Chaka Kahn

Best known in the mainstream for her superb 1984 cover of Prince's "I Feel for You," Grammy-winning R&B singer Chaka Khan enjoyed solo success as well as popularity as a member of the group Rufus. Rufus was among the pre-eminent funk groups of the decade; distinguished by Khan's dynamic vocals, the group earned half-a-dozen gold or platinum albums before she went solo in 1978. Born Yvette Marie Stevens in Great Lakes, Illinois, on March 23, 1953, she was raised on Chicago's South Side. ~ Jason Ankeny