Saxophonist Gene Barge helped shape the sound of Chicago R&B
He’s done his most influential work as a sideman or producer, but he’s just as important as any of the genre’s marquee stars.
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Since 2004 Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) has used the Secret History of Chicago Music to shine a light on worthy artists with Chicago ties who've been forgotten, underrated, or never noticed in the first place.
Gene Barge is unusual among Secret History subjects in that the general public—especially outside Chicago—might recognize him as a movie actor before they'd remember his music. Barge turned to music full-time relatively late in life, and not till a couple years after he'd had his biggest hits in the late 50s and early 60s. Because he was often billed on records as "Daddy 'G,'" it's not immediately obvious that the actor is the same person, but now is as good a time as any to connect the dots about this Renaissance man.