Formed by a couple of college students, the smooth R&B group Champaign took their name from the Illinois city where their school was located. They had recorded several demos and sent them to various record labels, including the ballad "How 'Bout Us," taking a tried and true path to securing a deal.

"How 'Bout Us" did the trick as the song attracted the attention of several record labels, but most of them were only interested in the song as a vehicle for an artist already signed not in Champaign as an entity. The group, however, refused to sign over the rights to the song and were finally signed to a small label. Before Champaign could record an album, though, the label folded, leaving the band in search of another deal which they eventually found with Columbia Records.

Working with Chicago-based producer Joseph Wissert (who had worked with R&B vocalist Tyrone Davis), Champaign finally completed their debut How 'Bout Us which included the title track. The smooth, romantic cut proved to justify the faith Champaign had shown in it. The song climbed into the R&B singles chart's Top Five and peaked at #12 on the pop charts in May of 1981. The song would also prove to have a longer life than the band, becoming a hit again nearly ten years later for blue-eyed soul singer Grayson Hugh.

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