Chi-Lites singer/composer dies in Chicago aged 64

THE LEAD singer and composer of '70s soul group The Chi-Lites, Eugene Record, died in Chicago on 22nd July. Best known for the transatlantic Chi-Lites hits "Have You Seen Her", "Oh Girl" and "Homely Girl", Record became a born again Christian in 1988 and subsequently recorded a gospel album.

Beginning his career with the Chanteurs doowop group in the '50s, by 1960 he had formed the Hi-Lites, a quintet who recorded for Mercury. As The Chi-Lites, the group recorded their first major hit in 1969 with "Give It Away". In 1971 a bigger hit, "(For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People" was followed by "Have You Seen Her", a million selling sweet soul ballad. Further Chi-Lites hits were "A Letter To Myself", "Stoned Out Of My Mind", "Homely Girl", "Too Good To Be Forgotten" and "You Don't Have To Go". Record quit The Chi-Lites in 1976 and signed a solo deal with Warner Brothers who released three albums. He rejoined The Chi-Lites in 1980, who recorded four more albums and had a minor UK hit with "Changing For You" in 1983.

In 1988 Record had a conversion experience, claiming to have heard the voice of God telling him to change his life. He retired from The Chi-Lites, became a church minister and released a gospel album 'Let Him In' on his own Evergreen Records in 1998.