Barbara Acklin is a true rags-to-riches story. This one-time back-up singer for Chess Records was working as the receptionist at Brunswick Records’ Chicago office when she began co-writing songs for other artists, including Jackie Wilson’s “Whispers (Gettin’ Louder).” This success behind the scenes quickly grew into a solo career, where she racked up 7 Top 40 R&B hits (including 2 with the legendary Gene Chandler) over the course of her 5-album discography at Brunswick. During this time she also collaborated with Eugene Record (with whom she became romantically involved) on several songs by The Chi-Lites, most notably their #1 smash “Have You Seen Her.” Acklin is best known for the singles “Am I The Same Girl” (later covered by British artists Dusty Springfield and Swing Out Sister), “Love Makes A Woman,” “Just Ain’t No Love” and the Gene Chandler duet “From The Teacher To The Preacher,” all of them impacting the R&B and Pop charts. Acklin passed away in 1998 but her music continues to win over new fans every day.