Charles & Eddie

Last updated

Charles & Eddie
Charles & Eddie.jpg
Charles Pettigrew (left) and Eddie Chacon
Background information
Origin New York City, U.S.
Genres Soul, neo soul, R&B
Years active1990–1997
Labels Capitol Records
Past membersCharles Pettigrew
Eddie Chacon

Charles & Eddie were an American soul music duo composed of Charles Pettigrew and Eddie Chacon. [1] Their single "Would I Lie to You?", taken from their 1992 debut album, Duophonic , won Ivor Novello Awards in 1993 in the Best Contemporary Song, Best-Selling Song and International Hit of the Year categories. From 1992 to 1995 they hit the top 40 three more times in the UK. [2]

Contents

Career as a duo

Pettigrew and Chacon were said to have met on the New York City Subway in 1990, [1] on the C train; according to Chacon, one of them was carrying a vinyl copy of the Marvin Gaye album Trouble Man . [3] [4] They released their debut album, Duophonic , on Capitol Records in 1992. [1] It includes the singles "Would I Lie to You?", [1] "N.Y.C." and "House Is Not a Home", and was influenced by classic soul music. [3]

Their second and final album, Chocolate Milk , included "Wounded Bird", which was written and recorded for the film True Romance . It was released in 1995. [5] The duo split amicably in 1997. [4]

Members

Charles Pettigrew

Charles Pettigrew
BornMay 12, 1963 (1963-05-12)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedApril 6, 2001(2001-04-06) (aged 37)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. [6]
Genres R&B, soul
Occupation(s) Singer
Instrument(s) Vocals
Years active1984–2001
Labels Capitol

Pettigrew was born and raised in Philadelphia. [1] He studied jazz singing at Berklee College of Music in Boston, [1] and was lead singer of the band Down Avenue, [6] who won WBCN's 1985 Rock 'n Roll Rumble.

In 1998, Pettigrew toured with Tom Tom Club (featuring Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads) and went on to join the group, co-writing and singing on several songs until he became too ill to perform. [7] [8]

In the late 1990s, Pettigrew was diagnosed with cancer. He died from the disease on April 6, 2001, at the age of 37. [9]

Eddie Chacon

Eddie Chacon
Born (1963-08-22) August 22, 1963 (age 60) [10]
Oakland, California, U.S.
Genres R&B, soul
Occupation(s) Singer
Instrument(s) Vocals
Years active1984–present
Labels Capitol, Day End Records, Stones Throw Records

A Hispanic, [11] Chacon was raised in Hayward and Castro Valley, California. [1] He started his first band at age 12 with neighborhood friends Cliff Burton (later of Metallica) and Mike Bordin (later of Faith No More). In his early 20s, Chacon worked as a songwriter for CBS Songs. He made albums for Columbia and Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew, both of which went unreleased, along with demos made with the Dust Brothers. [1] After splitting with Pettigrew, he worked as a photographer and creative director. [4] [12]

On May 29, 2020, The Fader announced Chacon's return to music after two decades of silence as a singer, referring to him as a "low-key R&B legend". [13] Chacon released the single "My Mind Is Out of Its Mind" from his then forthcoming album, Pleasure, Joy and Happiness on Day End Records. [14] The project was produced and co-written by Solange collaborator John Carroll Kirby and distributed by Light in the Attic Records. [15] On July 15 2020, KCRW premiered the album's second single, "Trouble". They wrote: "Eddie Chacon's R & B pop exploits are both influential and legendary." [14] On July 29 2020, The New York Times said: "The album avoids the trappings of a throwback or revival of a bygone era, instead exploring the rarely glimpsed side of that genre's themes of passion and heartbreak, sung by a bruised but wiser man." [4] Mojo magazine wrote: "Neo-Soul veteran returns with a mini modern masterpiece." In 2020 he released a single, "High", with Stones Throw Records' John Carroll Kirby and harpist Nailah Hunter.

His second solo album, Sundown , was released by Stones Throw on March 31, 2023. [16] The album was rated highly on publications including Pitchfork, [17] Record Collector [18] and The Guardian which wrote: "The question that haunts Sundown is whether the unexpected success of Pleasure Joy and Happiness can be replicated. The answer turns out to be a qualified yes." [19]

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart
positions		 Certifications
US
[20] 		AUS
[21] 		GER
[22] 		UK
[23]
Duophonic
  • Released: August 31, 1992
  • Format: vinyl, cassette, CD
  • Label: Capitol Records
15383619
Chocolate Milk
  • Released: August 31, 1995
  • Format: vinyl, cassette, CD
  • Label: Capitol Records
——48—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

YearSinglePeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
UK
[25] 		IRE
NLD
BEL
(FLA)
FRA
GER
AUT
SWI
SWE
NOR
AUS
[21] 		NZ
US
[20]
1992"Would I Lie to You?" [26] 12212112333113Duophonic
1993"NYC (Can You Believe This City?)"33—2028—3229———732—
"House Is Not a Home"29——36—59—————2—
"Shine" (FRA only)————3————————
1995"I'm Gonna Love You (24-7-365)"38——47—58—26———23—Chocolate Milk
"Jealousy"—————6839——————
"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released.

Soundtracks

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilson Pickett</span> American singer (1941–2006)

Wilson Pickett was an American singer and songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Delfonics</span> American R&B/soul group

The Delfonics were an American R&B/soul vocal group from Philadelphia. The Delfonics were most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include "La-La ", "Didn't I ", "Break Your Promise", "I'm Sorry", and "Ready or Not Here I Come ". Their hit songs were primarily written by lead vocalist and founding member William "Poogie" Hart, and arranger and producer Thom Bell. Wilbert Hart is the last surviving founding member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soft Cell</span> English synthpop duo

Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. The duo consists of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The band are primarily known for their 1981 hit version of "Tainted Love" and their platinum-selling debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia on My Mind</span> 1930 song by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell

"Georgia on My Mind" is a 1930 song written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell and first recorded that same year by Hoagy Carmichael. However, the song has been most often associated with soul singer Ray Charles, who was a native of the U.S. state of Georgia and recorded it for his 1960 album The Genius Hits the Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Help Falling in Love</span> 1961 single by Elvis Presley

"Can't Help Falling in Love" is a song recorded by American singer Elvis Presley for the album Blue Hawaii (1961). It was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss and published by Gladys Music, Inc. The melody is based on "Plaisir d'amour", a popular French love song composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini. The song was initially written from the perspective of a woman as "Can't Help Falling in Love with Him", which explains the first and third line ending on "in" and "sin" rather than words rhyming with "you".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reach Out I'll Be There</span> 1966 song by the Four Tops

"Reach Out I'll Be There" (also formatted as "Reach Out (I'll Be There)") is a song recorded by the Four Tops from their fourth studio album Reach Out (1967). Written and produced by Motown's main production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is one of the most widely-known Motown hits of the 1960s and is today considered the Four Tops' signature song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall into My Mind)</span> 1995 single by Kenny "Dope" and the Bucketheads

"The Bomb! " is a house music track by Kenny Dope's musical production team the Bucketheads, released in February 1995 by Positiva and Henry Street Music. It was later dubbed into the project's sole album, All in the Mind (1995). The single was a commercial hit in the United Kingdom, reaching number five on the UK Singles Chart, while in the United States, it peaked at number 49 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 41 on the Cash Box Top 100. Its music video was directed by British directors Guy Ritchie and Alex De Rakoff. In 2020, Slant Magazine ranked "The Bomb! " number 48 in their "The 100 Best Dance Songs of All Time" and in 2022, Rolling Stone ranked it number 77 in their "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All That She Wants</span> 1992 single by Ace of Base

"All That She Wants" is a song by Swedish group Ace of Base. It was released in Scandinavia in August 1992 by Mega Records as the second single from the group's first studio album, Happy Nation (1992), and in the following year, it was released as the first single from the 1993 album The Sign in North America. Produced by Denniz Pop with group members Jonas Berggren, and Ulf Ekberg, the drum beat was inspired by the Kayo song "Another Mother". Berggren and Ekberg also wrote the lyrics.

Lakeside is an American funk band, best known for their 1980 number one R&B hit "Fantastic Voyage".

The Floaters were an American R&B vocal group, from the Sojourner Truth housing projects in Detroit, Michigan, that formed in 1976. The group are best known for their 1977 song "Float On", which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, and No. 5 on the Irish Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whoomp! (There It Is)</span> 1993 single by Tag Team

"Whoomp! " is the debut single by 1990s rap duo Tag Team, written by members Cecil "DC the Brain Supreme" Glenn and Steve "Rolln" Gibson. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B chart and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1993. "Whoomp!" reached multi-platinum status and broke records for the number of consecutive weeks in the top 10. Though Tag Team is considered a one-hit wonder, as their subsequent singles did not find the same success, "Whoomp!" has remained a pop culture staple with multiple placements in film, television, and advertisements. The song has also endured as a mainstay at sporting and arena events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Would I Lie to You? (Charles & Eddie song)</span> 1992 single by Charles & Eddie

"Would I Lie to You?" is a song by American soul music duo Charles & Eddie. Written by Mick Leeson and Peter Vale, and produced by Josh Deutsch, it was released in August 1992 as the debut single from the duo's first album, Duophonic (1992). It proved to be their biggest hit and a major international success. The song reached number-one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in November 1992, and was also number one in New Zealand, Germany, Austria and Zimbabwe. It was a top five hit in several other European countries, while in Australia and Canada it went to number three. The single became a top 20 hit in the US, peaking at number 11 on the Cash Box Top 100 and number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. It achieved award-winning sales, earning a platinum record in the UK, a gold record in both Germany and Austria and silver record award in France.

<i>Duophonic</i> (album) 1992 studio album by Charles & Eddie

Duophonic is the debut album by American vocal duo Charles & Eddie, released in August 1992. The album has influences of "classic Northern soul of the '60s and '70s", and includes the worldwide smash hit "Would I Lie to You?" along with two further singles: "NYC " and "House Is Not a Home".

<i>Chocolate Milk</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Charles & Eddie

Chocolate Milk is the second and final studio album by the American soul/R&B vocal duo Charles & Eddie. The title refers to the duo's mixed race; Charles Pettigrew who is black (chocolate) and Eddie Chacon who is white (milk). The first single was "24-7-365".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feel Like Makin' Love (Bad Company song)</span> 1975 power ballad

"Feel Like Makin' Love" is a song by English supergroup Bad Company. The power ballad originally appeared on the LP Straight Shooter in April 1975 and was released as a single in June of the same year. It was named the 78th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon Lightfoot discography</span> Cataloging of published recordings by Gordon Lightfoot

The discography of Canadian folk and country music singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot consists of 20 studio albums, three live albums, 16 greatest hits albums and 46 singles. Lightfoot's songs, including "For Lovin' Me", "Early Morning Rain", "Steel Rail Blues", "Ribbon of Darkness"—a number one hit on the U.S. country chart with Marty Robbins's cover in 1965—and "Black Day in July" about the 1967 Detroit riot, brought him wide recognition in the 1960s. Canadian chart success with his own recordings began in 1962 with the No. 3 hit "(Remember Me) I'm the One", followed by recognition and charting abroad in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Mr. D.J. (Zhané song)</span> 1993 single by Zhané

"Hey Mr. D.J." is a song by American R&B group Zhané, recorded for their debut album, Pronounced Jah-Nay (1994). Co-written by group members Renée Neufville and Jean Norris, it was released as their debut single in August 1993 and also features a rap from Rottin Razkals member Fam. The song was produced by Naughty by Nature and samples "Looking Up to You" by Michael Wycoff. It received critical acclaim, peaking at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA for selling 500,000 copies domestically. In Australia, it peaked at number nine, while reaching number 20 in New Zealand. In Europe, the song was a top 30 hit in Austria, Germany and the UK. Originally, it was recorded and released on the 1993 compilation album Roll Wit tha Flava. The accompanying music video, directed by Peter Allen, features the duo performing at a party.

<i>Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements</i> 1993 studio album by Stereolab

Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements is the second studio album by English-French rock band Stereolab, released on 10 August 1993 and was issued by Duophonic Records and Elektra Records. It was recorded with an expanded line-up, and is generally considered to be the band's noisiest release due to its emphasis on distorted guitars and keyboard sounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apparently Nothin'</span> 1991 single by Young Disciples

"Apparently Nothin" is a song by British/American acid jazz band Young Disciples. It features singer Carleen Anderson, who also co-wrote it and was released in 1991 by Talkin' Loud as the second single from the band's only album, Road to Freedom (1991). The song samples "Here I Am Baby" by the Marvelettes and is inspired by the Gulf War. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart, but on the UK Dance Singles Chart, it was a even more successful, peaking at number two. Additionally, it was a top 20 hit in Luxembourg and a top 40 hit in the Netherlands. The band performed the song in the British music chart television programme Top of the Pops. It remains their biggest hit and is now widely considered as a classic of its genre.

<i>Sundown</i> (Eddie Chacon album) 2023 studio album by Eddie Chacon

Sundown is the second solo studio album by American singer Eddie Chacon. It was released on March 31, 2023, via Stones Throw Records. Recording sessions took place at 64 Sound Studios in Highland Park, California and at Villa Can Rudayla in Ibiza, Spain. Production was handled by John Carroll Kirby. It features contributions from John Carroll Kirby on keyboards, Logan Hone on alto saxophone and flute, Elizabeth Lea on trombone, William Logan on drums, and David Leach on percussion.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Soul Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 39/40. ISBN   0-85112-733-9.
  2. ↑ "Charles & Eddie Songs • Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Musicvf.com. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Rule, Sheila (January 13, 1993). "The Pop Life". The New York Times .
  4. 1 2 3 4 Beta, Andy (July 28, 2020). "Eddie Chacon, a Fleeting '90s Neo Soul Star, Returns as an Old Soul". The New York Times . Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  5. ↑ Christgau, Robert (2000). Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. p.  53.
  6. 1 2 "Charles Pettigrew". Variety . April 18, 2001. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Timeline". tomtomclub.com. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  8. ↑ Proefrock, Stacia. "The Good the Bad and the Funky Review". Allmusic . Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Charles and Eddie". Oxford Reference. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Eddie Chacon Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Eddie Chacon, a fleeting '90s star, returns as old soul". Arkansas Democrat Gazette. August 9, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  12. ↑ Male, Andrew (September 1, 2020). "Charles & Eddie's Eddie Chacon: 'It took me 10 years to recover from being a one-hit wonder'". Theguardian.com . Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  13. ↑ Ross, Alex Robert (June 29, 2020). "Low-key R&B legend Eddie Chacon returns on "My Mind Is Out of Its Mind"". The Fader. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  14. 1 2 Hale, Tyler (July 15, 2020). "Track Premiere: Eddie Chacon teams with Solange collaborator John Carroll Kirby for project". KCRW. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Pleasure, Joy and Happiness". lightintheattic.net. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  16. ↑ Kellman, Andy. "Eddie Chacon - Sundown". AllMusic . Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  17. ↑ Labat, Margeaux (April 6, 2023). "Sundown | Eddie Chacon". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  18. ↑ Atkins, Jamie (March 23, 2023). "Sundown | Eddie Chacon". Record Collector. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  19. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (March 30, 2023). "Eddie Chacon: Sundown review – delightful career renaissance for former one-hit wonder". The Guardian. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  20. 1 2 "Charles & Eddie - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  21. 1 2 Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 55.
  22. ↑ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Charles & Eddie - Albums". BVMI / GfK . Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  23. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 101. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  24. ↑ "Charles & Eddie - Duophonic". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Official Charts Company: Charles & Eddie". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . August 22, 1992. p. 74.
  27. ↑ "Charles & Eddie - Would I Lie To You". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.