Shampén pronounced (Champagne), the former leader of the ABC-Dunhill group Tribe, and now the leader of The Chill, started his music career at the age of 5 years old singing in his mother's church choir. Earl, who is a Taurus, was born in Houston, Texas. But was raised in Los Angeles, California where he attended high school, UCLA and the Eubanks Conservatory of Music and Art.

His first professional experience was musical director of a singing group out of Boston, called The Fabulous Lords. After performing with The Lords, he was hired by the owner of the famous Sugar Shack in Boston Mass as the main house musician and music director for the Shack. While working at the Sugar Shack, he had the privilege of working with the O'Jays dynamite rhythm section backing the group when they worked the club. Many great artists worked the Shack, groups such as, The O'Jay's, The Moments, The Delphonics, Funkadelics, the Temptations The Dells, to name a few.
After considerable experience in ses