Rufus was an American funk band from Chicago, Illinois best known for launching the career of lead singer Chaka Khan. They had several hits throughout their career, including "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," and "Ain't Nobody." In 1967, The American Breed Gary Luizo, Al Ciner, Charles (Chuck) Colbert and Lee Graziano had a top ten hit with the classic rock single, "Bend Me, Shape Me". After much success, Ciner, Colbert and Graziano (without Luizo who pursued a successful production career) created a new group, adding Kevin Murphy on keyboards and Vern Pilder from the bar band Circus. They re-emerged in 1969 under the name Smoke. In 1970, female vocalist Paulette McWilliams and vocalist James Stella were added and the group's name changed again to Ask Rufus. Willie Weeks would replace Vern Pilder. In 1971, the band signed a contract with Epic Records recording an album that wasn't released. Willie Weeks was replaced by Dennis Belfield. In early 1972 Epic dropped their contract and James Stella was replaced by keyboardist and vocalist Ron Stockert. Former Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler drummer Andre Fischer, replaced Lee Graziano. Colbert and Fischer approached and recruited the eighteen-year-old vocalist Chaka Khan (née Yvette Stevens) at a south-side club called the "Pumpkin Room" where she sang with a local Chicago group called Lock and Chain led by drummer Scotty Harris. With that change and Paulette McWilliams pursuing her solo career, the group simply became Rufus with its main focus on Stockert, while Khan became its official second lead vocalist. In 1972 the group contacted friend and newly-hired ABC Dunhill A&R executive Bob Monaco and flew him to Chicago to watch the group perform for consideration to be one of his first signings. Monaco returned to Los Angeles, convinced the label to give him a demo budget and then quickly returned to Chicago where the group recorded eleven songs in two days at Marty Feldman's Paragon Studios. After taking the demo tapes back to ABC Dunhill the group was immediately asked to sign a long term recording contract. Khan, who at eighteen she was still a minor, had to have her mother participate. The singer had just married Hassan Khan, who was a bassist of a former band that she fronted. The group then drove to Los Angeles and recorded their first "Rufus" album at Quantum Recording Studios in Torrance, California. That album was released in 1973. While the songs "Whoever's Thrilling You (Is Killing Me)" and "Feel Good" (both songs led by Khan) brought the group some attention from R&B radio stations, the album itself had minimal sales and the Stockert-led "Slip & Slide" failed to catch major attention from pop radio. The group quickly re-entered the same studio to record their follow-up album Rags to Rufus that included the Stevie Wonder song "Tell Me Something Good," Ray Parker Jr's and Khan's "You Got The Love" and Dennis Belfield's "In Love We Grow," and "Smokin' Room." Stockert, Ciner and Belfield would leave the group shortly after the album was completed. Los Angeles-based keyboardist Nate Morgan replaced Stockert. Additionally, Tony Maiden and bassist Bobby Watson, also from Los Angeles, were recruited by drummer Andre Fischer and asked to join the group. Maiden's, Watson's and Morgan's addition to Rufus added a unique sound to the group, bringing a stronger funk and jazz influence to compliment Chaka's now emerging powerful lead vocals. From: https://www.jango.com/music/Rufus+featuring+Chaka+Khan+/_full_bio
