Ten City - That's the Way Love Is: The Essentials (2019)

The Chicago vocal group Ten City was one of the few house units to enjoy mainstream exposure during the late '80s and early '90s. Originally called Ragtyme, the trio was formed by vocalist Byron Stingily, guitarist Herb Lawson, and keyboard player Byron Burke, all under the aegis of producer extraordinaire Marshall Jefferson. After signing with Atlantic in the late '80s, Ten City's debut LP, Foundation, included the singles "Right Back to You" and "That's the Way Love Is," both of which received a good response in R&B and dance circles. State of Mind and No House Big Enough followed in 1990 and 1992, though Atlantic dropped them soon after. Just after release from their contract, the single "Fantasy" (written with Masters at Work) did well on the club scene, but by the time Ten City released their third album, That Was Then, This Is Now, the buzz had disappeared. The group rapidly disintegrated, though Stingily went on to a solo career.