Chic Artistfacts

1972-1983, 1992, 1996-
Nile RodgersGuitar1972-
Bernard EdwardsBass1972-1996
Tony ThompsonDrums1976-1983
Robert SabinoKeyboards1976-1983
Norma Jean WrightVocals1977-1978
Luci MartinVocals1978-1983
Alfa AndersonVocals1978-1983
Richard HiltonKeyboards1988-
Jerry BarnesBass1996-
Ralph RolleDrums2006-
Kimberly DavisVocals2009-2025
Audrey MartellsVocals2021-
Naomi RodgersVocals2025-
The group was founded by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards, who not only made Chic one of the biggest names in disco in the '70s with funky hits like "Le Freak," "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" and "Good Times," but also worked with some of the hottest acts of the era as songwriters, producers and performers, including Sister Sledge ("We Are Family") and Diana Ross ("Upside Down").

After the death of disco forced Chic to disband in 1983, Rodgers continued on the path of becoming a legendary songwriter and producer, adding David Bowie, Madonna, INXS, Duran Duran, Daft Punk, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, and Beyoncé to his list of credits. Edwards released a solo album in 1983 and helped create the pop-rock supergroup The Power Station, which included Chic drummer Tony Thompson in their lineup, and continued to produce for Diana Ross, Rod Stewart, Air Supply, and Duran Duran.
Before they became Chic, Rodgers and Edwards called their group The Big Apple Band. Their friends all thought they hit it big when a New York City composer named Walter Murphy released the chart-topping disco instrumental "A Fifth Of Beethoven" in 1976 under the name Walter Murphy and The Big Apple Band. Unfortunately, it was just a coincidence - one that necessitated a name change. Rodgers' then-girlfriend was a French-speaking Belgian native and suggested the name Chic. Rodgers hated it but they needed a new name pronto, so he relented.
While they were still playing gigs as The Big Apple Band, Rodgers and Edwards joined the group New York City, which is how Rodgers stumbled upon the concept for Chic. While he was in England with the New York City band, Rodgers was robbed of his wallet and passport, which meant he was stranded in the country while the rest of the guys got to go home. He made the most of his time by going to see the band Roxy Music play and he was blown away by the ethereal, beautiful aesthetic of the group and their fans. He described it to Edwards as a completely immersive artistic experience and said they should create a Black version of Roxy Music. With that in mind, they started recruiting members like Tony Thompson, who had just come off working with Labelle, keyboardist Robert Sabino, and singers Norma Jean Wright and Luci Martin.
Rodgers cited KISS as a big influence on Chic. When keyboardist Robert Sabino joined the group, he suggested they check out his friend Ace Frehley's up-and-coming band KISS, and Rodgers was immediately impressed. He liked that their flashy, make-up wearing image made them instantly recognizable while also providing them with anonymity off the stage. While Chic didn't hide behind makeup, they developed a sleek, high-fashion image - a nod to Roxy Music - that helped them stand apart from their contemporaries in the disco scene.
When Norma Jean Wright signed on as Chic's singer, she made sure her contract allowed her to pursue a solo career. After Chic released their self-titled debut album in 1977, Rodgers and Edwards produced Wright's own self-titled debut, featuring the R&B hits "Saturday" and "High Society," which was released in 1978. While Chic was signed to Atlantic Records, Wright was signed to a different label for her solo work, which caused legal complications that led to her exit from Chic that same year. She was replaced by Alfa Anderson, who previously sang backup vocals for the group.
Rodgers taught himself how to play the guitar by studying a Beatles songbook. The first song he learned to play was "A Day In The Life" from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967).
Rodgers started his professional music career at age 18 as a guitarist in the Sesame Street band. He didn't know what he was auditioning for but landed the gig by sight-reading the Sesame Street staple "The People In Your Neighborhood." He only toured with the band for a year, but it was a positive experience for Rodgers, who went on to perform a new version of the song for the show's 50th anniversary special in 2019.
Rodgers is naturally shy and turned to substances to help give him confidence. It started with sniffing glue at 11 years old, but graduated to doing acid and any drugs and alcohol he could get his hands on. He finally got sober in the '90s when he realized drugs were affecting his ability to make music. A disastrous cocaine and booze-fueled weekend that included ruining a gig and having to be carried out of Madonna's birthday party drove the point home. He took a break from music but got back to it after Michael Jackson talked him into playing on his 1995 HIStory album.
Disco may have died, but interest in Chic didn't. Their minimalist approach of the genre inspired acts from all walks of music. "Good Times" was particularly influential, inspiring the ground-breaking 1979 hip-hop tune "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang, as well as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's 1981 hit "The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel," and Blondie's 1980 chart-topper "Rapture." Edwards' bassline was also the inspiration for Queen's 1980 classic "Another One Bites The Dust."
Before he became a hit solo artist in the 1980s, Luther Vandross was a session vocalist for a number of popular acts, including Chic. He can be heard on their first three albums: Chic (1977), C'est Chic (1978), and Risqué (1979).
The band got back together in 1992 with new vocalists for the album Chic-ism, but most of their ensuing output was compilations. After headlining the 2014 Essence Festival, curated by Prince, the band issued the disco tribute "I'll Be There" as Nile Rodgers & Chic the following year. In 2018, they released their comeback album It's About Time, which marked their first studio album in more than two decades.
Rodgers composed the music for the 1988 comedy Coming To America, starring Eddie Murphy, including the iconic jingle for the fictional hair product Soul Glo.
Edwards died of pneumonia at age 43 in 1996. He and Rodgers were performing together in the J.T. Super Producers '96 concert in Tokyo when he suddenly became ill. He managed to get through the show, but he died sometime afterward in his hotel room, where he was discovered by Rodgers.
Drummer Tony Thompson died in 2003, less than a month after being diagnosed with kidney cancer. He was 48 years old.

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