Robbed hit of the week 10/3/16 - Chuckii Booker's "Turned Away"...

"Turned Away" - Chuckii Booker
from the album Chuckii (1989)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #42

This week's "robbed hit" comes from R&B singer/songwriter/producer Chuckii Booker, an L.A. native that got his start in the band Tease, before scoring his own solo deal in the mid-80's. He released his debut album, Chuckii, in 1989, and the first single from the set, "Turned Away", was a mid-tempo new-jack swing number that had a flash of Bruce Hornsby-esque piano in the beginning...

While "Turned Away" went to #1 on Billboard's R&B chart, the single stopped just short of the top-40 in the U.S. in August of 1989. His follow-up, "(Don't U Know) I Love U", climbed to #4 on the R&B list, but missed the pop chart altogether. A third single released from the debut, "Touch", made it to #13 R&B.

With the exposure from the record, Booker secured himself a position opening for and becoming musical director for Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation tour. He's since concentrated on that part of the biz, putting together the sound for shows for the likes of TLC and Tina Turner.

In 1992, Booker returned with Niice N' Wiild, and lead single "Games" brought him back to #1 on the R&B chart and #68 pop. A second track, "I Should Have Loved You", peaked at #38 R&B and was his most recent appearance on the charts...

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...and here's Chuckii appearing on Soul Train...