‘Duke of Earl’ Offers a Look at Unknown Gene Chandler

How many Top 100 singles have been chalked up by Gene Chandler, whose “Duke of Earl” was one of the most celebrated R&B; hits of the ‘60s?

Consider yourself an average pop fan if your answer was one, because Chandler is identified almost exclusively today with that Vee-Jay Records single, which spent three weeks at No. 1 in 1962.

If your answer was between two and five, you’re probably a shrewd guesser--figuring that anyone who had a No. 1 hit probably had a couple of follow-up successes.

And sure enough, Chandler had three more minor hits, including the novelty “Walk On With the Duke,” before severing ties with Vee-Jay in 1963.

But consider yourself an R&B; expert if you knew the Chicago native went on to have 21 more Top 100 singles for other labels--a total of 25 pop-chart hits.

And give yourself bonus points if you know Chandler’s real name (Eugene Dixon) and why he changed it after starting his career.

The answers to those questions are contained in Billy Vera’s liner notes to “The Duke of Earl,” a retrospective collection that includes 23 recordings from the Vee-Jay years.

During his high school days in the ‘50s, Dixon formed a vocal group called the Dukays, which signed with tiny Nat Records. While the group was rehearsing, a member of the production team heard the Dukays do a warm-up riff, “Duke-duke-duke-duke of earl,” and apparently encouraged the group to build a song around it.

Vee-Jay Records’ Calvin Carter liked the song and agreed to release it on his more powerful label. To avoid potential contractual problems, the Vee-Jay record was credited to “Gene Chandler” rather than the Dukays or Dixon.