Chicagobit: Carl Davis

Carl Davis, the man who created The Chicago Sound, has died.

Davis started out in music pulling together playlists for local radio DJs - a job nowadays done by computers. It's unlikely, though, that computers would go on to become a producer, found a label (Chi-Sound), or create a musical genre that defined a time and place.

Davis was also notable as one of the first African-American A&R director to work for a major label.

He produced this:

He was told it wouldn't be a hit. He stuck it out. He was right.

Carl Davis was 77; he died in Southern California on Thursday.