From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Wed Jan 23, 2002  1:15 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Eugene Church
 
EUGENE CHURCH

Born 23 January 1938, St. Louis, Missouri
Died 16 April 1993, Los Angeles, California

A talented singer who had successes in both the doo-wop and soul
fields, Church grew up in Los Angeles. He was part of Jesse Belvin's
inner circle for several years and recorded with Belvin on Modern
Records as The Cliques, whose "The Girl In My Dreams" was a good
seller in 1956. Often in collaboration with Belvin, Church wrote or
appeared on dozens of hits in the late Fifties, many of them at
clandestine sessions for competing labels under a variety of names.
Blessed with good looks and a smooth baritone voice, Church also
pursued a solo career beginning in 1957. "Open Up Your Heart"
on Specialty did well, but he didn't have any chart hits until signing
with Leon Rene's Class label. "Pretty Girls Everywhere" (1958) went to
# 36 on Billboard's pop charts and "Miami" (1959) to # 67. On "Pretty
Girls Everywhere" he is backed by Jesse Belvin, Gaynel Hodge and
Tommy Williams, with credit going to "Eugene Church And The Fellows".
In 1961, Church enjoyed one last R&B hit, "Mind Your Own Business"
on the King label.
Church last recorded for the World Pacific label in 1967. Leaving music
in 1970, he became wealthy operating a chain of hair salons. Inspired
by Lou Rawls, he returned to music in 1981 and recorded gospel music
on his own Church label. He toured on the oldies circuit until shortly
before his death (from AIDS-related cancer) in 1993.

Website with discography: http://www.electricearl.com/dws/church.html
This also supplies info about the availability of his recordings on various
collections.