Chance

Released in June 1979, Chance is Candi Staton's eighth studio album and a significant document of the late-disco era. Moving away from her country-soul roots, Staton collaborated with producer Jimmy Simpson and arranger Patrick Adams to create a sound tailored for the sophisticated New York club scene. The album was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios, utilizing a high-caliber roster of session musicians including the Brecker Brothers on horns and Steve Jordan on drums. The lead single, 'When You Wake Up Tomorrow,' became a staple of the era, showcasing the hypnotic, Rhodes-heavy production style of Patrick Adams. While the album peaked at No. 23 on the R&B charts, its legacy is found in its perfect synthesis of Staton's gospel-trained vocal authority with the rhythmic precision of disco. It stands as one of her most cohesive and polished efforts, marking a moment where soul music successfully embraced the technological and aesthetic shifts of the late seventies without losing its human heart.