“He’s known the world over as the soulful singer/keyboardist of the iconic jazz-pop band Chicago. His featured spots on the hits “Look Away” and “Hard Habit to Break” are among his mainstream highlights. But Bill Champlin’s defining work with the Sons of Champlin and as a songwriter put him on the musical map long before he arrived in Chicago. Bill and the Sons were blowing the doors off venues back in the ’70s — and they returned to doing the same in the late ’90s and into the present.”

— Greg Rule, Keyboard Magazine

It’s been nearly a year since the release of No Place Left To Fall, the latest solo effort from Chicago/Sons of Champlin lead vocalist Bill Champlin.

Available physically nearly everywhere (Japan, Europe, etc) except the United States where it was released only digitally, U.S. fans will finally have the chance to pick up No Place Left To Fall on CD in stores and online on August 4th. That’s good news for Chicago/Champlin fans everywhere.

The even better news is the announcement that Champlin will mount a brief tour of the United States this fall with a full band including the rhythm section from Santa Fe and The Fat City Horns! The tour is set to launch on November 6th with 9 shows currently on the tentative schedule, venues pending.

Friday, November 6 • San Juan Capistrano, CA
Saturday, November 7 • San Diego, CA
Tuesday, November 10 • Santa Cruz, CA
Wednesday, November 11 • Mill Valley, CA
Thursday, November 12 • Tuolumne, CA
Saturday, November 14 • Santa Rosa, CA
Thursday, November 19 • Portland, OR
Saturday, November 21 • Whidbey Island, WA
Sunday, November 22 • Seattle, WA

Champlin is looking for your help to help promote the shows, the old-fashioned way:

Even though I’ve been on the scene for a long time, a lot of people don’t know me, other than as a singer/pianist for Chicago, so it’s gonna’ take a lotta’ help to make this stuff happen. I hate to use old ad campaign slogans, but “Tell a Friend” is gonna’ help immensely. This is a grass roots thing that is gonna’ take a lot of Grass or a lot of Roots, maybe both. Thanks for being there. I appreciate all your help. See ya’ in November!

I can’t remember the last time Champlin played solo dates like this, and I know that I certainly was too young to attend them when it happened, so I am stoked beyond belief! Gotta figure out when, where, and how, but I will get my butt out to at least one of these shows, for sure! Bill Champlin is one of the last old-school true musicians still out there playing these days – that ain’t no sample, that’s a real B-3 organ up there, son!

Step 1 for you: Grab yourself a copy of No Place Left To Fall when it is released on August 4th. Step 2: Get yourself out to one of these shows, and as Bill suggests, “tell a friend,” or three, or four. And if you’re looking for additional homework, I can suggest that the Mayday album might be a good primer to paint a bit of a picture for what you can expect from Champlin’s solo live show!

Relevant Links:

Pre-order your copy of No Place Left To Fall, or download it digitally.

Bill Champlin’s official website

Dreammakers Music (The label behind the new album.)