Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan performing at the Chumash Casino Resort in
Santa Ynez, California.
Background information
Birth name
Yvette Marie Stevens
Also known as
The Queen of Funk Soul
Born
March 23, 1953
(1953-03-23)
Origin
Great Lakes, Illinois, U.S.
Genre(s)
R&B, soul, pop, funk, jazz
Occupation(s)
Singer, songwriter
Voice type(s)
Contralto [1]
Years active
1970—present
Label(s)
ABC (1972-1979)
MCA (1979-1980)
Warner Bros. (1978-1993)
Reprise (1993-1997)
NPG (1998-2000)
Burgundy (2005-present)
Associated
acts
Rufus
Indira Khan
Website
ChakaKhan.com
Chaka Khan (pronounced /ʃækæ kɑːn/; born
March 23, 1953)
is a Grammy-winning
American singer-songwriter known for hit
songs such as "I’m Every Woman", "Ain’t
Nobody", "I Feel for You" and "Through the
Fire". She also sang a modernized theme
song for the hit children’s TV show Reading
Rainbow in the show’s later years. Khan was
first featured as a member of the funk band
Rufus before beginning her solo career.
Biography
Early life
Khan was born Yvette Marie Stevens in
Great Lakes, Illinois. Her sister is a dance
music artist Taka Boom, and her brother is
Mark Stevens of the band Aurra. Khan was
raised on Chicago’s South Side, and at the
age of 11 formed her first group, the
Crystalettes. While still in high school, she
joined the Afro-Arts Theater, a group which
toured with Motown great Mary Wells. A few
years later, she adopted the African name
"Chaka" while working as a volunteer on the
Black Panthers’ Free Breakfast for Children
program in Chicago. She received her name
during a naming ceremony at the Afro-Arts
Theater, where a Yoruba priest christened
her Chaka Adunne Aduffe Yemoja Hodarhi
Karifi (as stated on her official website). After
quitting high school in 1969, Chaka joined
the group Lyfe, soon exiting that group to
join another soul band, The Babysitters, re-
placing former
lead singer Baby Huey.
Neither group enjoyed mainstream success,
but her fortunes changed when she teamed
with ex-American Breed member Kevin
Murphy and Andre Fischer to form Ru