Keyboardist Chick Churchill
Keyboardist Chick Churchill
Ten Years After
Michael George “Chick” Churchill was born on January 2, 1946 in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.
Chick began playing piano when he was six and was doing classical studies until he met the blues in 1961.
While part of the Sons of Adam, he met Alvin Lee whose band then was called the Jaybirds.
Churchill joined first as a road manager and then as a keyboardist.
The band evolved into Ten Years After and concert promoter Bill Graham invited the band to tour America for the first time in the summer of 1968. Ten Years After would ultimately tour the USA 28 times in 7 years, more than any other U.K. band.
Keyboardist Chick Churchill
Summer of 1969
During the summer of 1969, they performed at 6 major festivals, including the Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Of course their performance of “Goin’ Home” at Woodstock and the song’s inclusion in both the film and on the album established their fame. (I wonder how many times the band performed that song that summer?)
I recently contact Chick and he generously responded with the following: Woodstock seems so long ago now but I remember the huge audience and the helicopter journey. I think we went on after the rain storm. Everything was wet and I don’t think health and safety would allow it now but we survived.
Keyboardist Chick Churchill
In 1971, Chick released a solo album, You and Me.
Post Ten Years After
When Ten Years After disbanded in 1976 Chick Churchill became professional manager at Chrysalis Music.
In 1977 he began a partnership with Tim Whitsett as Whitsett Churchill Music Publishing. The company specialized in promoting American artists from southern states.
Neither Alvin Lee nor Ten Years After are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The band has a Facebook page (FB page) and had this December 17, 2016 post: A great sold out show to end the year last night in Belgium. Fantastic audience, thanks so much to everyone who came down and enjoyed the night with us what a great way to send off 2016. We don’t get long to relax though, we are back out on the road on January 5th to start a year of shows celebrating the 50th anniversary of our first album and the release of our new studio album later in the year. See you in the new year…
Bio from TYA site >>> Churchill bio
