Editing Nile Rodgers (section)

===1970s: Formation of Chic, "Le Freak", Sister Sledge===
Rodgers met bassist [[Bernard Edwards]] in 1970 while working as a touring musician for the ''[[Sesame Street]]'' stage show. Together they formed The Big Apple Band and initially worked as back-up musicians for the vocal group [[New York City (band)|New York City]] ("[[I'm Doin' Fine Now]]"). New York City's one hit allowed them to tour extensively, opening for [[The Jackson 5]] on the American leg of their first world tour in 1973.<ref name="Independent">{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/groove-is-in-his-heart-chics-nile-rodgers-on-the-unlikely-inspiration-for-le-freak-1749306.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/groove-is-in-his-heart-chics-nile-rodgers-on-the-unlikely-inspiration-for-le-freak-1749306.html |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Groove is in his heart: Chic's Nile Rodgers on the unlikely|work=The Independent|access-date=August 8, 2018|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="Interview">{{Cite news|url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/nile-rodgers|title=Nile Rodgers – Interview Magazine|date=November 6, 2013|work=Interview Magazine|access-date=September 19, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> The band dissolved after their second album failed to yield a hit.

Rodgers and Edwards subsequently joined forces with drummer [[Tony Thompson (drummer)|Tony Thompson]] to form the Boys, playing gigs up and down the East Coast. Although there was label interest, record companies passed on the band after discovering its members were black, believing that black rock artists would be too hard to promote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bigread.mojo4music.com/2013/08/nile-rodgers/|title=Nile Rodgers' Second Act {{!}} MOJO|website=bigread.mojo4music.com|language=en|access-date=August 14, 2018}}</ref>

As the Big Apple Band, Rodgers and Edwards worked with [[Ashford & Simpson]] and [[Luther Vandross]], among others. Since another New York artist, [[Walter Murphy]], had a band called The Big Apple Band, in 1977 Rodgers and Edwards changed the band's name to Chic.<ref>Taysom, Joe (February 25, 2021). [https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/how-roxy-music-made-nile-rodgers-form-chic/ "The surprising act that made Nile Rodgers form Chic"]. ''Far Out''.</ref>

Inspired by [[Roxy Music]], Chic developed a sound that was a fusion of jazz, soul, and funk grooves with melodies and lyrics with a European influence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gq.com/story/nile-rodgers-le-freak-book-excerpt|title="Le Freak" by Nile Rodgers Book Excerpt|last=Rodgers|first=Nile|date=October 18, 2011|work=GQ|access-date=October 7, 2018|language=en}}</ref> Between gigs, they recorded the song "Dance, Dance, Dance", with then-boss [[Luther Vandross]] on vocals.<ref name="Washington Post 2">{{cite news |last1=Tucker |first1=Neely |title=Always & Forever: Luther's Legacy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/04/AR2007120402295.html?noredirect=on |access-date=September 4, 2018 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=December 5, 2007}}</ref> Originally released by [[Buddah Records]], it was a hit when it was re-released by Atlantic in the summer of 1977. Atlantic picked up an album option with Rodgers and Edwards, who quickly wrote more songs, and Chic's self-titled debut was released in November.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gq.com/story/nile-rodgers-le-freak-book-excerpt|title="Le Freak" by Nile Rodgers Book Excerpt|last=Rodgers|first=Nile|date=October 18, 2011|work=GQ|access-date=October 8, 2018|language=en}}</ref>

The band scored numerous top ten hits, including "[[Le Freak]]", "[[I Want Your Love (Chic song)|I Want Your Love]]", "[[Everybody Dance (Chic song)|Everybody Dance]]",<ref name="CNBC">{{cite news |last1=Reid |first1=David |title=Chic's Nile Rodgers says many musicians often don't understand the value of their songs |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/23/chics-nile-rodgers-says-many-musicians-often-dont-understand-the-val.html |access-date=September 4, 2018 |work=CNBC |date=July 23, 2018}}</ref> "[[Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)]]",<ref name="Variety">{{cite news |last1=Bloom |first1=Steve |title=Chic's Nile Rodgers: 'We're the Grateful Dead of Dance Music' |url=https://variety.com/2018/music/news/chic-nile-rodgers-grateful-dead-of-dance-music-1202679317/ |access-date=September 4, 2018 |work=Variety |date=January 28, 2018}}</ref> "[[My Forbidden Lover]]", and "[[Good Times (Chic song)|Good Times]]" becoming club/pop/R&B standards.<ref name="Irish Times">{{cite news |last1=Van Nguyen |first1=Dean |title=Nile Rodgers and Chic at Malahide Castle: Disco is life |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/nile-rodgers-and-chic-at-malahide-castle-disco-is-life-1.3535063 |access-date=September 4, 2018 |work=Irish Times |date=June 18, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Pitchfork">{{cite news |last1=Monroe |first1=Jazz |title=Grace Jones Talks Nile Rodgers, Studio 54, More on "Fallon": Watch |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/grace-jones-talks-nile-rodgers-studio-54-more-on-fallon-watch/ |access-date=September 4, 2018 |work=Pitchfork |date=April 13, 2018}}</ref> "Le Freak" was [[Atlantic Records]]' only triple platinum selling single at the time,<ref name="Financial Times">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/2a649bee-c0f3-11e5-9fdb-87b8d15baec2 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/2a649bee-c0f3-11e5-9fdb-87b8d15baec2 |archive-date=December 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription|title=The Life of a Song: 'Good Times'|last=Hobart|first=Mike|date=February 5, 2016|website=Financial Times|language=en-GB|access-date=October 8, 2018}}</ref> and "Good Times" shot to No. 1 in August 1979 despite that year's "[[Disco Demolition Night|Disco Sucks]]" campaign.<ref name="Wall St Journal">{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-chics-good-times-launched-rap-1485691201|title=How Chic's 'Good Times' Launched Rap|last=Myers|first=Marc|date=January 29, 2017|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=October 7, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

The success of Chic's first singles led Atlantic to offer Rodgers and Edwards the opportunity to produce any act on its roster. They chose [[Sister Sledge]], whose 1979 album, ''[[We Are Family (album)|We Are Family]]'',<ref name="Complex">{{cite news |last1=Setaro |first1=Shawn |title=Nile Rodgers Talks Making Music With Avicii and Explains Why He's 'Maybe the Best I've Ever Worked With' |url=https://www.complex.com/music/2018/04/nile-rodgers-remembers-avicii |access-date=September 4, 2018 |work=Complex |date=April 26, 2018}}</ref> hit #3 on the ''Billboard'' charts, charting well into 1980. The first two singles, "[[He's the Greatest Dancer]]" and the title cut "[[We Are Family (song)|We Are Family]]" both reached No. 1 on the R&B chart, and No. 6 and No. 2, respectively on the pop chart.<ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine |title=Sister Sledge Chart History |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/sister-sledge |access-date=September 4, 2018 |magazine=Billboard |date=June 16, 1979}}</ref><ref name="USA Today">{{cite news |last1=Cordova |first1=Randy |title=Joni Sledge of R&B group Sister Sledge has died at 60 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/nation-now/2017/03/12/joni-sledge-we-family-group-sister-sledge-found-dead-ariz-home/99087104/ |access-date=September 4, 2018 |work=USA Today |date=March 12, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Irish Times 2">{{cite news |title=Obituary: Joni Sledge |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/obituary-joni-sledge-1.3008612 |access-date=September 4, 2018 |work=Irish Times |date=March 13, 2017}}</ref> In April 2018, "We Are Family" was selected to be preserved in the Library of Congress.<ref name="Complex" />