Forming and early career The original members were lead singer Eugene Record, Robert "Squirrel" Lester, Clarence Johnson, Burt Bowen, and Eddie Reed of the Chanteurs. The group was formed at Hyde Park Academy High School where majority of the members attended (Record attended
Englewood High School and Thompson would later transfer to
DuSable High School in his senior year and study music under
Walter Dyett ) in Chicago in 1959. The group performed at their High School "Senior Varieties" talent show. Soon after, they released a single written by Johnson, "You've Got a Great Love". Bowen left the group and was replaced by Sollie McElroy of
the Flamingos, who was soon replaced by Marshall Thompson of the Desideros. In 1960, Reed died and Thompson brought in Creadel "Red" Jones who was a member of the Desideros to replace him. In early 1964 the group changed their name to the Hi-Lites and released a song, "I'm So Jealous", with Record on lead. Noting that the name Hi-lites was already in use and wanting to honor their home town they changed their name to Marshall & the Chi-Lites in 1964. Under their new name they recorded four songs: "Pretty Girl" written by Record, who also was on lead, "Love Bandit" written by Jones with Thompson on lead, "Price of Love" and "Baby It's Time". Clarence Johnson left the group later that year, and their name was subsequently shortened to the Chi-Lites.
1971–1979 Their major hits came in 1971 and 1972, "
Have You Seen Her" and "
Oh Girl", the latter becoming a number one single on the
Billboard Hot 100 on May 27, 1972. Other
transatlantic chart hits followed, although their output became more fragmented as the group's personnel came and went. from her injuries and Reed had to have a metal plate inserted in his back. "Hold On to Your Dreams" was included on the
Help Wanted (Heroes are in Short Supply) album in Constance's honor. Reed was subsequently replaced once again by Watson until Watson's permanent departure in 2002. On December 13, 1999,
BMI named The Chi-Lites, "Oh Girl" No. 36 of the top 100 songs of the century (1900-1999).
1999–present In 2003, the Chi-Lites 1970 hit "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)" was sampled by
Beyonce in her song "
Crazy in Love," and their 1974 song "That's How Long" was used as the backdrop for one of the tracks on
Jay-Z's
Black Album. In March 2004, the group reunited with former lead Eugene Record for a PBS Soul Music special. Record died in July 2005 following a long battle with cancer. Marshall Thompson and Squirrel Lester, along with more recent addition Frank Reed and the group's first female member, wife Tara Thompson, continued as the Chi-Lites, recording and touring over the last two decades with other soul groups such as
the Stylistics and
Ray, Goodman & Brown. In 2005 the group released the single "Mother Love". Lester died in January 2010, leaving Thompson the sole remaining founding member of the group. Lester was replaced by Fred Simon (formerly of
The Lost Generation). In February 2014, Reed died after an illness. In 2018, Warren Tipton, the father of rapper
Freddie Gibbs, joined the group. Fred Simon died in April 2026. As of 2026, Thompson continues the Chi-Lites' legacy as the last surviving member. On June 17, 2020,
Hollywood Walk of Fame announced their Class of 2021 to receive stars on
Hollywood Boulevard, and the Chi-Lites were named as one of the honorees. ==Honors==