Ten City

Summary

Ten City (derived from intensity) is an American, Chicago, Illinois-based R&B and house music act, that enjoyed a number of club hits and Urban radio hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s and was one of the first exponents of deep house.[2]

Ten City
(left to right): Burke, Stingily, Lawson (1994)
(left to right): Burke, Stingily, Lawson
(1994)
Background information
Also known asRagtyme
OriginChicago, Illinois, U.S.
GenresHouse, R&B
Years active1987–1996; 2021-present
LabelsAtlantic, EastWest Records America, Columbia, Ultra Music[1]
MembersByron Stingily
Marshall Jefferson
Past membersByron Burke
Herb Lawson

Biography edit

Formerly known as Ragtyme, the group comprised vocalist Byron Stingily, guitarist Herb Lawson and keyboardist Byron Burke and were augmented by producer Marshall Jefferson.[3] The group was signed by Atlantic Records and released the album Foundation[3] in 1989, which became the group's only album to cross over, peaking at No. 49 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[4]

Ten City is best known for the singles "Devotion", "Right Back to You" and "That's the Way Love Is,"[2] which hit No. 1 on the US dance chart and No. 8 on the UK Top 40 in 1989.[5] Stingily, who left the group and became a successful solo artist, re-recorded the song and brought it back to No. 1 on the US dance chart in 1999.

In 2021, Stingily teamed up with producer Marshall Jefferson to release "Be Free" on Ultra Music,[6] the first single in 25 years to be credited to Ten City.[7][8][9][10] Its parent album, Judgment, was nominated for a Grammy Award that year in the category of Best Dance/Electronic Album.[11]

Discography edit

Studio albums edit

Year Album Label Peak chart positions Certifications
US R&B
[4]
UK
[5]
1989 Foundation Atlantic Records 49 22
1990 State of Mind
1992 No House Big Enough EastWest Records America
1994 That Was Then, This Is Now Columbia Records
2021 Judgment Ultra Records
2023 Love Is Love Helix Records
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums edit

  • The Best of Ten City (Ibadan, 2001)

Singles edit

Year Single Peak chart positions
US Dance
[13]
US R&B
[13]
UK
[5]
IRE
[14]
1987 "Devotion"
1988 "Right Back to You" 8 80
1989 "Funny Love"
"That's the Way Love Is" 1 12 8 11
"Devotion" (re-release) 17 29 22
"Where Do We Go?" 28 34 60
"Suspicious"
1990 "Whatever Makes You Happy" 16 53 60
"Superficial People" 22 96
"I Should Learn to Love You"
1992 "Only Time Will Tell" / "My Peace of Heaven" 2 63
1993 "Fantasy" 20 45
1994 "The Way You Make Me Feel"
"Goin' Up in Smoke" 21
1996 "Nothing's Changed"
"All Loved Out"
2021 "Be Free"
"On It"
2022 "Piece of My Heart"
"A Girl Named Phil"
"Love Is Love"
2023 "I Love Me"
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "MARSHALL JEFFERSON AND BYRON STINGILY RETURN AS TEN CITY WITH FIRST NEW MUSIC IN 25 YEARS". DJ MAG. February 2, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Henderson, Alex. "Foundation (1989): Review". AllMusic. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Wynn, Ron. "Ten City Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved October 20, 2008.
  4. ^ a b "Ten City - Chart History: TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "TEN CITY - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  6. ^ "Byron Stingly & Marshall Jefferson return as Ten City after 25 year hiatus". Knights of the Turntable. February 2021.
  7. ^ Middleton, Ryan (January 29, 2021). "MARSHALL JEFFERSON & STINGILY RELEASE FIRST NEW TEN CITY SONG IN 25 YEARS "BE FREE"". Magnetic Magazine.
  8. ^ Slovacek, Randy (January 29, 2021). "New Music: Ten City 'Be Free'". The Randy Report.
  9. ^ "Iconic 80s Dance Band Ten City Return after 25 years with new release 'Be Free'". FrontView Magazine. February 1, 2021.
  10. ^ VasarhelyI, Lilla (February 1, 2021). "Marshall Jefferson and Byron Stingily revived Ten City after 25 years with a new song 'Be Free': Listen".
  11. ^ McCarthy, Zel (2022-04-01). "2022 Dance/Electronic Grammy Preview: Ten City on Friendship, Frankie Knuckles & Never Betting Against House". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  12. ^ "Ten City - Foundation". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Ten City Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  14. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know: Ten City". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved January 30, 2021.

External links edit

  • Ten City discography at Discogs  
  • Ten City at AllMusic
  • Byron Stingily 2012 Audio Interview at Soulinterviews.com