Bill Champlin
Encyclopedia
William Bradford "Bill" Champlin (born May 21, 1947, Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...

) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 singer, guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...

, keyboard
Musical keyboard
A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...

 player, arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...

, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

, and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

. His performance work is principally associated with the bands Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...

 and the Sons of Champlin
Sons of Champlin
The Sons of Champlin is an American rock band, formed in the late 1960s and hailing from the San Francisco-Bay area. They are fronted by vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Bill Champlin, who was also a member of the rock band Chicago.-Early years:...

. He has won multiple Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

s for songwriting.

Early career

As a child, Champlin demonstrated a talent for piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

, and eventually picked up the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...

 after being inspired by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

. He started a band, The Opposite Six, while at Tamalpais High School
Tamalpais High School
Tamalpais High School is a public secondary school located in Mill Valley, California. It is named after nearby Mount Tamalpais, which rises more than above Mill Valley....

, in Mill Valley, California
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 population was 13,903 at the 2010 census.Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay...

 and went on to study music in college, but was encouraged by a professor to drop out of school and pursue music professionally.

The Sons of Champlin and solo career

The Opposite Six, Champlin's band from high school, changed their name to the Sons of Champlin
Sons of Champlin
The Sons of Champlin is an American rock band, formed in the late 1960s and hailing from the San Francisco-Bay area. They are fronted by vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Bill Champlin, who was also a member of the rock band Chicago.-Early years:...

, and eventually recorded a number of well-reviewed but poorly-selling albums (including Loosen Up Naturally and Circle Filled With Love) by 1977, when the 30 year old Champlin moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

.

In LA he began extensive studio session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...

 work. He was especially in demand for his singing, appearing on hundreds of recordings throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) awarded Champlin the Most Valuable Player peer award for male background vocalists in 1980.

Champlin won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

 for Best Rhythm and Blues Song in 1979 for co-writing the hit song "After The Love Has Gone" with Jay Graydon
Jay Graydon
Jay Graydon is a Los Angeles songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, singer, producer, arranger, and recording engineer. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards with twelve Grammy nominations, among them the title "Producer of the Year" and "Best Engineered Recording". Jay Graydon has mastered many...

 and David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...

 (which was made popular by Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...

) and a second Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song in 1982 for co-writing the song "Turn Your Love Around" with Jay Graydon and Steve Lukather (which was made popular by George Benson
George Benson
George Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....

).

In 1979, Champlin was approached by the then-widely successful band REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon is an American rock band. Formed in 1967, the band grew in popularity during the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s. Hi Infidelity is the group's most commercially successful album, selling over ten million copies and charting four Top 40 hits in the US...

 to add background vocals on some of their songs, which appear on the album Nine Lives
Nine Lives (REO Speedwagon album)
Nine Lives is the eighth studio album by REO Speedwagon. The title Nine Lives was chosen because the album was the band's ninth, including their live album, and it also featured nine songs. It was the last REO album to prominently feature a more hard rock sound...

; this was the last album in which REO Speedwagon had a predominately hard rock edge.

This work allowed Champlin to become acquainted with other in-demand session men such as Jay Graydon
Jay Graydon
Jay Graydon is a Los Angeles songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, singer, producer, arranger, and recording engineer. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards with twelve Grammy nominations, among them the title "Producer of the Year" and "Best Engineered Recording". Jay Graydon has mastered many...

, David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...

, Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...

 (of Toto
Toto (band)
Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...

). Among other artists that he worked with were Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau
Alwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and...

, Boz Scaggs
Boz Scaggs
William Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...

, The Tubes
The Tubes
The Tubes are a San Francisco-based rock band, whose 1975 debut album included the hit single, "White Punks on Dope". During its first fifteen years or so, the band's live performances combined quasi-pornography with wild satires of media, consumerism, and politics...

, Lee Ritenour
Lee Ritenour
Lee Mack Ritenour is an American jazz guitarist who has recorded over 42 albums, appeared on over 3000 sessions, and has charted over 30 instrumental and vocal contemporary jazz hits since 1976. One of his most popular songs was the smash hit, “Is It You” in 1981. Ritenour is considered to be a...

, Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...

, and Nicky Trebek. He also appeared on Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...

's 1982 EP, Oh, Julie!.

David Foster produced two solo albums for Champlin: Single and Runaway. Both albums sold poorly but were promoted poorly by his record company. In the 1990s, Champlin released five more solo albums: No Wasted Moments, Burn Down the Night, Through It All, He Started to Sing, and Mayday. The last was a live recording of songs from his career, and included musicians Greg Mathieson, Jerry Lopez, Eddie Garcia, Tom Saviano and Rochon Westmoreland.

In 1997, Champlin revived the Sons of Champlin
Sons of Champlin
The Sons of Champlin is an American rock band, formed in the late 1960s and hailing from the San Francisco-Bay area. They are fronted by vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Bill Champlin, who was also a member of the rock band Chicago.-Early years:...

, with whom he continues to play live shows throughout the West Coast of the United States
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...

.

In September 2008, Champlin released a new solo album No Place Left To Fall and a companion DVD in Japan on JVC/Victor. The record was produced by Champlin and Mark Eddinger
Mark Eddinger
Mark Eddinger is an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, music producer, record company executive, and music and entertainment industry consultant. Eddinger is also involved as an executive and consultant in other business sectors unrelated to the entertainment industry.-Early Years:Mark...

, and featured musicians Bruce Gaitsch
Bruce Gaitsch
Bruce R. Gaitsch is an American guitarist, composer, and producer. He is best known for working with notable musicians such as Richard Marx, Chicago, Peter Cetera, Madonna, Agnetha Fältskog and many others as a session musician and songwriter...

, George Hawkins, Jr., Billy Ward, Tamara Champlin, Will Champlin, and Eddinger, with guest appearances by Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather
Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...

, Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...

, Michael English, and Jerry Lopez. The record was released in Europe by Zinc Music in December 2008 and in the U.S. by DreamMakers Music in August 2009.

In 2009 Bill Champlin and his wife Tamara wrote the lyrics to "Til You Believe", a pop ballad composed, arranged, and produced by the Italian-American composer, arranger, and producer Manuel De Peppe
Manuel De Peppe
Manuel De Peppe is an Italian actor, musician, composer, and producer. He spent the majority of his career as an actor and singer, but in 2000 moved to the United States primarily to act as a composer and producer of music.-Early life:...

. The song is also performed by Bill and Tamara as a duet.

Tenure with Chicago

In 1978, the day after Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...

 guitarist Terry Kath
Terry Kath
Terry Alan Kath , born in Chicago, Illinois, was the original guitarist and founding member of the rock band Chicago...

 died, Champlin received a call from someone connected to the group, suggesting that he audition to take Kath's place. Champlin turned down the offer, saying he could not fill that role. But in 1981, he collaborated with Chicago's drummer, Danny Seraphine
Danny Seraphine
Daniel Peter "Danny" Seraphine is an American drummer, record producer, theatrical producer and film producer, best known for being the original drummer and founding member of the rock group Chicago, a tenure which lasted from February 1967 to May 1990.-Early life:Danny Seraphine was born in...

, singing some backgrounds with Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...

 on a non-Chicago project.

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
Chicago 16 is the 16th album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1982. The album marks the beginning of a new era for Chicago. It is the first album in a decade-long association with new label Warner Bros...

. 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
Robert Lamm
Robert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...

, initially jealous at the prospect of another keyboardist, said, "What the hell do we need him for?" and Kenny Loggins
Kenny Loggins
During the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...

 personally called Champlin, saying, "What are you doing? Those guys are over!"). Reluctant at first, especially after hearing that he would be singing "Colour My World
Colour My World (Chicago song)
"Colour My World" is a song written by American musician James Pankow, one of the founding members of the rock/jazz fusion band Chicago. Part of Pankow's Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon song cycle/suite, it was recorded for their second album Chicago II...

" ("I never really liked that one much"), Champlin finally said, "Why not? I'll give it a year", and joined the band in 1981. Champlin would be instrumental in the firing of Danny Seraphine a few years later.

In the meantime, he was the musical director for the television show Fridays and was featured singing several songs on 16
Chicago 16
Chicago 16 is the 16th album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1982. The album marks the beginning of a new era for Chicago. It is the first album in a decade-long association with new label Warner Bros...

, including "Bad Advice" and "Follow Me."

1984's Chicago 17
Chicago 17
Chicago 17 is the 17th album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1984. As the follow-up to 1982's comeback Chicago 16, Chicago 17 capitalized on its predecessor's popularity by delivering their most popular album - currently seven times platinum in the US alone and a Grammy winner -...

enhanced Champlin's presence in the group, when he wrote several songs ("Please Hold On" and "Remember the Feeling"), and sang (with Cetera) the hit single "Hard Habit to Break
Hard Habit to Break
"Hard Habit to Break" is a song written by Steve Kipner and John Lewis Parks produced and arranged by David Foster and recorded by the group Chicago for their 1984 album Chicago 17, with Bill Champlin and Peter Cetera sharing lead vocals. Released as the second single from the album, it reached...

".

In 1988, Champlin's voice appeared prominently on several major hit singles: "Look Away
Look Away
"Look Away" is the name of a 1989 #1 Billboard Hot 100 Chart hit written by Diane Warren. It was recorded by the band Chicago for their 1988 album Chicago 19, with Bill Champlin singing lead vocals. When released as a single that year, the song proved successful, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for...

", "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love
I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love
"I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" is a Billboard Hot 100 #3 hit song which was written by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago 19 , with Bill Champlin singing lead vocals. The first single released from that album, it reached number three...

", and "You're Not Alone" from Chicago 19
Chicago 19
Chicago 19 is the 19th album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1988. After recording Chicago 18 with David Foster, the band decided to expand their sound with other producers and worked primarily with Ron Nevison and Chas Sandford for this album...

. That year he also sang the theme to the television show In the Heat of the Night
In the Heat of the Night (TV series)
In the Heat of the Night is a television series based on the motion picture and novel of the same name. It was broadcast on NBC from 1988 until 1992, and then on CBS until 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
Days of Thunder is a 1990 American auto racing film released by Paramount Pictures, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes and Michael Rooker. The film also features appearances...

. 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
Twenty 1
Twenty 1 is the 21st album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1991. As their first album of the 1990s, Twenty 1 was intended to extend Chicago's continuing success into another decade....

, featuring the Champlin-sung hit "Chasin' the Wind", sold poorly), and the band recorded Stone of Sisyphus, a project that remained unreleased until June 17, 2008, fifteen years after it was recorded. Champlin sings on the tracks "Mah Jongg", "Cry for The Lost", "The Show Must Go On", and "Plaid."

Champlin made major contributions to Chicago's big-band tribute Night & Day Big Band
Night & Day Big Band
Night and Day: Big-Band is an album by American rock band Chicago that was released in 1995. Their 22nd official album, it marked the band's abandonment of Top 40 material for a more thematic project, the focus here being classic big band and swing music....

in 1995, and to both editions of their Christmas album (Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album
Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album
Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album is an album of Christmas songs by American rock band Chicago, released in 1998 on the band's Chicago Records label...

, re-released with additional tracks as What's It Gonna Be, Santa?).

He co-wrote four of the songs on the band's 2006 album Chicago XXX
Chicago XXX
Chicago XXX is an album by the American band Chicago, released on March 21, 2006. Their 30th official album, it is Chicago's first studio release of new and original material since 1991's Twenty 1....

.

In 2008, one week after the U.S. release of the Champlin solo album No Place Left to Fall, Chicago and Champlin announced he would be departing from the group, which he did shortly after Chicago wrapped up their summer tour with powerhouse band Earth Wind and Fire. Chicago's management released a statement saying "Bill Champlin is no longer in Chicago. He was a long time band member and we wish him all the best as he embarks on his new solo project, for which he’s worked long and hard." Meanwhile, Champlin's publicist released a statement saying, "After 28 years with Chicago, singer-songwriter-keyboardist Bill Champlin is parting ways with the classic jazz/rock band to focus once again on his solo career."

Personal life

, Champlin resides in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...

. Champlin has been married since 1982 to his second wife, singer/songwriter Tamara Champlin. The couple's only child, Will, graduated from the Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...

 in Boston, Massachusetts  and is pursuing a career as a singer and songwriter. Champlin is also the father of two other children, born prior to his second marriage.

Studio albums

  • 1978: Single (Full Moon
    Full Moon Records (US)
    Full Moon Records was an American record label existing from 1974 to 1992. Prominent signed groups include Chicago and Dan Fogelberg.Beginning in 1974 with Fogelberg, Full Moon Records was originally a subsidiary "spin-off" label from Epic Records that was created by Irving Azoff. The first album...

     / Epic Records
    Epic Records
    Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

    )
  • 1981: Runaway
    Runaway (Bill Champlin album)
    Runaway is an album by Bill Champlin, released on Elektra Records in 1981. It is notable as containing "Tonight Tonight", Champlin's major hit as a solo artist, as well as "Sara", which also achieved a degree of chart success.-History:...

    (Elektra
    Elektra Records
    Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....

    )
  • 1990: No Wasted Moments (Elektra)
  • 1992: Burn Down The Night (Emotion
    Bandai Visual
    , is a Japanese anime, film production and distribution enterprise, established by Bandai Co., Ltd. and a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings, Inc., which is based in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Since the reorganisation of Namco Bandai Holdings in 2006, Bandai Visual now heads the group's Visual and...

    )
  • 1994: Through It All (Turnip The Music Group)
  • 1995: He Started To Sing (Turnip The Music Group)
  • 2008: No Place Left To Fall (DreamMakers Music)

Singles

  • 1981: "Tonight, Tonight"
  • 1981: "Sara"
  • 1990: "The City"
  • 1991: "Memories of Her"
  • 1996: "Southern Serenade"

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK