Blondie Chaplin

Though not quite a household name, Blondie Chaplin has played key roles in some of the biggest bands in rock & roll, with a decades-long résumé that includes work with the <a href="spotify:artist:3oDbviiivRWhXwIE8hxkVV">Beach Boys</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4vpDg7Y7fU982Ds30zawDA">the Band</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4KDyYWR7IpxZ7xrdYbKrqY">Bonnie Raitt</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7qZdnGoW781UFYTcMpDilR">David Johansen</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4aqvFWNLhYa5nny4oDII4m">Elliott Murphy</a>, and 15 years as an auxiliary member of <a href="spotify:artist:22bE4uQ6baNwSHPVcDxLCe">the Rolling Stones</a>. In addition to enhancing the stage shows and studio creations of notable classic rock legends, Chaplin also writes songs of his own, releasing a self-titled solo album in 1977 and a 2006 follow-up, Between Us.

Chaplin was born in South Africa in 1951 in the city of Durban. By age 13, he was part of rock group <a href="spotify:artist:3Qn6ZDjFgdAdgqE4sQJr0f">the Flames</a>, who had a regional hit in 1968 with their take on <a href="spotify:artist:2XCrcM365x2HstAl7HWNEA">Jerry Butler and the Impressions</a>' "For Your Precious Love." <a href="spotify:artist:04zDwTMN8SPPydYIfSeFYf">Carl Wilson</a> saw <a href="spotify:artist:3Qn6ZDjFgdAdgqE4sQJr0f">the Flames</a> perform in London and signed them to <a href="spotify:artist:3oDbviiivRWhXwIE8hxkVV">the Beach Boys</a>' imprint <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Brother+Records%22">Brother Records</a>, and also produced their self-titled 1970 album for the label. At that point, however, the band changed their name to the Flame to avoid being confused with <a href="spotify:artist:7GaxyUddsPok8BuhxN6OUW">James Brown</a> backup vocal group The Famous Flames. The Flame extinguished not long after their <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Brother%22">Brother</a> album (incidentally, it would be the only non-<a href="spotify:artist:3oDbviiivRWhXwIE8hxkVV">Beach Boys</a> release on the label), when Chaplin and fellow Flame member Ricky Fataar joined <a href="spotify:artist:3oDbviiivRWhXwIE8hxkVV">the Beach Boys</a> in 1972. Chaplin would be a part of the band in 1972 and 1973, contributing to the albums Carl and the Passions - "So Tough", The Beach Boys in Concert, and Holland, and singing lead on the song "Sail on Sailor." From that point on, Chaplin was fully immersed in the music industry, releasing a self-titled solo album on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Asylum+Records%22">Asylum Records</a> in 1977 and showing up throughout the '80s and '90s in various roles on records or live shows from <a href="spotify:artist:5xeqgtq9Fkg7XBHuPEm9pf">Anton Fig</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0OGf0iBMsn1KQhl4MClHLh">Rick Danko</a>, a <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">Byrds</a> tribute project with <a href="spotify:artist:040Bv6cZTRh30LyyYVXgJX">Gene Clark</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7qZdnGoW781UFYTcMpDilR">David Johansen</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1BwHztAQKypBuy5WBEdJnG">Jennifer Warnes</a>, and many others. After touring with <a href="spotify:artist:22bE4uQ6baNwSHPVcDxLCe">Rolling Stones</a> guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:4tkgLX1wdWoOu2lyeQNYAi">Mick Taylor</a>, Chaplin began working with <a href="spotify:artist:22bE4uQ6baNwSHPVcDxLCe">the Stones</a> around the release of their 1997 album Bridges to Babylon and remained a fixture in the band for around 15 years. In 2006, he released his second solo album, Between Us, on the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Big+Karma+Records%22">Big Karma Records</a> label.

Throughout the next two decades, Chaplin wore multiple hats as he continued in supporting roles for classic rock royalty, playing on albums by <a href="spotify:artist:08avsqaGIlK2x3i2Cu7rKH">Keith Richards</a>, Ronnie Wood, and <a href="spotify:artist:4Q82S0VzF8qlCb4PnSDurj">Brian Wilson</a>. He also joined <a href="spotify:artist:4Q82S0VzF8qlCb4PnSDurj">Wilson</a> in 2016 as part of the Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour and continued to tour with him into the 2020s. ~ Fred Thomas, Rovi