| Bill Champlin | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | William Bradford Champlin |
| Born | May 21, 1947 Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Rock, blues, R'n'B |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, keyboards, guitar |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Associated acts | Sons of Champlin Chicago |
| Website | www.billchamplin.net |
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| Hammond organ | |
William Bradford "Bill" Champlin (born on May 21, 1947 in Oakland, California) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player, arranger and producer known for his work with Chicago and the Sons of Champlin. Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Oakland (ˈoʊklənd founded in 1852 is the eighth-largest city in the U California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression A musician is a person who plays or writes Music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music An instrumentalist plays a A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. A keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a Musical keyboard. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles The Sons of Champlin is an American rock band formed in the late 1960's and hailing from the San Francisco -Bay area Chicago is a Rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago Illinois. The band began as a politically charged sometimes experimental rock band and later moved to a predominately Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Oakland (ˈoʊklənd founded in 1852 is the eighth-largest city in the U California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both A guitarist is a Musician who plays the Guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a Musical instrument, particularly the piano In Music, an arrangement refers either to a rewriting of a piece of existing Music with additional new material or to a fleshing-out of a compositional sketch such In the Music industry, a record producer or music producer has many roles among them controlling the recording sessions coaching and guiding the musicians organizing Chicago is a Rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago Illinois. The band began as a politically charged sometimes experimental rock band and later moved to a predominately The Sons of Champlin is an American rock band formed in the late 1960's and hailing from the San Francisco -Bay area
Contents |
Early career
As a child, Champlin demonstrated a talent for piano, and eventually picked up the guitar after being inspired by Elvis Presley. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles He started a band, The Opposite Six, while at Tamalpais High School, in Mill Valley, California and went on to study music in college, but was encouraged by a professor to drop out of school and pursue music professionally. Tamalpais High School (nicknamed Tam) is a public secondary school located in Mill Valley California. Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Sons of Champlin and solo career
The Six changed their name to the Sons of Champlin, and eventually recorded a number of well-reviewed, poorly-selling albums (including Loosen Up Naturally and Circle Filled With Love) by 1977, when the 30 year old Champlin moved to Los Angeles. The Sons of Champlin is an American rock band formed in the late 1960's and hailing from the San Francisco -Bay area Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West
In LA he did a lot of sessions and met a lot of great musicians, like Jay Graydon, David Foster, Steve Lukather and many more. Teaming up with producer David Foster, Champlin released two solo albums: Single and Runaway. David Walter Foster, OC, OBC, LLD (born November 1, 1949 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Due to poor promotion from his record company, both albums sold poorly.
Champlin subsequently became an in-demand Los Angeles studio session singer, appearing on hundreds of recordings throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Session musicians are musicians available for hire as opposed to musicians who are either permanent members of a musical outfit or who have acquired fame in their own right
He co-wrote the hit songs "After The Love Has Gone" (Earth, Wind & Fire) and "Turn Your Love Around" (George Benson), winning two Grammy Awards in the process. Earth Wind & Fire is an African - American Funk band led by Maurice White that achieved worldwide success in the 1970s George Benson (b March 22 1943, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania) is an American musician whose recording career began at the age of twenty-one The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Among other artists he worked with were Boz Scaggs, The Tubes, and Lee Ritenour. Boz Scaggs (born William Royce Scaggs, 8 June 1944, Canton, Ohio) is an American Singer, Songwriter The Tubes are a San Francisco -based rock band, which was popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s and was known for its live performances that Lee Mack "Captain Fingers" Ritenour (born January 11 1952) is an internationally acclaimed guitarist recording artist composer and producer
In the 1990s, Champlin released several more solo albums: No Wasted Moments, Burn Down the Night, Through It All, He Started to Sing and Mayday. which was a live recording of song from his career, includin musicians like Greg Mathieson, Jerry Lopez, Eddie Garcia, Tom Saviano and Rochon Westmoreland.
In 1997, Champlin revived the Sons of Champlin, whom he continues to play live shows with throughout the West Coast of the United States. The Sons of Champlin is an American rock band formed in the late 1960's and hailing from the San Francisco -Bay area The " West Coast " " Western Seaboard " or " Pacific Seaboard " are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the Western United States
Tenure with Chicago
In 1978, the day after Chicago guitarist Terry Kath died, Champlin received a call from someone connected to the group, suggesting that he audition to take Kath's place. Chicago is a Rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago Illinois. The band began as a politically charged sometimes experimental rock band and later moved to a predominately Terry Alan Kath ( January 31, 1946 – January 23, 1978) born in Chicago Illinois was the original Guitarist and founding member Champlin turned down the offer, saying he could not fill that role. But in 1981, he collaborated with Chicago's drummer, Danny Seraphine, singing some backgrounds with Peter Cetera on a non-Chicago project. Chicago is a Rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago Illinois. The band began as a politically charged sometimes experimental rock band and later moved to a predominately Daniel Peter "Danny" Seraphine (born August 28, 1948 in Chicago, Illinois, U Peter Paul Cetera (born September 13, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, U
Seraphine and Champlin co-wrote a few songs, and Champlin was invited to sing one song ("Sonny Think Twice") as a guest vocalist on what would eventually become Chicago 16. Chicago 16 is the sixteenth Album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1982 Champlin suggested to Seraphine that David Foster might be a good choice as a producer for Chicago at that time.
Seraphine began a campaign to get Champlin into the group, despite some obstacles (Robert Lamm, initially jealous at the prospect of another keyboardist, said, "What the hell do we need him for?" and Kenny Loggins personally called Champlin, saying, "What are you doing? Those guys are over!"). Robert William Lamm (born October 13, 1944) is an American Keyboardist, Singer and Songwriter best known for being a founding Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Loggins (born January 7, 1948 in Everett, Washington) is an American Singer and Songwriter Reluctant at first, especially after hearing that he would be singing "Colour My World" ("I never really liked that one much"), Champlin finally said, "Why not? I'll give it a year," and joined the band in 1981. For the Petula Clark song see " Colour My World (Petula Clark song.
In the meantime, he was the musical director for the television show Fridays and was featured singing several songs on 16, including "Bad Advice" and "Follow Me. Chicago 16 is the sixteenth Album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1982 "
1984's Chicago 17 enhanced Champlin's presence in the group, when he wrote several songs ("Please Hold On," "Remember the Feeling" and "We Can Stop the Hurtin'"), and sang (with Cetera) the hit single "Hard Habit to Break. Chicago 17 is the seventeenth Album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1984 " Hard Habit to Break " is a Grammy-nominated song written by Steve Kipner and Jon Parker and recorded by the group Chicago for their 1984 album "
When Cetera left the band in 1985, the focus shifted to a new vocalist, 23 year old Jason Scheff. Jason Randolph Scheff (born April 16, 1962 in San Diego California) is an American Bassist, singer and songwriter Chicago 18 featured several Scheff sung hits, a situation Scheff acknowledged as being generous on Champlin's part. Chicago 18 is the eighteenth Album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1986
In 1988, however, it was Champlin whose voice appeared prominently on several major hit singles: "Look Away," "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" and "You're Not Alone" from Chicago 19. " Look Away " is the name of a song written by Diane Warren. " I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love " is a song written by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago 19 is the nineteenth Album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1988 That year he also sang the theme to the television show In the Heat of the Night. In the Heat of the Night is a television series based on the Motion picture, In the Heat of the Night, that ran from 1988 to 1995
In 1990, Champlin wrote, produced and sang lead on "Hearts in Trouble," a song for the movie soundtrack of Days of Thunder. Days of Thunder is an Auto racing Drama film released in 1990 by producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and director Tony Originally a solo song, the producers of the movie decided, for marketing purposes, that it be released under the name of Chicago; so the band's horn section added a brass arrangement to the track and, subsequently, it was released as a single. In the summer of 1990, Chicago launched their Hearts in Trouble Tour.
By the early 1990s, Chicago's popularity began to wane (Chicago Twenty 1, featuring the Champlin tune "Who Do You Love?" sold poorly), and the band recorded the now infamous Stone of Sisyphus, a project that remains unreleased to this day. Twenty 1 is the twenty-first Album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1991 Stone of Sisyphus is a studio album by American rock band Chicago, released on June 17, 2008, after a nearly fifteen year delay Champlin is featured on "Mah Jongg," "Here With Me," "The Show Must Go On," and "Plaid. "
Champlin made major contributions to Chicago's big-band tribute Night & Day Big Band in 1995, and to both editions of their Christmas album (Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album, re-released with additional tracks as What's It Gonna Be, Santa?). Night and Day Big-Band is an Album by American rock band Chicago that was released in 1995 Chicago XXV The Christmas Album is an Album of Christmas songs by American rock band Chicago and was initially released
Most recently he co-wrote four of the songs on the band's 2006 album Chicago XXX. Chicago XXX is an album by the American band Chicago, released on March 21, 2006.
Personal life
Champlin has been married since 1982 to his second wife, singer/songwriter Tamara Champlin (former Tamara Matoesian), and has three grown children. The couple's only child, Will, graduated from the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts [1] and is currently pursuing a career as a singer and songwriter. Berklee College of Music, founded in 1945 is an independent music College in Boston Massachusetts.
Champlin resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
References
External links
- Bill Champlin official website
- Bill Champlin at the Internet Movie Database
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic