The great Chicago soul sound of the early 1970s has seldom been better personified on wax than the recordings of the Independents. Protégés of soul giant Jerry Butler and one of the leading groups of their era, between 1972 and 1975 Chuck, Helen, Maurice, Eric and their (non-performing) fifth member Marvin made some of the best and most beautiful music to come out of the Windy City. They were rewarded for their music efforts by a string of Billboard R&B chart hits, most of which also reached the pop Hot 100 too.