Duke Of Earl

Chicago-born singer and record producer Gene Chandler had a string of singles hit Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart in the 1960s and 1970s, including several that cracked the Top 40, but only one of them hit the Top 10, and it was Chandler’s first.  That song, “Duke Of Earl,” went all the way to number one exactly 50 years ago today and would remain at the top for three weeks.

In the five decades since “Duke Of Earl” topped the charts, it has been remade by numerous artists and has become a prominent reference in popular music and in popular culture.  It has also become Chandler’s signature song, as evidenced by a trip to his official website.