Celebrating Black Music

A few weeks ago while conducting pre-interviews for our upcoming “Train of Thoughts” project a subject shared that he was the grandson of singer/songwriter Barbara Acklin. Unfamiliar with the name I headed to YouTube and played the first song that had the most views entitled “Am I the Same Girl”. As soon as the music started I began to hum to the famous tune. I knew this song all too well thanks to films and a plethora of commercials. However, I never knew the story of the voice behind this beloved track had Chicago roots. Scratch that. Bronzeville roots.

Barbara Acklin was born in 1943 in Oakland, CA. Their family moved to Chicago in 1948. Acklin found her voice by singing in the choir at New Zion Baptist Church. She attended Dunbar Vocational School and began to work at St. Lawrence Records after graduating. She went on to work for Chess Records and found herself singing backup for Etta James and another Chicago icon, Minnie Riperton. Acklin began to submit her songs to producers and soon became a sought after songwriter. Hits of hers include “From the Teacher to the Preacher”, “Just Ain’t No Love”, and “Am I the Same Girl”.

“Have You Seen Her” which was originally an album track on the Chi-Lites album was written by Barbara Acklin and Eugene Record. It reached #1 on the U.S. R&B chart.

Barbara Acklin passed away in 1998 due to pneumonia. She is survived by her son, Marcus, her daughter Samotta, and her grandchildren. Her grandson Binkey is a friend of Build Bronzeville and has followed in his grandmother’s footsteps while blazing his own trail. On any given day you can find Binkey hosting events in the city or creating music, all while making the crowd laugh with his timely jokes. He’s a multi-hyphenate creative to the core and just so happens to live in Bronzeville. I’m truly beginning to believe all roads lead to Bronzeville.

Today we remember Barbara Acklin. We celebrate her rich history and promising legacy.