Cicero Blake

Cicero Blake launched his career as the original frontman for the Golden Tones, the ensemble that later transformed into the Kool Gents and gave rise to Dee Clark. Once he departed the lineup—which originally featured Blake alongside James Harper, Teddy Long, Howard McClain, and John Carter—he cut numerous solo sides for modest Chicago imprints such as Brainstorm, Renee, and Success. Replacements John McCall, Doug Brown, and Dee Clark stepped in for Harper, McClain, and Blake when military service intervened. His first opportunity with a major company arrived at Brunswick Records in 1967, yet the two songs he tracked there, “You Got Me Walking” and “A Woman Needs to Be Loved,” remained unreleased for two decades until Kent Records issued The Soul of a Man. The same rendition of “Walking” later surfaced on the 1987 collection Sweet Soulful Chicago, a number also committed to tape by Jackie Wilson and the Chi-Lites. His earliest performances occurred in a church choir, continued with the Golden Tones during his high-school years, and extended to Air Force entertainment shows. Following his discharge, Blake toured extensively along the chitlin’ circuit as part of the Sunny Thompson Revue. Success Records issued his debut album, Don’t Do This to Me, in 1962. Although none of his singles reached the charts, several R&B releases, among them “Sad Feelings” and “If I Had My Way,” earned favor among Northern Soul enthusiasts. Greater notice came with “Love Is Like a Boomerang,” which secured opening slots on packages headlined by Chuck Jackson, Jerry Butler, James Brown, and Wilson Pickett. He sustained both live work and recording sessions through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s while employed by Cook County in his capacity as a Maywood Park District commissioner. Festival appearances have included the Chicago Blues Festival as well as a July 15, 1998, tribute to Milwaukee blues figure Robert Taylor. Jewel Records placed his track “She’s Cheatin’ on You” on Super Soul Blues, Vol. 3, and Valley Vue Records has issued two collections: Too Hip to Be Happy! and Just One of Those Things.