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DeBarge
DeBarge was an American musical recording group composed of several members of the DeBarge family. In addition to various solo projects completed by members of the family, DeBarge was active between 1979 and 1989. The group originally consisted of El, Mark, Randy, and Bunny. James joined the group a year later for their second album. Bobby and Chico joined in 1987 and 1988 respectively, replacing Bunny and El. DeBarge released six studio albums, four of them with Motown subsidiary Gordy Records. These albums included '' The DeBarges'' (1981), '' All This Love'' (1982), '' In a Special Way'' (1983), and '' Rhythm of the Night'' (1985). The latter became the group's best-selling album and contained the single " Rhythm of the Night", which hit No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it their highest charting single in America. In the mid-1980s, El and Bunny each went solo and DeBarge was subsequently released from its contract. The remaining members signed with Stripe Hors ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
DeBarge Family
The DeBarge family is a family of rhythm and blues artists from Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1975, Bobby left Grand Rapids to start the funk-soul band, Switch (Tommy later joined the band), which first went by the moniker, First Class. Eventually signing with Motown Records in 1978, the group's debut album, yielding the hit "There'll Never Be," sold over one million copies and started the DeBarge musical dynasty. In 1979, Bunny, Marty, Randy, El and James signed with Motown as the DeBarges and released their debut album two years later under the guidance of Bobby and Tommy, who left Switch that year to begin mentoring their siblings. A year later, in 1982, the group, now known as DeBarge, found fame with the singles, " I Like It" and " All This Love." They would go on to have several more hit singles, such as " Time Will Reveal," " Love Me in a Special Way" and " Rhythm of the Night," reaching R&B superstardom by the mid-1980s. Younger brother Chico became a solo success first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
El DeBarge
Eldra Patrick "El" DeBarge (born June 4, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He was the focal point and primary lead singer of the family group DeBarge. Popular songs led by El DeBarge include " Time Will Reveal", " Who's Holding Donna Now", "Stay with Me", " All This Love", and " Rhythm of the Night". As a solo artist, he is best known for his unique high tenor register, strong falsetto and hits like " Who's Johnny" and "Love Always". He has also collaborated with artists such as Dionne Warwick, Al Green, Lalah Hathaway, Tone Loc, Babyface, Faith Evans, Quincy Jones, Fourplay, and DJ Quik. DeBarge is a five-time Grammy Award nominee. Early life A native of Detroit, Michigan, El was the sixth of the children born to Robert Louis DeBarge Sr. (1932–2009) and Etterlene (née Abney) DeBarge. DeBarge sang in his local church choir and played piano as a child. Later, after his family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, he and the rest of his family began pe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bobby DeBarge
Robert Louis DeBarge, Jr. (March 5, 1956 – August 16, 1995) was an American singer and musician. DeBarge was the lead singer of the Motown R&B/soul vocal group Switch and was noted for his falsetto vocals. Later on, he served as both mentor and a co-producer of his siblings' band, DeBarge, eventually joining them to fill in for departing members El and Bunny. Personal problems, including substance abuse which eventually led to drug trafficking charges in 1988, plagued DeBarge in later years, taking focus away from his musical career. He contracted HIV in the 1980s, and died of AIDS complications in 1995, at age 39. Life and career Early life DeBarge was born to Etterlene (née Abney) and Army soldier Robert DeBarge, Sr. in Detroit. He had an unhappy childhood because of his father's abusiveness. At 15, DeBarge was introduced to heroin, which became his lifelong addiction. After his parents separated and divorced in the early 1970s, Bobby DeBarge and his family relocated t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
In A Special Way
''In a Special Way'' is the third studio album by American R&B group DeBarge, released by Gordy Records on September 24, 1983. It was recorded at Kendun Records in Burbank and Westlake Audio in West Hollywood; written and produced by lead vocalist El DeBarge with additional writing by Mark, James and Bunny DeBarge. ''In a Special Way'' was certified gold in the United States after the release of the singles " Time Will Reveal" and " Love Me in a Special Way", which hit number one on the ''Billboard'' R&B and adult contemporary singles chart. The album is most memorable for not only its singles but album tracks such as "Stay with Me" and "A Dream" - largely due to subsequent sampling in modern hip-hop and R&B tracks. The album has been regarded by some critics as the "classic" in the family group's catalog. Background and recording Group member Bunny DeBarge revealed the group were given complete creative control because Motown Records founder Berry Gordy liked their sound. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhythm Of The Night (album)
''Rhythm of the Night'' is the fourth studio album by DeBarge, released by Gordy Records on March 14, 1985. It reached #19 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and #3 on the R&B Album Chart. The album was also certified Gold by the RIAA. Background and recording DeBarge continued their success streak with their third album, 1983's ''In a Special Way''. They went back into the studio to record what became ''Rhythm of the Night''. Although the group had creative control, the group's managers Tony Jones and Suzanne de Passe elected to have outside producers to helm the project. Producers included Richard Perry, Giorgio Moroder and Jay Graydon with the members of DeBarge on a few songs. ''Rhythm of the Night'' contained six new songs, which were recorded specifically for the album. The remaining songs were old material that had been previously released. "Single Heart" originally appeared in the 1983 film ''D.C. Cab'', while "Share My World" originally appeared on their 1981 debut '' The DeB ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Etterlene DeBarge
Etterlene Louise Rodriguez (previously DeBarge, née Abney; born October 13, 1935) is an American gospel singer, songwriter, and matriarch of the American R&B/Soul vocal group DeBarge. She is also the author of ''Other Side of the Pain'', which talked about her struggles in her marriage to her children's father and also documented her children's rise to fame as well as their struggles under the glare of the spotlight. Biography Early years Born Etterlene Abney on October 13, 1935 in Royal Oak, Michigan, she was one of twelve children and has a twin sister. When she was a child, her family moved to the Brewster-Douglass housing projects, located in the east side of Detroit. In 1952, she met an Army veteran named Robert DeBarge, a man of French and English descent from Cicero, Illinois. The couple married in 1953 settling in a predominantly black section of Detroit, where they had ten children. In 1972, the DeBarges moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Etterlene's brother, Bishop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bunny Debarge
Etterlene "Bunny" DeBarge (born March 10, 1955) is an American soul singer–songwriter and the lone female sibling of the Motown family group DeBarge. She was the lead vocalist on the R&B ballad "A Dream", from the group's ''In a Special Way'' album, and is also the co-writer of the group's 1982 breakthrough hit, " I Like It" and the number-one hit, " Time Will Reveal". Early life Etterlene "Bunny" DeBarge is the eldest of 10 children, born to Etterlene (née) Abney and Robert DeBarge, Sr. While spending her initial childhood in Detroit, her family moved to Grand Rapids when she was 16. Bunny would later recall years of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her father, stating that he had started molesting her when she was seven and this carried on until she was 13. Bunny also detailed troubles in public school where she and her brothers were constantly bullied and taunted by black schoolmates for their multiracial ethnicity. Bunny found solace in music, singing in her u ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bunny DeBarge
Etterlene "Bunny" DeBarge (born March 10, 1955) is an American soul singer–songwriter and the lone female sibling of the Motown family group DeBarge. She was the lead vocalist on the R&B ballad "A Dream", from the group's ''In a Special Way'' album, and is also the co-writer of the group's 1982 breakthrough hit, " I Like It" and the number-one hit, " Time Will Reveal". Early life Etterlene "Bunny" DeBarge is the eldest of 10 children, born to Etterlene (née) Abney and Robert DeBarge, Sr. While spending her initial childhood in Detroit, her family moved to Grand Rapids when she was 16. Bunny would later recall years of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her father, stating that he had started molesting her when she was seven and this carried on until she was 13. Bunny also detailed troubles in public school where she and her brothers were constantly bullied and taunted by black schoolmates for their multiracial ethnicity. Bunny found solace in music, singing in her u ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mark DeBarge
Mark "Marty" DeBarge (born June 19, 1959) is an Americans, American Contemporary R&B, R&B/soul music, soul singer-songwriter, drummer, percussionist, and plays a variety of wind instruments, such as the saxophone, flugelhorn, trumpet, and flute. He is best known for his work as member of 1980s Motown Records, Motown singing family group DeBarge. He is also known for writing the group's popular album track, "Stay with Me (DeBarge song), Stay With Me", later covered by the likes of The Notorious B.I.G., Ashanti (entertainer), Ashanti and Mariah Carey. Biography Early years Mark was born in Detroit, Michigan as the fifth of ten children to Robert Louis DeBarge, Sr. (1932-2009) and Etterlene DeBarge, Etterlene (née Abney) DeBarge. His father, Robert DeBarge, is of French descent, while his mother, Etterlene, is of African American and American Indian descent. DeBarge sang in his local church choir as a child. Later, after his family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids, he a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Randy DeBarge
William Randall DeBarge (born August 6, 1958) is an American R&B/soul singer and bass guitarist, best known for being one of the original members of the popular Motown singing family group DeBarge. Randy is also known for singing co-lead and penning lyrics with brother El on the group's first hit, " I Like It" (1982). Biography Early years Born in Detroit, Michigan growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Randy was the fourth eldest of ten children born to Robert DeBarge, Sr. and Etterlene DeBarge. The DeBarge kids all sang in church and in high school, Randy joined the local band and learned how to play bass guitar from his elder brother Tommy. When Randy was seventeen, his older brothers Bobby and Tommy formed the Ohio-based funk/soul group Switch, later on signing with Motown in 1977. Three years later, Motown signed Randy, El, Bunny and Mark DeBarge to Motown where they had formed the DeBarges shortening it to DeBarge following the release of their first album in 1981. DeBar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The DeBarges
''The DeBarges'' is the debut album of DeBarge, released by Gordy Records on April 6, 1981. It saw limited success and stalled on the charts; the group felt it was not properly promoted. As a result, they revisited ''The DeBarges'' by including two songs on their subsequent recordings: "Queen of My Heart" was included on their third album, ''In a Special Way'', while "Share My World" would be included on their fourth, '' Rhythm of the Night''. Track listing ; Side A.: #"What's Your Name" (Bobby DeBarge, Bunny DeBarge, El DeBarge) - 4:35 #"Dance The Night Away" (Mark DeBarge, Randy DeBarge) - 4:50 #"You're So Gentle, So Kind" (Bunny DeBarge, El DeBarge) - 4:40 #"Queen of My Heart" (El DeBarge) - 3:49 ; Side B.: #"Hesitated" (Bunny DeBarge, El DeBarge, Mark DeBarge, Randy DeBarge) - 3:42 #"Saving Up (All My Love)" (Bill Gable, Jon Lind) - 4:16 #"Share My World" (Bunny DeBarge, El DeBarge) - 5:39 #"Strange Romance" (Joe Blocker, Reggie Andrews) - 5:00 Personnel The DeB ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chico DeBarge
Jonathan Arthur "Chico" DeBarge (born June 23, 1966) is an American R&B singer and musician. DeBarge was formally a member (for their final album) of the family musical group DeBarge. As a solo artist he scored a 1986 US Top Forty hit with the song "Talk to Me". Biography Recording career He began a musical career of his own with Motown in the mid-1980s. His debut self-titled album was released in 1986 and featured the hit single "Talk To Me" (#21 US, #7 R&B). The album peaked at #90 on the Billboard 200 and released a follow-up single "The Girl Next Door" which charted on the R&B chart. Two years later, he released a second album with Motown, '' Kiss Serious'' that included the hit R&B single "Rainy Night" (#18 R&B) plus "I've Been Watching You" (#43 R&B) and the title track (#53 R&B). However, he was imprisoned for drug charges not long after and served time in prison for drug trafficking. After his release in the mid-1990s, DeBarge returned to Motown to continue his musica ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |