Champlin Issues New Recording With His Longtime Band

By Ron Wynn
Nashville City Paper 2005

Multiple Grammy winner, songwriter, vocalist, organist and guitarist Bill Champlin's involvement with music dates back 40 years, when he was part of a West Coast cover band called The Masterbeats that specialized in doing Beatles and Rolling Stones tunes. That group subsequently evolved into the Sons of Champlin, and they issued seven albums between 1968 and 1977 before taking two decades off as the members got
involved in various other groups and projects.

They subsequently reunited in 1997, and have continued doing occasional sessions ever since. Their latest release, Hip Li'l Dreams, will be issued Aug. 23, featuring Champlin and original band members Geoff Palmer on keyboards, vibes and baritone sax, bassist David Schallock and drummer James Preston, alongside new guitarist Carmen Grillo, former Tower of Power brass star Mic Gillette on trumpet, trombone and tuba and various other guest members in the horn section.

"We've all been involved in so many other things that it's been hard at times to keep the Sons of Champlin going," Champlin said. "But things sounded so good when we did our shows, and the music was so strong that we felt it was time to get it out there. The songs have a blend of funk, R&B and some jazz influence, and this is new music, not reworked
covers or nostalgia."

But while he's most focused on the Sons of Champlin, other music fans will recognize his name from many other endeavors, most notably his membership since 1981 in Chicago, one of pop and rock music's longest surviving units.

However Champlin, who recently relocated to Nashville from Los Angeles, has numerous other outstanding credits as a composer and performer. His award-winning ventures as a writer include co-penning "After The Love Is Gone" for Earth, Wind and Fire and "Turn Your Love Around" for George Benson, both of which were subsequently chosen as R&B Song of the Year. Champlin also helped producer/songwriter David Foster land the producing duties for Chicago's 16th album, and also has performed hit duets with Patti Labelle and Brenda Russell, as well as serve as a background vocalist for Luther Vandross.

"That guy had a golden voice, one of the greatest in modern music history," Champlin said. "He could sing anything, and make it sound great. Working with him was fantastic. The same thing with George Benson. He had so much talent that there was no question the song was going to work when he got it. We just didn't know how well it would go over with the audience. The same thing with Earth, Wind and Fire; they just took the song and turned it into a classic. When you're working with people like that, your main worry is stepping in at the wrong moment and messing things up. You don't have to worry about what they're going to do with the words and the music, or how they will interpret the arrangement. You just want to make sure you stay out of the way."

Champlin had been collaborating and performing with Nashville writers and musicians for several years, and feels that the move was just a natural extension of things at this stage in his career.

"Things had gotten to a point out in Los Angeles where I just wanted to try a change of scenery," Champlin said. "There are so many great players in Nashville, and their focus is always strictly on the music, how can we make it better and what do we need to do with this song or that melody. There are also great players on the West Coast, but the
whole environment in Nashville just works better for me at this point."

Between his Chicago duties, which recently included a Starwood show alongside Earth, Wind & Fire, plus forthcoming Sons of Champlin dates, he'll be quite busy the next few months.

"We're hoping to make a good push with the Sons of Champlin release," Champlin concluded. "I think that people are going to be pleasantly surprised by the intensity and fire in the music. There's lot of soul and energy in the band, and I'm very pleased at how the project turned out."

It will soon be available in area retail stores, but fans can also order copies of the new release online at Sonsofchamplin.com