The jazz-inflected, London-based group
Charlie was as well known for the sexy babes on their album covers as they were for their close, smooth harmonies and slick, catchy singles like "Turning" and "Watching TV." The band's core lineup consisted of vocalist/guitarist
Terry Thomas (who had also been in a band with
Free and
Bad Company's
Simon Kirke), bassist/vocalist John Anderson (formerly of
Axe), and drummer
Steve Gadd, and a wide array of supporting players, including keyboardist
Julian Colbeck, guitarist
Martin Smith, auxiliary drummer
Shep Lonsdale, and former
Argent members Bob Henrit and
John Verity. Their radio-friendly sound debuted in 1976 with Fantasy Girls and the group managed a steady stream of moderate FM hits in the U.S. and the U.K., including 1978's "Killer Cut" and "She Loves to Be in Love." However,
Charlie's biggest success came with the 1983 hit "It's Inevitable," which received considerable airplay from MTV and was featured on their self-titled seventh album. Despite the added prominence this single and tours with
the Doobie Brothers,
Styx,
BTO, and
the Kinks brought them, the group remained primarily a cult favorite for their nearly decade-long career.
Charlie's swan song came in with In Pursuit of Romance, which featured
Thomas as the only original member. ~ Heather Phares