Rewind to the late 1970s, when glitzy nightclubs like New York’s Studio 54 were at the heart of the disco craze! A new band rose to fame, creating dance floor classics that became staples of any DJ’s playlist. That band was the disco-funk group Chic, founded by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards.
Fun fact: Chic’s founders wrote their famous disco anthem, “Le Freak,” after being turned away from Studio 54. One night, Grace Jones had invited the duo to the club herself, but the doorman wouldn’t let them in. Frustrated, they improvised a song using the bouncer’s words, “f*** off,” as a refrain. To make the song more radio-friendly, Rodgers and Edwards later replaced this phrase with “freak out.”
Nearly 50 years later, classic Chic songs such as “Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah),” “I Want Your Love,” and “Good Times” still have a large following. Recent performances at festivals like Glastonbury and Blenheim’s Nocturne Live are a testament to the group’s enduring popularity.
Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards wrote music for many other prominent artists, too. Their first project was with Sister Sledge on their album “We Are Family.” The title track became the group’s signature song and an anthem for the gay community. The duo collaborated with Diana Ross on hits such as “Upside Down” and “I’m Coming Out.”
By that time, new musical styles such as punk, new wave, and house music had already begun to emerge. Chic disbanded in 1983, but Rodgers continued producing music for other artists. With “Let’s Dance,” he propelled David Bowie into his most commercially successful era. Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” album, also produced by Nile Rodgers, established her in her role as the “Queen of Pop.”
More recently, Nile Rodgers took part in producing Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” album. The hit singles “Get Lucky” and “Lose Yourself to Dance” introduced his signature groove to a new generation of music lovers. These songs, as well as many others resulting from these collaborations, have cemented his legacy as a music producer. No Chic live performance today would be complete without them.
