The Sons Of Champlin

Although the Sons of Champlin never reached the uppermost level occupied by the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane among San Francisco’s psychedelic rock outfits of the 1960s, they shared second-tier status with Moby Grape and Quicksilver Messenger Service by favoring a sound steeped in soul and R&B. Their relatively relaxed stance toward the rigors of professional advancement nevertheless allowed several albums to reach the charts during the closing years of the 1960s and throughout the 1970s.

Emerging from the remnants of the Opposite Six—an earlier ensemble fronted by singer and keyboardist Bill Champlin—the group made its debut appearance at the College of Marin in Marin County, California, during spring 1965. The original roster featured saxophonist Tim Caine, guitarist Terry Haggerty, bassist Al Strong, and drummer Jim Myers, the last of whom was succeeded by Bill Bowen. Champlin’s teenage marriage and fatherhood prompted the choice of band name. By July 1966 the Sons of Champlin had performed at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium. Their first single, “Sing Me a Rainbow,” appeared on Verve Records in March 1967; its commercial failure led to the postponement of a planned long-player that eventually surfaced as Fat City. Unfazed, the band recruited horn players Geoff Palmer and Jim Beem—the latter departing in 1969—and shifted toward a pronounced R&B and jazz direction. More than a year elapsed before another recording opportunity arose; in 1968 the group signed with Capitol Records and issued the double album Loosen Up Naturally in April 1969, which climbed to number 137. A swift follow-up followed, recorded under the abbreviated moniker the Sons; that October release, titled simply The Sons, attained number 171. Tim Caine exited after its completion.

Extensive touring in support of the second album included Bay Area dates during winter 1970, after which the band dissolved. Scattered members pursued other projects until Capitol summoned them back to fulfill contractual obligations, resulting in the April 1971 appearance of Follow Your Heart—again credited to the Sons of Champlin—which failed to chart and prompted another dissolution following a brief promotional run. Champlin, Haggerty, and Palmer nevertheless continued performing together, soon adding bassist David Schallock and drummer Jim Preston. Initial hesitation about reusing the original name gave way by 1972, when they again billed themselves as the Sons of Champlin. A 1973 contract with Columbia Records yielded Welcome to the Dance, released the following April; widely regarded as their strongest work, the album nevertheless peaked at number 186 amid turmoil that removed company president Clive Davis.

In response, the band launched its own Gold Mine Records imprint and delivered the self-titled The Sons of Champlin in 1975. By then the lineup had expanded to include horn players Phil Woods, Mark Isham, and Michael Andreas. The independent release generated enough interest for Ariola America to assume national distribution. Prior to the next project, Schallock and the horn section departed; bassist Rob Moitoza, formerly of the Opposite Six, joined, as did saxophonist Steve Frediani and, later, trumpeter David Farey. The resulting sixth album, A Circle Filled with Love, surfaced in May 1976 under producer Keith Olsen, freshly arrived from Fleetwood Mac’s multimillion-selling self-titled effort. It reached number 117—the group’s strongest showing—while “Hold On” climbed midway up the Hot 100 and “Here Is Where Your Love Belongs” also charted. Their seventh album, Loving Is Why, arrived in April 1977; its modest peak at number 188 prompted Bill Champlin, already engaged in Los Angeles session work, to exit at the close of the supporting tour.

Attempts to continue with replacement vocalists proved short-lived, and the band soon disbanded. Sporadic reunion performances occurred over subsequent years, culminating in a stable, part-time reactivation during the late 1990s that accommodated Champlin’s solo endeavors and his membership in Chicago. Arista Records issued the live album Live in 1998. By 2002 Terry Haggerty had withdrawn, replaced by Tal Morris, who appeared on the 2005 DIG Music release Hip Li'l Dreams, accompanied by a live DVD titled Secret.