Lequeint "Duke" Jobe (bass); Michael Moore (saxophone); Gwen Dickey, performing with the group using the stage name Rose Norwalt (lead vocals); Kenny Copeland (trumpet, lead vocals); Kenji Brown (guitar, lead vocals); Freddie Dunn (trumpet); and Michael Nash (keyboards) -- were actually formed by Copeland and Garner.
	The S.O.S. Band	The S.O.S. Band hit with a two-million-selling single, "Take Your Time (Do It Right)," their first time out, before having several hit singles written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
	The Spinners	The Spinners were the greatest soul group of the early '70s, creating a body of work that defined the lush, seductive sound of Philly soul.
	The Stylistics	After the Spinners and the O'Jays, the Stylistics were the leading Philly soul group produced by Thom Bell.
	Smokey Robinson	Berry Gordy founded Motown Records, but one could argue that Smokey Robinson was the man who first pushed America's most iconic soul music label toward greatness.
	Freddie Jackson	To urban contemporary listeners, Freddie Jackson was one of the biggest stars of the latter half of the '80s, dominating the R&B charts seemingly at will.
	Aretha Franklin	Aretha Franklin is one of the giants of soul music, and indeed of American pop as a whole. More than any other performer, she epitomized soul at its most gospel-charged.
	Zapp	One of the most underrated funk groups of the 1980s, Zapp revolutionized the computer pop of electro with their trademark vocoder talk boxes and bumping grooves, emulating the earthier side of Prince and Cameo, with a leader in Roger Troutman who was more than efficient at polished production.
	Heatwave	Completely cosmopolitan with international grooves to spare, Heatwave emerged as one of the disco era's funkiest dance groups.
	The Chi-Lites	One of the most popular smooth soul groups of the early '70s didn't hail from Philadelphia or Memphis, the two cities known for sweet, string-laden soul.
	L.T.D.	Long-running funk outfit L.T.D. -- Love, Togetherness and Devotion -- was formed in Greensboro, NC in 1968 by keyboardist Jimmie "J.
	The Jackson 5	The Jackson 5 were one of the biggest phenomenons in pop music during the early '70s, and the last great group to come out of the Motown hitmaking machine before Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder shifted the label's focus to more individual visions.
	Whitney Houston	Whitney Houston was inarguably one of the biggest female pop stars of all time. Her accomplishments as a hitmaker were extraordinary; just to scratch the surface, she became the first artist ever to have seven consecutive singles hit number one, and her 1993 Dolly Parton cover "I Will Always Love You" became nothing less than the biggest hit single in rock history.
	The Emotions	A trio of sisters with a strong gospel base, the Emotions (based in Chicago) were one of the leading female R&B acts of the '70s.
	Bobby Womack	A veteran who paid his dues for over a decade before getting his shot at solo stardom, Bobby Womack persevered through tragedy and addiction to emerge as one of soul music's great survivors.
	Michael Jackson	Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the '80s, and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time.
	DeBarge	Groomed to be the heirs to the Jackson 5 throne in the early '80s, DeBarge mirrored the Jacksons early success with a string of hits, but were unable to sustain their winning streak.
	Ashford & Simpson	Nick Ashford (born May 4, 1942, Fairfield, South Carolina) and Valerie Simpson (born Aug 26, 1946, New York City, New York) have two careers, as songwriters and as performers, with the former seemingly more important than the latter until the mid-'80s.
	LeVert	The son of O'Jays founder Eddie Levert, R&B vocalist Gerald Levert launched his own recording career in the mid-'80s as the leader of the group LeVert.
	Diana Ross	As a solo artist, Diana Ross is one of the most successful female singers of the rock era. If you factor in her work as the lead singer of the Supremes in the 1960s, she may be the most successful.
	Con Funk Shun	Con Funk Shun was formed by high-school classmates Michael Cooper and Louis "Tony" McCall, along with Karl Fuller, Paul "Maceo" Harrell, Dennis Johnson, Cedric Martin, and Danny "Sweet Man" Thomas.
	Curtis Mayfield	Perhaps because he didn't cross over to the pop audience as heavily as Motown's stars, it may be that the scope of Curtis Mayfield's talents and contributions have yet to be fully recognized.