Chic Recordings...Answering the call!

 

You CAN have it both ways!

 

Today's square dance music market is no longer a one-size-fits-all proposition.  Chic's goals are to produce singing calls in a variety of music styles; stay true to the original song; and release the music in two separate keys, one for male callers, and one for female callers. The second key is not simply a re-pitched version of the first. All the live instruments and background vocals are done twice to maintain the quality of the recordings.

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Written by Shauna

August Release - "That's Country Bro"

 “That’s Country Bro” is a brand-new (May 2019) country song from Toby Keith that features a rapid-fire list of the artists, shows, and songs that defined the country music industry. According to the press release for the song, Toby hit the names of 57 different key influences in the song. (Our singing call doesn’t quite count that high since we only had room for three of the song’s four verses.) I first heard this song on “The Voice” and for some reason it hooked me and wouldn’t let go. (I think it had me at “M-M-M-Mel and Detroit City. By the way, if you haven’t listened to that lately…you should. What a voice!)

This track is classic country, driven mostly by guitar, with a little bit of honky-tonk piano as the icing on the cake. Dancers are loving it and it becomes a conversation piece as they come up and talk to you about all the memories they have of the names you just fired off. Very fun!

CHIC 1058 in the male vocal range features Chic Staff Caller, Steve Moore.

CHIC 2058 in the female vocal range also features Producer, Shauna Kaaria.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately, but we do have a dual-key option at a discounted rate for those who prefer to have both keys.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

July Release - "Spanish Eyes"

 “Spanish Eyes” is a well-known song that probably doesn’t need much introduction. Most of you, like me, first heard it with the 1966 hit by Al Martino. In my childhood home, the “Spanish Eyes” album was one of the very few records my parents owned, and I probably should finally confess to my father that my siblings and I were responsible for wearing it out. Specifically, me, my younger sister, and the girl who lived across the street. We choreographed a beautiful hula dance to the song with the intent of putting on a show for our parents (even charging them admission), practiced hundreds of times (poor record), and I don’t think we ever had our little show. Probably a little too ambitious for seven-year-olds.

Needless to say, I have loved this song for MANY years. I thought the “danced-up” version from Engelbert Humperdinck in 1998 was seriously cool when Vic started using it for patter (a few moons ago), but the vocal track and the change-up of the dance rhythm throughout kept it from being a go-to piece of music for calling. A few years back, when the Shakedown band was playing together, we charted the song and I had a blast playing the fun bass rhythm. It was one of my favorite patter pieces we played, and I’ve thought about taking it to the studio quite a few times, but just never pulled the trigger.

Last week, Vic was headed off to the studio to do some work with Jimmy for New Beat. I jokingly said, “We don’t have a release for July yet…if you have time, knock out a patter with ‘Spanish Eyes.’” Later that night (MUCH later), I got a text from Vic that he would be home late. They were working on “Spanish Eyes.” I went to bed, Vic got home around 3am, and I woke up to find the completed track sitting in the DropBox.

If THIS is what happens when Vic and Jimmy are left in the studio unsupervised…I should leave them there more often. Every time I listen, I hear something new. I love it! Hope you do, too.

CHIC4057(4000 series identifies patters and hoedowns) is, quite simply, a smooth and beautiful piece of patter music with a laid-back Latin groove that dances like a dream.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50.

Click on the youtube link (to the left) for preview!

Details
Written by Shauna

June Release - "I Got Rhythm"

 “I Got Rhythm” is a well-known jazz standard, originally written and published in 1930 by George and Ira Gershwin. It’s one of those timeless tunes, with popularity that has spanned nine decades (so far). To quote Wikipedia, “a complete list of notable singers who have recorded this song would take up several pages.” The 1966 version by The Happenings is listed first among the “most popular,” and served as our inspiration for this singing call. The recording by The Happenings hit #3 on the US charts in 1967. The band’s original concept was to take a song that’s already proven it could be a hit and put their own spin on it, which is exactly what they did with “I Got Rhythm.”

Like many of the hit groups of the 60’s The Happenings’ recordings were rich with background vocals, which we have done our best to recreate for the singing call. (As always, if background vocals aren’t your thing, we provide an instrumental track without them.)

CHIC 1056 in the male vocal range features two Chic Staff Callers, David Mee and Vic Kaaria.

CHIC 2056 in the female vocal range also features two Staff Callers with Patty Greene and Shauna Kaaria.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately, but we do have a dual-key option at a discounted rate for those who prefer to have both keys.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

May Release - "Everyday People"

 “Everyday People” was recorded by Sly and the Family Stone in 1968, and became their first single to hit number one on both the Soul singles chart, and the Billboard Hot 100. It held its place as number one on the Hot 100 for four weeks in early 1969.

Written by Sly Stone, “Everyday People” was one of Sly’s many pleas for peace and equality among races and social groups. Sly and the Family Stone practiced what they preached and were noted for being the first major integrated band in rock history.

It was over three years ago that Tony Oxendine mentioned this song to me as a possible singing call for Chic Recordings. I knew the song well because I grew up with it, and I loved the idea. I looked it up and listened to it with a producer’s ear and realized immediately that it was not built for a square dance singing call’s structure (7 x 64), and so it went to the back burner.

With 60’s on 6 playing on my new Sirius radio, the song came back to the front burner and it was time to see if we could “make it work.” Jimmy and I spent a couple of hours putting the pieces together and landed on an arrangement that felt right the moment we found it. Of course, I immediately sent it to Tony for his opinion and a request that he record the vocal, since the song was his idea from the start. I think he was almost as excited as I was that it was going to work.

The final product is a fun song with a catchy melody and a great message that is as relevant today as it ever was. “…and so on and so on and scooby dooby dooby…We got to live together!”

As I already mentioned, the male vocal range version features Tony Oxendine (courtesy of Royal Records), and he nailed it! Tony captured the fun and feel of the original with just a few background vocals provided by Jimmy Mac and myself.

Originally, the female vocal was planned for Patty Greene, but her demanding schedule before, during, and after the recent CALLERLAB convention prevented her from recording in time for an early May release. I stepped into the batter’s box (recording booth) as a pinch hitter and quickly discovered that in order to sing the “I am everyday people” tagline, I was going to have to hit a note I’ve never hit before (a full step below the bottom of my range). My initial plan was to sing an alternate melody and let the melody be covered by Jimmy in the background vocals. Jimmy was having none of that and said, “just sing it.” So… I sang it. Nobody was more surprised than me when the note actually came out. Jimmy said “That’s it! Now sing it again…I wasn’t recording.” He’s lucky I didn’t dock his pay!

CHIC 1055 in the male vocal range features the awesome vocal by Tony Oxendine.

CHIC 2055 in the female vocal range features the vocal by producer, Shauna Kaaria.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

CALLERLAB Release - "Fire2" Patter

 Introduced at the 2019 CALLERLAB Convention (even referenced in the keynote speech on Monday morning), we bring you a hot new patter!

The patter starts with the smoldering groove of “Fire”, a la Pointer Sisters. This song has been on my possible “singers” list for a while, but I just couldn’t strike the match and get it going. In today’s political climate, a song with lyrics from a woman stating “I say I don’t like it…but you know I’m a liar…” just didn’t feel right. And for the men to sing it Bruce Sprinsteen’s way, “you say you don’t like it…but I know you’re a liar.” Nah…it just felt creepy. (Unless, of course, it is being sung with the voice of Elmer Fudd. In that case, it's just funny!)

But the groove was just too cool to pass up, so…a patter was ignited. (Tired of the flame references yet?)

As Jimmy and I were working in the studio, we were pulling up the original track for inspiration and stumbled on the song with the same name, “Fire,” from The Ohio Players. Another smoking hot track, and a mash-up was born.

So…we don’t just bring you a hot patter named “Fire.” We bring you double-hot patter of “Fire…to the power of two!” Aptly named, "Fire2" (“Fire Squared!”).

Jimmy did a brilliant job of making the transitions between the two seamless. We added a few background vocals, mostly the repeating phrases of “Fy-yuh!” Jimmy also did a great job of recreating the chants and such from The Ohio Players track. If you’re not into BGV…a track without them is included..

CHIC4054(4000 series identifies patters and hoedowns) is a blazing hot patter. So hot, it’s almost an inferno…disco inferno… but no, that’s a song for another day. We hope you and your dancers will love it as much as we do!

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

April Release - "Blow Away"

 Released in February of 1979 (the year I graduated from High School), “Blow Away” is one of George Harrison’s most popular songs from his solo career. One survey puts it in second place, falling behind “My Sweet Lord” in the number one spot. If the song title doesn’t ring a bell, just give it a listen. Once the chorus hits, you’ll know it and be singing along.

In his autobiography, George said “the song arose from feelings of frustration and inadequacy, resulting from a leaking roof at his Friar Park home.” He said he realized that by “surrendering to the problem, he was merely exacerbating it.” It was a reminder that he needed to be more optimistic. He was initially a little self-conscious about the simple lyric, thinking it was “too obvious.”

“Obvious,” perhaps. But extremely profound. The simple chorus reminds us that “all we gotta do is…be happy.” Challenges come everyone’s way, and we have the gift to choose how we handle them.

I have been so inspired by the way that Connie and Eldon Graham (fellow caller and her husband) have dealt with Eldon’s battle with the Guillian-Barre disease, that I am dedicating this song to them. Life has certainly “rained on their parade” for the past year, and if you’ve been following Connie’s posts you know that they have met every challenge with true love, and the kind of positive attitude that can't help but make it “Blow Away.” I look forward to the day I can dance in a square with the two of them, and I know that day will come. Soon!

Considering the fact that George Harrison is his favorite Beatle, Staff Caller, Vic Kaaria was a no-brainer choice to record the vocal. In addition to recording a great vocal, Vic’s familiarity with the song was a huge help during the production of the music with Jimmy Mac. As always, Jimmy Mac nailed the music. Tons of fun watching him work the slide on his guitar.

Staff Caller, Patty Greene, brought the song to my attention and provided a great vocal for the female vocal range. She has had her hands full the past few weeks, and she still managed to record an awesome vocal and get it to us in plenty of time for the release. Patty rocks!!!

CHIC 1053 in the male vocal range features the awesome vocal by Vic Kaaria.

CHIC 2053 in the female vocal range features the equally awesome vocal by Patty Greene.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

March Release - "You Took Advantage of Me"

 “You Took Advantage of Me” is a show tune written by Rodgers and Hart and first made popular in 1928, making this the oldest song in the Chic catalog. (Sure hope I’m still this relevant when I’m 91.) Written for their musical “Present Arms,” this song was first sung by a couple who were formerly married, yet still had feelings for one another. That little data point brings a new perspective to some of the lyric.

From its beginning, the song has been sung and recorded by both male and female artists, with the first recording in 1928 and the most recent recording in 2019. (Okay, that one is ours, but there are numerous other recordings in the 21st century as well.) Notable recordings through the years include the likes of Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Al Hirt, and even The Supremes. It should come as no surprise to anyone that our version was inspired by Linda Ronstadt’s recording with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra on her album, “Lush Life.”

Rodgers himself described the song as a “sassy and unregretful number,” and you’ll find that the melody quickly grabs you, enters the brain, and stays. Dancer response in early previews has been widely positive, and the feet certainly do start tapping when the music starts.

When it comes to these early standards, our go-to guy is Chic Staff Caller, David Mee. The first time I ever heard him sing, he was singing “Sinatra,” and his voice and style is a perfect match for this genre. The cut was particularly perfect for David with a title like "You Took Advantage of Mee." As always, he delivered an awesome vocal.

When you have a “sassy” song like this, the female vocal just has to go to Chic Staff Caller, Deborah Carroll-Jones. She has a way of taking on the character of the song and giving it the perfect voice.

CHIC 1052 in the male vocal range features the awesome vocal by David Mee.

CHIC 2052 in the female vocal range features the equally awesome vocal by Deborah Carroll-Jones.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

February Release - "Baby, Now That I've Found You"

 We’ve done something different with this release. While both the male and female range are based on the same song title, they are inspired by two very different versions. The male key is patterned after the original by The Foundations, and the female was inspired by the 1995 cover by Allison Krause.

“Baby, Now That I’ve Found You,” written by Tony Macauley and John MacLeod, was originally released in 1967 as the debut single for The Foundations. It wasn’t long before it took off, and quickly rose to number one on the British charts, climbing the Billboard Hot 100 to number 11 as well.

The song received new life in 1995 with a country makeover by Allison Krause, climbing the charts for a second time with a completely different sound. When Hunter Keller brought this version to my attention, I fell in love with it immediately, and plans to produce the singing call began. Rough tracks for both the male and female vocal ranges were prepared using this rendition as our inspiration.

As we were nearing completion of the female range track, I started hearing the original song on my oldies station. Likely a coincidence, but it was as if it was there, begging me to not be forgotten. The more I heard it, and I heard it often, the more I was convinced that it also needed to be a singing call. With the female track already in the can, the male track was the only choice for the makeover back to the original sound (sorry Hunter). Although we always produce the male and female tracks separately, sometimes with a slightly different guitar voice, this is the first time we’ve used the two keys to produce completely different arrangements of the same song.

When it came time to record the vocal, Scott Smith had embraced the song, and the new arrangement. A new grandchild for Scott, and recording deadlines for us, meant that Scott couldn’t get down to the studio to record his vocal. We packed up the equipment and met him at the California/Nevada state line (the halfway point) and recorded in a room at Whiskey Pete’s casino. As always, Scott was completely prepared, and did a fantastic job with his vocal before heading back north to Logan to meet his newest grandbaby.

Allison Krause is blessed with one of the most angelic voices on the planet. Recording a cover of anything she sings is an intimidating challenge. The average female voice does not have the range that Allison does, so this key has been adjusted (lowered) to match more of the female calling population. Although a challenge, I truly enjoyed recording the vocal for this beautiful song and arrangement.

CHIC 1051 in the male vocal range features the awesome vocal by Scott Smith with background vocals by Jimmy Mac and Shauna Kaaria.

CHIC 2051 in the female vocal range features the vocal by Shauna Kaaria.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

January Release - "Hurt So Bad"

 Our January 2019 singing call marks release number 50 for Chic Recordings! For this milestone release, we give a little nod to our inaugural release of “You’re No Good,” with “Hurts So Bad,” another power (you done me wrong) ballad by Linda Ronstadt.

“Hurts So Bad” was written by Teddy Randazoo, Bobby Weinstein, and Bobby Hart, and was first popularized in 1965 by Little Anthony & The Imperials. It hit the top ten in 1965, but the cover by Linda Ronstadt in 1980 was most successful version of the song, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1980. Linda's version served as the inspiration for our release.

Linda’s cover of the song featured a scorching guitar solo as part of the bridge, and we’ve done the same in the middle break of our release. Jimmy Mac did an amazing job capturing the sound of the solo originally played by Danny Kortchmar. It’s a testament to Jimmy’s musical abilities that he is able to capture it all in two separate keys!

Scott Bennett nailed the vocal for Chic’s inaugural release of “You’re No Good,” and then delivered two equally great vocals for our other two Ronstadt releases (“Just One Look” and “That’ll Be the Day”). There was no question that we would go back to Scott for the male vocal for “Hurts So Bad.” As expected, Scott nailed it again! Scott appears courtesy of Crest/Acme/Peak Recordings, and we sure appreciate his ongoing support of Chic.

While I had initially planned to record this vocal myself, I took a step back and realized that it would be a waste of the talent I have on the Chic staff if I didn’t give this power ballad to Patty Greene. Patty has the attitude, range, and power to nail this song, and nail it she did! Patty also made the time to get the vocal recorded with a very short lead time, allowing us to have the release ready on time. We’re very lucky to have her as part of the Chic team!

CHIC 1050 in the male vocal range features the awesome vocal by Scott Bennett.

CHIC 2050 in the female vocal range features the equally awesome vocal by Patty Greene.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

November Release - "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again"

 “Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again” (The Fortunes) was originally released in May of 1971 and quickly climbed the charts. It’s a catchy song with a very simple melody. The “rainy day feeling” is compared to the sadness (and tears) that come with losing the one you love. The lyric is also hopeful that the loved one will return and the “rainy day will go away.”

The song has been sitting on Chic’s “possibles” list for a while, until two things pulled it off that list and on to the fast track for production. First, I received a message from Kim Oxendine telling me she had a “great idea” for a Chic recording. She was so excited about the idea and felt it was a great cut for Chic to tackle. It took very little coaxing from Kim for me to pull the production trigger. We had barely finished our conversation before I logged into the Clearing House and reserved the song for Chic Recordings.

The timing of Kim’s message coincided with the completion of Chic Recordings’ first Weekend Getaway. The weekend was held in Big Bear Lake, and scheduled for a time of year where there is typically no fear of rainy weather. Two weeks before the weekend, I checked the weather forecast, and all was clear. Ten days before, I checked again and cringed. Rain was in the forecast and scheduled to hit the Saturday of our dancing weekend. With much of the dancing scheduled for outdoors, my “rainy day feeling” was hitting in full force.

Very long story short, the weekend arrived and we had a beautiful night dancing under the stars on Friday night. Shortly after midnight, the rain came in, along with thunder and lightning. We refused to allow it to rain on our parade, moved the dancing inside for the day, and found refuge for the Saturday evening dancing at a local church with a large dance hall.

The event will go down in history as the first time all seven of the Chic Staff Callers were able to call together, and it was a huge success in spite of the rain. 12+ squares of dancers joined us for the event and we are already looking forward to next year…with NO rain! Come and join us!!!

CHIC 1049 in the male vocal range features my favorite caller, Vic Kaaria.

CHIC 2049 in the female vocal range features my vocal, with backgrounds for both provided by Jimmy Mac and myself.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

October Release - "Monday, Monday"

 Fall is here, and we have a fun release for you! “Monday, Monday” was written by John Phillips and, according to Wikipedia, he claimed to have written it in just 20 minutes. That's what I call inspiration. Released by The Mamas & the Papas in 1966, it quickly rose to #1 on the charts and was the only #1 hit for the group. In March of 1967, the Mamas & the Papas won a Grammy for “Best Pop Performance by a Duo or a Group” for this song.

As we listened to the original song (something we always do in preparation of creating our first rough tracks), Jimmy Mac said, “Man, that sounds like Hal Blaine.” The name didn’t ring a bell for me, so I quickly set about googling it. Sure enough, the drums for the original “Monday, Monday” were recorded by none other than Hal Blaine of “The Wrecking Crew,” a group of studio musicians that were widely used in the 60’s and 70’s. Jimmy has spent time in the studio with Hal (see cool Jimmy-mullet picture), but I was still amazed that his ear could identify that it was Hal’s drumming on the track. Impressive!

The overall Mamas & the Papas sound, and especially “Monday, Monday,” is rich with harmony and background vocals. We did our best to replicate that sound for this release, and it required many tracks of harmony. Of course, if you prefer your singing calls without the backgrounds and harmony, we’ve got that covered too. Just like our choice of male and female vocal ranges, “You CAN have it both ways!”

CHIC 1048 in the male vocal range features my favorite caller, Vic Kaaria.

CHIC 2048 in the female vocal range features my vocal, with backgrounds for both provided by Jimmy Mac, Vic Kaaria, and myself.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

September Release - "Le Chic!" Patter

 We've been releasing singing calls every month this year (two in some months), so a new patter from Chic was due! We went one better than a new patter FROM Chic...this new patter IS Chic! "Le Chic!" is a medley of three hits from the band, Chic (popular in the late 70's). Even if you don't recognize the name of the band, you're gonna recognize these songs.

This Chic mash-up starts with the smash hit, "Le Freak," before moving on to the cool groove of "Everybody Dance," and then finishing with "Good Times." Jimmy Mac pulled out his monster bass guitar and went to town playing the funky bass grooves of the era. We added just a hint of the background vocal "catch phrases" of each song, and created a second track with no BGV at all, for those who prefer it that way. There is no question that this music will make everybody dance!

CHIC4037(4000 series identifies patters and hoedowns) is an awesome piece of patter music that starts the feet moving from the first beat. One caller actually "complained" that it was a medley. "Each part is so good, I want three separate patters!" No apologies...we love it just as it is. "Le Chic!"

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

Anniversary Release - "Desperado"

 August 22nd marks three years in business for Chic Recordings, so we've decided to celebrate with an Anniversary release! “Desperado” was written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey and first appeared on their 1973 album, “Desperado.” For Chic Recordings, “Desperado” is the song that almost wasn’t. I get many song suggestions and have a constant ear on various music sources. I had considered “Desperado” early on, but it was a passing notion. Some months ago, I saw a post on Facebook that Tony and Kim Oxendine were at an Eagles concert, and Kim had claimed that Tony sings “Desperado” better than the Eagles. My producer mind said, “Hmmmm…I thought about that song before. How cool if we cut it and let Tony sing it…he’s better than the Eagles!”

I pulled up the original song and created a singing call arrangement in my head that I thought would work. We went into the studio and made a rough cut and sent it to Tony. He and I both played with it some, and I discovered that I just could not call to it the way it was cut. He confirmed he was having some difficulty, as well. Back into the studio I went, taking my favorite caller (major Eagles fan) with me. He, Jimmy, and I pulled out all the rhythm tricks we knew to try to make it “dance” and “callable,” without success. Heartbroken, I spoke to Tony at Nationals and told him it just wasn’t going to work.

Vic tells me I’m stubborn, and maybe that is true, because I just couldn’t let it go. As I was driving to the next studio session alone, I had an arrangement epiphany. I arrived in Ventura and told Jimmy, “pull up Desperado again.” We moved things around to the new arrangement, and made some modifications to the rhythm track. It was better. I sent it to Tony, and he agreed. Next studio session, with my favorite caller (and silent partner) in tow, we added some things to the rhythm track, and went forward with some live instrumentation. The magic began to happen, and I knew it was going to work. At the end of the session, I sent a new track to Tony and got the following response, “now this one I REALLY like!!!!!!!!!!!!!” (Exact amount of exclamation points may not be completely accurate.) While Tony played with his track, I took mine to my guinea pigs (aka weekly class) for a test drive. My singing needed some work, but the track was dancing, and the dancers were responding. We had a winner. I knew immediately that THIS was to be the release that celebrates Chic Recordings THIRD anniversary. The singing call that almost wasn’t, “Desperado.”

As everyone knows, I have an amazing staff on Chic Recordings and any one of them would have knocked this song out of the park. In fact, it would have been hard to choose. But since it was Kim’s post about the Eagles concert (and her claim about how great he sings it), that brought the song back to my mind…this one had to go to Tony Oxendine. Tony and Royal Records have been a huge support of Chic from the beginning, and I can’t overstate how appreciative I am for that. As we sat in the studio and added Tony’s heartfelt rendition to the music track, I got goosebumps. It is understated, and it is beautiful. Those are the exact same words I would use to describe Henley’s vocal so when we are talking about who sings it better…I say we’ll call it a draw!

Musically, our rendition of “Desperado” is all Eagles. But everyone knows that Linda Ronstadt also recorded an amazing rendition of this beautiful ballad. In fact, Henley credited Ronstadt for popularizing the song with her early cover, and described her version as "poignant, and beautiful." It is no secret that I love Linda Ronstadt and have recorded a number of Ronstadt songs on both Fine Tune and Chic Recordings. Our inaugural release was a Linda song (You’re No Good), and I had searched for another to be our anniversary release. With “Desperado,” while we don’t actually have a Ronstadt song, we do get a little nod to our beginnings. Singing this song myself was, in short, terrifying. With the support of my favorite caller, and Jimmy Mac (who is not just an amazing engineer, but also an amazing vocal coach)…I stepped into the booth and gave it my best. I recorded mine before Tony sang his (thank goodness, because total intimidation would have stepped in). I sent the female track to Tony, so he could hear what we had done with the finished music and harmonies and he sent me the following text. “Absolutely beautiful vocal. I can’t stop listening.” It made me cry.

CHIC 1046 in the male vocal range features the amazing rendition from Tony Oxendine, courtesy of Royal Records.

CHIC 2046 in the female vocal range features my vocal, with backgrounds for both provided by Jimmy Mac, Charlie Robertson, and myself.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

August Release - "Smiling Faces Sometimes"

 “Smiling Faces Sometimes” was written for the Motown label by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. The Temptations were the first to record it, with an interesting arrangement (12 minutes worth) intended to bring feelings of fear and timidity. A shorter version was planned for a summer of ’71 single release, but was dropped when their lead singer left the group.

Norman Whitfield then re-recorded the song with his brand-new trio, The Undisputed Truth. Whitfield was known for recording dramatically different versions of the same song, which is exactly what he did here. This new version left the “haunted house” sounds behind, in exchange for a more psychedelic/soulful arrangement. The lyrics refer to “back-stabbing” people who will smile to your face while doing you wrong behind your back. It was released in May of 1971, and quickly rose to #3 on the charts. It’s a great song with a killer hook, and let's face it...square dancing could use a little more Motown!

Staff callers Vic Kaaria and Patty Greene were the perfect choice for these vocals, and they both knocked it out of the park. As usual, background vocals supplied by Vic Kaaria, Jimmy Mac, and myself.

CHIC 1045 in the male vocal range features the great vocal from my favorite caller, Vic Kaaria.

CHIC 2045 in the female vocal range features a vocal with just the right attitude from Staff Caller Patty Greene.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

July Release - "You Keep Me Hanging On"

 “You Keep My Hanging On” was originally released in 1966 by the Supremes and quickly rose to #1 on the charts in America. In 1986, it was covered by British artist Kim Wilde (a more pop/disco version) and again rose to #1 on the charts in America. In the first 32 years of Billboard’s Hot 100 rock era, only six songs achieved the feat of reaching the number one spot with two different artists. It has been covered by many artists over the years.

For this Chic release, we used the 1986 cover by Kim Wilde for our inspiration. The music is full of energy and dancers are loving it and singing along.

Staff callers Scott Smith and Patty Greene both delivered great vocals, with background vocals supplied by Vic Kaaria, Jimmy Mac, and myself.

CHIC 1044 in the male vocal range features the great vocal from Staff Caller, Scott Smith.

CHIC 2044 in the female vocal range features an equally great vocal from Staff Caller Patty Greene.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

Ghost Riders and our NSDC Release - "Precious and Few"

 Why do I have pictures of the Ghost Riders, you ask? Because the 67th National Square Dance Convention is just two weeks away, and the Ghost Riders have added even more Chic releases to their playlist! This brings the total number of Ghost Riders Playlist tunes from the Chic catalog to lucky number seven! We are celebrating by putting all seven on sale from now thru 6/30/18, the day the NSDC ends. Prices for the following releases, "Blue California-020," "Cleopatra Queen of Denial-009," "For What It's Worth-015," "Oh Happy Day-040," "Rolling Along-029," "Till There Was You-008", and "You're No Good-001" have already been reduced in the Chic Boutique.

Now for our mid-June pre-Nationals release, "Precious and Few." At the risk of dating myself, I have a keen remembrance of this song being played at school and church dances throughout my early teen years. It has remained a favorite, and I was so excited to bring it to life again for Chic Recordings. Since the song had been cut for square dancing before (quite well, I might add), I knew we had to add something to this production. With one ear on the original release, we did our best to match the sound of Climax in our music. As always, Jimmy Mac did a phenomenal job. Once the lead vocals were recorded, we went about adding the extra magic of background vocals. Early feedback on the new production has been extremely positive, including this from Wade Driver. "Here is a flash. Chic 1043, Precious and Few, is coming out soon. If you can carry a tune, male or female, and don't have this song in your repertoire, you are missing the boat. I just heard it today and it is superb. Will make any caller sound good. Just saying." Well, I'm "just saying"... it's that kind of feedback that makes me want to pinch myself every day.

This ballad was a perfect fit for the voice of Staff Caller, Steve Moore. I’m running out of nice things to say about what Steve brings to the Chic family. He has one of those voices that you could listen to all day long, and never tire of it. He knocked this beautiful song out of the park.

The female key was recorded by producer, Shauna Kaaria (me), and I also added my voice to the background tracks for both the male and female cuts.

CHIC 1043 in the male vocal range features the beautiful vocal from Steve Moore.

CHIC 2043 in the female vocal range features the vocal by Shauna Kaaria (me).

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

June Release - "Similau (See-Me-Low)"

 “Similau (See-Me-Lo)” was a 78 RPM single recorded by Peggy Lee and released on Capitol Records in 1949. It has recently reached a brand-new audience, being featured on the soundtrack of a television commercial for Samsung. In fact, it has been called “the TV spot that launched a million Shazam searches.” The song caught the attention of my favorite caller, and myself, while watching TV one evening, and I put it on our “possibles” list. Shortly after, I received an email from Chic Recordings Staff Caller, Deborah Carroll-Jones, also suggesting the song. That was all it took for me to pull the trigger on the producton, and into the studio we went. Jimmy and I had a blast with his box of percussive instruments, using many to make this cool rhythm track groove in all the right ways.

As I was doing some research on the song, I came across a quote from Isaiah Serer who directed the Samsung commercial, and it resonated deeply with me. He said, “Everyone’s scared to do old tracks in commercials, but our philosophy is, if we find something timeless, but also speaks to the moment, then we have a total winner.” It resonated so deeply, I believe, because it conveyed the way I feel about choosing songs to produce for Chic Recordings. We are always looking for something new, but the “timeless tracks” often find a way to “speak to the moment” (and to me) and demand to be produced. Hopefully this one will be a “total winner.”

I had been waiting for just the right song to invite Justin Russell to record a guest vocal. As I was pondering which male voice would be the best fit, I realized that this was the right song for Justin. Thankfully, he agreed, and he recorded the vocal exactly the way I imagined it to be. Justin appears courtesy of Royal Records. As always, I appreciate their support!

As previously mentioned, “Similau” was suggested by Deborah Carroll-Jones, and there was no way anyone else was going to record the vocal for the female key. I challenged her to “go all Peggy Lee” with it, and she did just that! She even got creative with some “limbo” choreography. We are so lucky to have Deborah’s talents as part of the Chic Recordings staff!

CHIC 1042 in the male vocal range features the great vocal from Justin Russell (courtesy of Royal Records).

CHIC 2042 in the female vocal range features Staff Caller Deborah Carroll-Jones singing a vocal that would make Peggy Lee proud.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

May Release - "Till the Rivers All Run Dry"

 “Till the Rivers All Run Dry” is a classic Don Williams ballad, written by Don (along with Wayland Holyfield). The song was released in December of 1975 and quickly climbed the charts to the Number One position. Don’s smooth and soft-toned voice, along with his height of 6’1”, earned him the nickname “Gentle Giant.” Throughout his career, Don Williams was best-known for his beautiful ballads, always sung from the heart. Don Williams stopped touring in March of 2016, and he passed at home in Mobile, Alabama on September 8, 2017. This release is our tribute to the “Gentle Giant” and his musical legacy.

With Steve Moore on staff, Chic Recordings is blessed to have our own “Gentle Giant.” Steve’s voice has a similar smooth, soft-toned sound, and he really shines in this Country ballad lane. As the producer, I had goosebumps listening to him record in the studio, and when he finished and added the “I love you baby” to his wife (who was sitting nearby as he was recording), my little heart just melted. It was my extreme pleasure to add a few harmony tracks to this beautiful song that was originally released on an album titled “Harmony.”

The real magic and beauty of music lies in the fact that it can be so personal and speak different things to each person who listens. It may be due to Mother's Day, or her approaching birthday, but for me, this beautiful “I’ll be needing you” message brings tender feelings of my mother who left this world not that long ago. A few years after her own mother passed, my mother shared with me how frequently she still felt the need to call and talk to her. I get it, Mom. I totally get it. I’ll never stop needing you. Happy Mother's Day!

CHIC 1041 in the male vocal range features the beautiful vocal from Chic Staff Caller, Steve Moore.

CHIC 2041 in the female vocal range features my tribute to my mother.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

April Release - "Oh Happy Day"

 “Oh Happy Day” was recorded by the Edwin Hawkins Singers in 1967. This was a new gospel music arrangement of an 18th-century hymn, and quickly became an international hit, landing in the top 5 of musical charts all over the world. Hawkins’ new arrangement has since been covered by many recording artists and was also featured in the film, Sister Act 2. Somehow, this song had never been translated to a square dance singing call (that we could find), and we decided it was about time it joined the square dance gospel music catalog. It’s the icing on the cake that we were able to release this song on Easter Sunday. “Oh Happy Day,” indeed!

Once we decided to adapt “Oh Happy Day” for a singing call, I knew this was the perfect song to feature the talents of the entire Chic Recordings Staff. It took some doing to get all the vocals gathered, and wasn’t without some hiccups along the way, but you’ll hear why I feel so blessed to have such talented callers in the Chic Recordings family. The Chic family wouldn’t be complete without the talents of Jimmy Mac. It’s his unique skill set that pulled all the tracks together, played the amazing music to go with it, built the background vocal “wall of sound” (which included singing some of the BGV himself), and once again made what I believe is some Chic magic.

CHIC1040 in the male vocal range features the vocal talents of the Chic Recordings men.

CHIC2040 in the female vocal range features the vocal talents of the Chic Recordings women.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, and the vocal cut.

Both are being sold separately since they were produced separately.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

Details
Written by Shauna

March Release - "Love is Strange"

 This month we add another song to our "Duets" catalog. “Love is Strange” was originally released in November 1956 by rhythm and blues duet artists, Mickey and Sylvia. Written by Mickey and Sylvia, along with Bo Diddley, the opening hook of the song was based on a Jody Williams guitar riff. The same guitar riff was also used in the ‘62 song “Rinky Dink.”

Although previously recorded (quite well, I might add) by Chaparral Records, we felt that Chic’s “Duets” series was the perfect place for a remake that would capture the authenticity of the original Mickey & Sylvia hit. As always, Jimmy Mac managed to recreate the sounds of the original, this time using his Gretsch guitar for those iconic blues riffs. We made an effort not to overproduce this cut and capture the simplicity of the original hit.

Chic Recordings Staff Caller, Scott Smith, was the perfect choice to record the male portion of the new duet, as it was his voice that brought the original Chaparral recording to life. The female portion of the duet was recorded by producer, Shauna Kaaria, who also had some fun attempting to capture the feel of the answer-back “Yeah-ays” and “no-o-nos” of the original. Bonus, now she can knock “record a duet with Scott Smith” off her bucket list.

CHIC 3039 a duet suitable for both male and female vocal ranges, features Shauna and Scott's vocal.

To purchase, just head on over to the Chic Boutique for fast and easy mp3 downloads.

Introductory price is $7.50 and includes the music with and without melody, tracks for either vocal range to sing along with the second voice, and the vocal cut.

Click on the youtube links (to the left) for previews!

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