The Chi-Lites occupy a proud place in Chicago music history, and they aren't done yet.

The last surviving member of the original Chi-Lites, Marshall Thompson, is about to release a new song at the age of 83 along with the current lineup for the group.

The catchy, brassy hook from Beyoncé's 2003 hit "Crazy in Love" was a sample of the Chi-Lites, from their 1970 hit "Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)." The Chi-Lites recorded the song.

The Chi-Lites recorded the song at the studios for Brunswick Records. At 1449 S. Michigan Ave. Brunswick took over after Vee-Jay Records, which had formerly used the space, went out of business. 

Thompson recently went back to visit.

"Beyoncé's song, 'Crazy in Love' — the music that people are going crazy over — was done right in this room," Thompson said outside the old studio space in the building.

The former Brunswick Records building is now the headquarters of Entrenuity, a coworking space that also houses the Overflow coffee shop. The café has some of the Chi-Lites' hit records on the wall.

"It just hits my heart," Thompson said. "Here it is 50 years later."

At age 83, Thompson and the current Chi-Lites are about to release a new song, "Happy Birthday to the Baddest Girl in the World," produced by music legend Farley Jackmaster Funk.

"It's happening. It's got that groove in it," Thompson said. "You can't sit down when you hear it."

In recent years, the group has released other songs, including a new version of "White Christmas.

The roots of the Chi-Lites date back to Hyde Park High School in 1959. They have gone by their current name since 1964.

"We started out as Marshall and the Hi-Lites," said Thompson. "We went to Mercury Records downtown here in Chicago, and they had a group out called the Hi-Lites, so we had to change our name."

They were originally known as the Hi-Lites, and became the Chi-Lites in 1964.

The classic lineup was composed of Thompson and fellow vocalists Eugene Record (1940-2005), Robert "Squirrel" Lester (1942-2010), and Creadel "Red" Jones (1940-1994).

They put out many hit records, among them "Have You Seen Her" in 1971, and "Oh Girl," which was a No. 1 single in 1972.

"It ended up to be number one across the world," Thompson said. "We were on our way, all the way to the top."

In September, Thompson received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum's Hall of Fame. And he doesn't plan on stopping now.

The new Chi-Lites song comes out Jan. 1.