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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING GENE CHANDLER, THE DUKE OF EARL
WHEREAS, from 1962 to 1970, Gene Chandler, formerly Eugene Dixon, had 19 songs in the top forty line-ups; and
WHEREAS, Gene Chandler will always be known all over the world as the Duke of Earl, which was the first hit that topped the pop and R&B charts and launched his career in 1962; and
WHEREAS, in 1957, Gene Chandler became a member of the Du-Kays, a rhythm and blues group with a strong rock and roll sound; and
WHEREAS, after a stint in the Army and singing solo in the Army he returned to Chicago in 1960 and rejoined the Du-Kays; and
WHEREAS, Bernice Williams, a young music business manager, heard the group perform and quickly agreed to manage the young group; and
WHEREAS, Bernice Williams arranged an audition with Nat Records in Chicago and the Du? Kays were offered a recording contract; and
WHEREAS, Gene Chandler turned his attention to the business side of the industry, and decided to put his energy into producing, arranging and assisting other acts; and
WHEREAS, Gene Chandler became president of Bamboo Records, and one of Gene's biggest hit at Bamboo was "Backfield in Motion" in 1969, which sold a million copies; and
WHEREAS, in 1970, Gene Chandler signed with Mercury Records and recorded "Groovy Situation," and was nominated for "Producer of The Year" Award for the National Association of Television and Radio Announcers; and
WHEREAS, Gene Chandler is also a Grammy Hall of Fame inductee and winner of the Rhythm and Blue's Foundations Pioneer Award; and
WHEREAS, today, Gene Chandler lives in the southland area of Cook County and is the founder of Project Happiness, an small non-profit with the mission to provide children, their families and the elderly food, clothes and toys during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of Cook County, honor Gene Chandl...
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