Song of the Day 6/27: Rotary Connection, “I Am the Black Gold of the Sun”

Guest post by Nathan Arizona

Chicago’s Chess Records made a name for itself in the 1950s and ‘60s as the home of great blues and soul artists. But Marshall Chess, son of the owner, wanted the label to expand its offerings. How about a soul band that incorporated spacey, hippie rock and pop?

So in 1966 Rotary Connection was born. Chess looked around the studio and plucked some folks from obscurity for the band. He then recruited Chess session guitarist Phil Upchurch to play on the records. Upchurch became a go-to session player for the likes of Curtis Mayfield and George Benson.

Chess brought in arranger Charles Stepney to create a lush orchestral sound including strings by the Chicago Symphony. Stepney became a major producer who worked with Earth, Wind and Fire and guided jazzman (and former Delaware State professor) Donald Byrd through late-career success in soul/r&b music. He also added members of an obscure Chicago rock band to the mix.

A Chess receptionist named Minnie Riperton was made a back-up singer. She went on to solo success with her startling “whistle-register” voice. She was also the mother of comedian and actress Maya Rudolph, well-known from her “Saturday Night Live” years.

The records didn’t exactly soar up the charts, and most of their success came in the Midwest. The band missed an opportunity for more when its manager turned down an invitation to Woodstock in favor of an obscure festival in Toronto. But reviews were good and the band has become an often-sampled cult favorite over the years.

Rotary Connection was just as eclectic as it was meant to be. The band did rockish tunes like “The Weight,” almost-orthodox soul music and things that were hard to define. The latter included “I Am the Black Gold of the Sun,” a psychedelic empowerment anthem with a choir. It might be best-known from a 1997 cover by the Nuyorican Orchestra.

The video for “Black Gold” features fascinating footage of plain black folks living their lives in a black-and-white photographic world. Music by Stepney, lyrics by Riperton’s husband, Richard Rudolph.

This performance of the Band’s “The Weight” shows the hybrid nature of Rotary Connection music. The rock elements are set off by soulful ones — including the lead singer’s rakish hat!

Minnie Riperton’s solo career ended when she died from breast cancer at age 31. “Lovin’ You” was her biggest hit. The “sensitive” guitar player next to the white bird disappears pretty fast.