Joe Smooth

One of the contributors to the original house music movement in Chicago during the late '80s was Joe Smooth. Smooth served primarily as a producer, but issued a pair of solo albums during this time -- 1989's Promised Land and 1990's Rejoice -- as well as numerous singles (his best-known songs being the title track of his debut recording, which featured vocals by Anthony Thomas and the similarly styled "I Try"). Not much has been heard from Smooth since, who appears to be better known in Europe nowadays. ~ Greg Prato