Rufus

During the 1970s, the multi-racial funk outfit Rufus ranked among the decade’s most commercially potent acts, although listeners now recall the group chiefly for introducing soul diva Chaka Khan, whose electrifying lead vocals quickly became the ensemble’s unmistakable centerpiece. Driven by Khan—who eventually received separate billing—and an instinctive grasp of rhythm, the band amassed a long sequence of singles that crossed both the pop and R&B charts, sustaining momentum from the early 1970s until her formal exit in 1983.

Rufus originated in the Chicago combo the American Breed, whose 1968 single “Bend Me, Shape Me” remains a radio perennial. Guitarist Al Ciner, bassist Chuck Colbert, drummer Lee Graziano, and keyboardist Kevin Murphy had each performed with that earlier group before uniting as Smoke alongside vocalists Paulette McWilliams and James Stella. Stella departed almost immediately, replaced by lead singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Ron Stockert, while Colbert gave way to bassist Dennis Belfield; the ensemble then adopted the name Ask Rufus, later shortened to Rufus. In 1972, drummer Andre Fischer—another American Breed alumnus—took over for Graziano, and a teenage vocalist, Chaka Khan (born Yvette Marie Stevens), succeeded McWilliams. Although Khan’s commanding stage presence propelled the new lineup, Stockert remained the dominant creative force when the group signed with ABC in 1973, shaping the more pop-oriented sound of its self-titled debut issued later that year.

Despite modest sales, the album attracted Stevie Wonder’s attention through its reading of his “Maybe Your Baby.” Wonder contributed a new song, the deliberate funk groove “Tell Me Something Good,” tailored specifically to Khan’s voice. Released as the lead single from the 1974 follow-up Rags to Rufus, the track climbed to the pop Top Five and established Khan as a star; she also co-wrote the subsequent R&B chart-topper “You Got the Love.” With its stylistic identity clarified, the band underwent further personnel adjustments: Stockert exited, Bobby Watson replaced Belfield, and Tony Maiden took Ciner’s guitar chair. This fortified funk direction yielded Rufusized before year’s end, spawning additional hits with “Once You Get Started” and “Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me of a Friend).” The 1975 album Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan formalized the singer’s prominence and delivered the R&B number one “Sweet Thing.” Dave “Hawk” Wolinski joined as a second keyboardist for the more restrained 1977 release Ask Rufus, whose single “At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up)” proved successful, while William “Moon” Calhoun supplanted Fischer on drums for 1978’s Street Player.

After Street Player appeared, Khan launched a solo career with her debut album Chaka, scoring a major hit with “I’m Every Woman,” yet she remained an official Rufus member. The group’s next effort, Numbers, was cut without her and failed commercially upon its 1979 release. Khan rejoined later that year for the Quincy Jones-produced Masterjam, which restored the band—now featuring drummer John “J.R.” Robinson—to the R&B summit with “Do You Love What You Feel.” Khan again stepped away for 1980’s Party ’Til You’re Broke and, although she participated in 1981’s Camouflage, Rufus’s chart momentum continued to fade. The Khan-less, George Duke-produced Seal in Red underperformed, prompting her return for the 1983 double album Stompin’ at the Savoy, which contained three live sides and one studio side of fresh material. Among those new tracks, “Ain’t Nobody” became Rufus’s last R&B number one and earned a Grammy, bringing the group’s run to an upbeat close. Once her contract concluded, Khan departed permanently and achieved superstar status with her cover of Prince’s “I Feel for You.”