Ten City

Ten City was founded in 1987 in Chicago in the US state of Illinois. The group consists of Byron Stingily, Herb Lawson and Byron Burke. Producer Marshall Jefferson became part of the band's creative environment early on and had a decisive influence on their sound. Ten City emerged during the heyday of the Chicago house movement and combined house with soul, gospel and R&B. Byron Stingily's distinctive falsetto voice in particular quickly became the group's distinguishing feature. The group initially started out under the name Raw Silk. Shortly afterwards, they changed their name to Ten City. The band name alludes to the ten largest cities in the USA. At the end of the 1980s, Ten City became one of the most important voices in deep house and vocal house. The single "Devotion" was released in 1987. The track reached number 1 in the US dance charts and became an international club hit. It was followed by "Right Back to You" and "That's the Way Love Is". That's the Way Love Is" in particular became a worldwide success in 1989, reaching high positions in several European countries and number 8 in the British singles charts. The debut album Foundation (1989) was released in the same year. The album is considered a milestone in vocal house. No House Big Enough followed in 1990 with the successful singles "Whatever Makes You Happy" and "Superficial People". State of Mind was released in 1994.