Terry Callier

Biography

Terrence Orlando "Terry" Callier (May 24, 1945 – October 27, 2012) was an American soul, folk and jazz guitarist and singer-songwriter.

Life and career

Callier was born on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and was raised in the Cabrini–Green housing area. He learned piano, was a childhood friend of Curtis Mayfield, Major Lance and Jerry Butler, and began singing in doo-wop groups in his teens. In 1962, he took an audition at Chess Records, where he recorded his debut single, "Look at Me Now". While attending college, he began performing in folk clubs and coffee houses in Chicago, becoming strongly influenced by the music of John Coltrane. During this period, he briefly performed in a duo with David Crosby in Chicago and New York City.
He met Samuel Charters of Prestige Records in 1964; the following year, they recorded his debut album, The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier×The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier1965 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1900 Miles5:09A2Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be2:58A3Johnny Be Gay If You Can Be4:26A4Cotton Eyed Joe5:28B1It's About Time3:33B2Promenade in Green4:08B3Spin, Spin, Spin3:10B4I'm a Drifter8:52. Charters then took the tapes with him into the Mexican desert, delaying the release of the album until 1968. Two of Callier's songs, "Spin, Spin, Spin" and "It's About Time", were recorded by the psychedelic rock band H. P. Lovecraft in 1968, as part of their H. P. Lovecraft II album. H. P. Lovecraft featured fellow Chicago folk club stalwart George Edwards, who would go on to co-produce several tracks for Callier in 1969.
He continued to perform in Chicago; in 1970, he joined the Chicago Songwriters Workshop set up by Jerry Butler. He and partner Larry Wade wrote material for Chess and its subsidiary Cadet label, including The Dells' 1972 hit "The Love We Had Stays on My Mind", as a result of which he was awarded his own recording contract with Cadet as a singer-songwriter. Three critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful albums followed, produced by Charles Stepney: Occasional Rain×Occasional Rain1972 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracksA1Segue #1 - Go Ahead On0:42A2Ordinary Joe4:15A3Golden Circle3:37A4Segue #5 - Go Head On0:49A5Trance on Sedgewick Street6:22A6Do You Finally Need a Friend5:46B1Segue #4 - Go Head On0:47B2Sweet Edie-D5:03B3Occasional Rain4:05B4Segue #2 - Go Head On0:53B5Blues for Marcus4:03B6Lean on Me6:32B7Last Segue - Go Head On0:40 (1972), What Color Is Love×What Color Is Love1972 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Dancing Girl9:032What Color Is Love4:073You Goin’ Miss Your Candyman7:214Just as Long as We’re in Love3:425Ho Tsing Mee (A Song of the Sun)4:216I’d Rather Be With You6:407You Don’t Care5:30 (1972), and I Just Can't Help Myself (1973). These demonstrated that Callier's influences included soul, jazz, funk, psychedelia, and classical music. Subsequently, he toured with George Benson, Gil Scott-Heron and others. Cadet and its parent label Chess were sold in 1976 and Callier was then dropped from the label. The Songwriters Workshop closed in 1976.
The following year, Don Mizell signed him to a new contract with his Jazz Fusion Division at Elektra Records, resulting in the R&B-oriented Fire On Ice (1977) and Turn You to Love (1978). The opening track of the latter album, "Sign Of The Times×Sign of the Times1979 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksASign of the Times8:25BOccasional Rain3:49", was used as the theme tune of radio DJ Frankie Crocker and became Callier's only US chart success, reaching No. 78 on the R&B chart in 1979. The single prompted his appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, where Mizell presented him in the Elektra Jazz Fusion Night showcase alongside Grover Washington, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Lee Ritenour. When Mizell moved on to work with Stevie Wonder in 1980, Callier was dropped from the label.
Callier continued to perform and tour until 1983, when he gained custody of his daughter and retired from music to take classes in computer programming, landing a job at the University of Chicago and returning to college during the evenings to pursue a degree in sociology. He re-emerged from obscurity in the late 1980s, when British DJs discovered his old recordings and began to play his songs in clubs. Acid Jazz Records head Eddie Piller reissued a little-known Callier recording from 1983, "I Don't Want to See Myself (Without You)×I Don't Want to See Myself (without You)1999 · ReleaseSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Kings of Tomorrow vocal mix)9:142I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Kings of Tomorrow dub)10:273I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Heller & Farley Saturday in Chicago mix)8:434I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Heller & Farley Full Groove mix)7:145I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Mikey Benn vocal mix)4:156I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Mikey Benn dub)5:017I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (original version)6:598I Waited for You4:25", and brought him to play clubs in Britain. From 1991 he began to make regular trips to play gigs during his vacation time from work.
In the late 1990s, Callier began his comeback to recorded music, collaborating with Urban Species on their 1997 EP Religion and Politics and contributed to Beth Orton's Best Bit EP in 1997 before releasing the album Timepeace×TimePeace25 January 1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Ride Suite Ride (intro)2:512Lazarus Man8:293Keep Your Heart Right4:544Aka New York Al4:495Traitor to the Race3:236C'est La Vie5:057Java Sparrow5:158Coyote Moon4:519People Get Ready/Brotherly Love6:5010Love Theme From Spartacus4:2911No More Blues5:4512Time Peace/No One Has to Tell You/Build a World of Love8:55 in 1998, which won the United Nations' Time For Peace award for outstanding artistic achievement contributing to world peace. His colleagues at the University of Chicago did not know of Callier's life as a musician, but after the award the news of his work as a musician became widely known and subsequently led to his dismissal by the University.

As well as touring internationally, Callier continued his recording career, releasing five albums after Timepeace, including Lifetime×LifeTime1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1When My Lady Danced3:402Sunset Boulevard5:143Comin' Up From Babylon5:384Holdin' On5:275Where a Lark Is Singing4:306Nobody but Yourself5:0474 Miles3:158Love Can Do3:309When the Music Is Gone5:3210Fix the Blame6:1711I Don't Want to See Myself (Without You)7:0112LifeTime3:47 (1999), Alive×Alive19 March 2001 · Album · LiveSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Ordinary Joe7:472Step Into the Light7:543Lazurus Man8:264Lament for the Late A. D.9:475African Violet9:296You’re Gonna Miss Your Candy Man6:537What Colour Is Love5:128Dancing Girl11:239People Get Ready1:0810I Don’t Wanna See Myself9:02 (2001), Speak Your Peace×Speak Your PeaceMay 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Monuments of Mars4:472Running Around5:003Darker Than a Shadow5:354Brother to Brother4:165Turn This Mutha6:246Caravan of Love5:347Sierra Leone8:048Speak Your Peace4:239Tokyo Moon4:1910We Are Not Alone5:0011Just My Imagination3:1412Imagine a Nation7:3713Chelsea Blue5:2614Got to Get It All Straightened Out3:49 (2002), featuring Paul Weller on the single "Brother to Brother×Brother to Brother2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Brother to Brother (feat. Paul Weller)4:172Darker Than a Shadow5:353You're Gonna Miss Your Candy Man6:59", Golden Apples of the Sun (2003), featuring the words of W. B. Yeats' poem The Song of the Wandering Aengus, and Lookin' Out (2004). May 2009 saw his album Hidden Conversations×Hidden Conversations8 June 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Wings5:382Sunset Boulevard5:053Hidden Conversations3:544The Hood I Left Behind5:395Once I Dreamed of Heaven5:216Fool Em I Fool R U3:347Rice and Beans:Grace4:078Jessica and Alice3:599John Lee Hooker5:0110Live With Me6:05 featuring Massive Attack released on Mr Bongo records. In 2001, Callier performed "Satin Doll" for the Red Hot Organization's compilation album Red Hot + Indigo, a tribute to Duke Ellington, which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease.
Callier died after a long battle with throat cancer on October 27, 2012, aged 67.

Studio albums

The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier (Prestige, 1968)
Occasional Rain (Cadet, 1972)
What Color Is Love (Cadet, 1972)
I Just Can't Help Myself (Cadet, 1973)
Fire on Ice (Elektra, 1978)
Turn You to Love (Elektra, 1979)
Time Peace (Verve Forecast/Talkin' Loud/PolyGram, 1998) No. 92 UK
Lifetime (Blue Thumb/Talkin' Loud, 1999) No. 96 UK
Speak Your Peace (Mr Bongo, 2002) No. 156 UK
Lookin' Out (Mr Bongo, 2004)
Hidden Conversations (Mr Bongo, 2009)

Live albums

TC in DC (Premonition, 1996) recorded live in Washington D.C. 1982
Live at Mother Blues, 1964 (Premonition, 2000) recorded live in Chicago 1964
Alive (Mr Bongo, 2001) recorded live in London 2000
Welcome Home (Mr Bongo, 2008) recorded live in London 2008

Singles and maxi singles

"Look at Me Now" (Chess, 1968)
"I Just Can't Help Myself" (Cadet, 1973)
"Ordinary Joe" / "Golden Circle of Your Love" (Cadet)
"Look at Me Now" / "Ordinary Joe" (Cadet)
"Butterfly" / "Street Fever" (Elektra, 1978)
"Sign of the Times×Sign of the Times1979 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksASign of the Times8:25BOccasional Rain3:49" / "Occasional Rain×Occasional Rain1972 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracksA1Segue #1 - Go Ahead On0:42A2Ordinary Joe4:15A3Golden Circle3:37A4Segue #5 - Go Head On0:49A5Trance on Sedgewick Street6:22A6Do You Finally Need a Friend5:46B1Segue #4 - Go Head On0:47B2Sweet Edie-D5:03B3Occasional Rain4:05B4Segue #2 - Go Head On0:53B5Blues for Marcus4:03B6Lean on Me6:32B7Last Segue - Go Head On0:40" (Elektra, 1979)
"I Don't Want to See Myself (Without You)×I Don't Want to See Myself (without You)1999 · ReleaseSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Kings of Tomorrow vocal mix)9:142I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Kings of Tomorrow dub)10:273I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Heller & Farley Saturday in Chicago mix)8:434I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Heller & Farley Full Groove mix)7:145I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Mikey Benn vocal mix)4:156I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (Mikey Benn dub)5:017I Don't Want to See Myself Without You (original version)6:598I Waited for You4:25" / "If I Could Make You (Change Your Mind)" (Erect, 1982; reissued on Acid Jazz, 1990 & 2006)
"Love Theme from Spartacus×Love Theme From Spartacus1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Love Theme From Spartacus (Zero 7 remix)5:052Love Theme From Spartacus (4 Hero main mix)6:123Love Theme From Spartacus (Roy's Steppers Delight)8:004Love Theme From Spartacus (Aqua Mental mix)5:315Love Theme From Spartacus (4 Hero No Skins mix)5:32" (Talkin' Loud/(Verve Forecast), 1998)
"I Don't Want to See Myself (Without You)" (Talkin' Loud, 1999)
"Silent Night" (Talkin' Loud, 1999)
"Holdin' On" / "When My Lady Danced" (Talkin' Loud, 1999)
"Tomorrow in Your Eyes" – East West Connection featuring Terry Callier (Chillifunk, 2001)
"Brother to Brother×Brother to Brother2002 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Brother to Brother (feat. Paul Weller)4:172Darker Than a Shadow5:353You're Gonna Miss Your Candy Man6:59" – Terry Callier with Paul Weller (Mr Bongo 2002)
"Running Around" / "Monuments of Mars" (Mr Bongo, 2002)
"In a Heartbeat" – Koop feat. Terry Callier (Superstudio Grå/Sony Music, 2002)
"Lookin’ Out" (Mr Bongo, 2004)
"Live with Me" – Massive Attack with Terry Callier (Virgin, 2006)
"Advice" – Hardkandy featuring Terry Callier (Catskills, 2006)
"Wings" (Mr Bongo, 2009)

DVD and videos

Terry Callier – Live in Berlin (Universal Music, 2005) Prod.: Modzilla Films/Beatrice Tillmann

Appearances

Vocals on The Juju Orchestra's – "What Is Hip" (2007)
Vocals on Massive Attack's "Live with Me" (2006)
Vocals on Hardkandy's "Advice" (2006)
Vocals on Nujabes's "Modal Soul" (2005)
Vocals on Kinobe's "Moonlight and Mescaline" (2004)
Vocals on Jean-Jacques Milteau's "Blue 3rd" (2003)
Vocals on Cirque du Soleil's "Varekai" (2002)
Vocals on Kyoto Jazz Massive's "Deep in Your Mind" (2002)
Vocals on 4 Hero's "The Day of the Greys" (2001)
Vocals on Koop's "In a Heartbeat" (2001)
Vocals on Zero 7's "Simple Things"(2001)
Vocals on Nitin Sawhney's "The Preacher" (2001)
Vocals on Grand Tourism's "Les Courants d'Air" (2001)
Vocals on Beth Orton's Central Reservation (1999)
Vocals on Urban Species's "Religion and Politics" and "Changing of the Guard", from the album Blanket (1998), after sampling his song "You Goin' Miss Your Candyman" in their song "Listen" from the album by the same name (1994)
His song "You Goin' Miss Your Candyman" was featured in the French movie, Intouchables.
His song "Dancing Girl" was featured in the movie, Sentimental Value.