Chaka Khan › Similar Artists

Rufus & <b>Chaka Khan</b>

Rufus - 100% match to Chaka Khan

This Chicago-based group evolved from the American Breed when three original members, Al Ciner (guitar), Charles Colbert (bass) and Lee Graziano (drums), were joined by Kevin Murphy (keyboards), Paulette McWilliams (vocals), Ron Stockard and Dennis Belfield. Initially known as Smoke, then Ask Rufus, it was several months before a stable unit evolved. Graziano made way for Andre Read more

Patti LaBelle - 41% match to Chaka Khan

Patricia Louise Holt, 24 May 1944, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The lead singer of LaBelle began her solo career in 1976 when her former group, who had originally begun recording in the early 60s as the Blue Belles, disbanded. Although her first releases showed promise, she was unable to regain the profile enjoyed by LaBelle and at the beginning of the 80s, Patti agreed Read more

Teena Marie - 41% match to Chaka Khan

Mary Christine Brockert, 5 March 1957, Santa Monica, California, USA. A singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer, Teena Marie is rightly fêted as one of the few white artists to sustain a consistent career in the US soul market. Spotted by Motown Records’ Berry Gordy in the 70s, he linked her up with funk star and labelmate Rick James, and h Read more

Anita Baker - 37% match to Chaka Khan

26 January 1958, Toledo, Ohio, USA. The granddaughter of a minister, Baker had a religious upbringing that included church music and gospel singing. After vocal duties with local bands she joined the semi-professional Chapter 8 in 1979 and was the vocalist on their minor US chart hit, ‘I Just Wanna Be Your Girl’, the following year. Several years later she left the Read more

George Duke - 35% match to Chaka Khan

12 January 1946, San Rafael, California, USA. Duke studied the piano at school (where he ran a Les McCann -inspired Latin band) and emerged from the San Francisco Conservatory as a Bachelor of Music in 1967. From 1965-67 he was resident pianist at the Half Note, accompanying musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie and Kenny Dorham. This grounding served as a musical education for Read more

Luther Vandross - 34% match to Chaka Khan

Luther Ronzoni Vandross, 20 April 1951, New York City, New York, USA, d. 1 July 2005, Edison, New Jersey, USA. Born into a family immersed in gospel and soul singing, Vandross had already formed his own group while still at school and later worked with the musical theatre workshop, Listen My Brother. This enabled him to perform at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre. After a brief Read more

Patrice Rushen - 33% match to Chaka Khan

30 September 1954, Los Angeles, California, USA. Rushen grew up in Los Angeles and attended the University of Southern California. She started learning classical piano when she was three, and turned to jazz in her teens. A group with which she was playing won an award for young musicians at Monterey in 1972. She played with a host of artists, including Abbey Lincoln, Donald Read more

Phyllis Hyman - 32% match to Chaka Khan

6 July 1949, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, d. 30 June 1995, New York, USA. A singer, actress and fashion model, Hyman was one of several acts nurtured by vocalist Norman Connors in the mid-70s. Hyman began singing professionally in 1971, appearing with R&B bands such as New Direction and All The People. Relocating to New York, she worked as a legal secretary during the Read more

Cheryl Lynn - 31% match to Chaka Khan

Cheryl Lynn Smith, 11 March 1957, Los Angeles, California, USA. The full-throated Lynn became a hit-maker at the height of disco’s popularity, singing dance tunes that retained the gospel vocal approach of classic soul. Lynn grew up in the church where her mother was a minister of music. Her break into the music business came in 1976 after she won as a contestant on the Read more

Donna Summer - 30% match to Chaka Khan

LaDonna Adrian Gaines, 31 December 1948, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Summer’s peerless hit singles ‘Love To Love You Baby’ and ‘I Feel Love’ made her the best-known of all 70s disco divas. Having sung with rock bands in Boston, the singer moved to Europe in 1968 and appeared in German versions of Hair and Porgy And Bess, later marrying Austrian actor Read more

Patti Austin - 30% match to Chaka Khan

10 August 1948, New York City, New York, USA. Austin first sang on stage at the age of three at the famous Apollo Theatre in New York City during Dinah Washington’s set. As a child performer, she appeared on television, including Sammy Davis Jnr.’s programme, and in the theatre. Her stage work included Lost In The Stars and Finian’s Rainbow. At the age of nine Read more

Stephanie Mills - 29% match to Chaka Khan

22 March 1957, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Mills found early fame at the age of nine, winning an influential talent show at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theatre for six weeks running. Soon afterwards, she appeared on Broadway in the play Maggie Flynn. She toured with the Isley Brothers, and in 1973, recorded her debut, Movin’ In The Right Direction, for the Paramount label. Read more

Ashford & Simpson - 28% match to Chaka Khan

Nickolas ‘Nick’ Ashford (4 May 1942, Fairfield, South Carolina, USA) and Valerie Simpson (b. 26 August 1946, the Bronx, New York City, New York, USA). This performing and songwriting team met in the choir of Harlem’s White Rock Baptist Church. Having recorded, unsuccessfully, as a duo, they joined another aspirant, Jo ‘Joshie’ Armstead, at the Scepte Read more

Deniece Williams - 27% match to Chaka Khan

Deniece Chandler, 3 June 1951, Gary, Indiana, USA. Williams is a gospel/soul singer whose successes span the 70s and 80s. As a child she sang in a gospel choir and made her first recordings in the late 60s for the Chicago-based Toddlin’ Town label. After training as a nurse, she was hired by Stevie Wonder to join his Wonderlove vocal backing group. She contributed to fo Read more