el debarge
Eldra Patrick “El” DeBarge (born June 4, 1961) is an American R&B and soul falsetto singer and was the focal point and lead singer of the family group DeBarge throughout the early to mid-1980s. [1]
Boasting two top ballads, the title cut and “I Like It,” All This Love featured smooth group harmonies behind El DeBarge’s attractive first tenor and light Pop/Soul arrangements. [2]
According to DeBarge Family members, eldebarge.net is not El’s “official” website. [3]
The bi-racial family group DeBarge had the looks, the vocal talent and the backing of Motown that vaulted it quickly to the top of the Pop and Soul worlds in 1982. [2]
The remaining brothers soldiered on with their older brother Bobby (who’d long since left Switch) now joining the band to release the album Bad Boys in 1987, but it didn’t achieve nearly the success of previous releases. [4]
The quintet was quickly groomed as heir to the family group throne occupied by the Jackson 5 a decade earlier, and its second Motown album, 1982’s All This Love, appeared to deliver on the promise. [2]
In 1983, DeBarge’s album, titled In a Special Way garnered yet more success for the group, again with El producing, writing and singing lead in most of the songs, including the hit singles “Time Will Reveal” and “Love Me in a Special Way.” [1]
Andrew is releasing his new album soon! [3]
Meanwhile, El went on to have a moderately successful solo career, and Bunny would score a minor hit with “Save the Best for Me (Best of Your Lovin’)” from her only solo album before being abruptly dropped by her label. [4]
Led by the soft-and-sweet vocals of Eldra (or El, for short), DeBarge issued a debut album in 1981, The DeBarges, which showed that the group had yet to hone their hit-making style. [...] Featuring lead vocals from Randy and El, the song raced up to number two on the Billboard R&B singles chart while also crossing over to pop radio eventually peaking at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. [5]
Leaving Motown for Striped Horse Records in 1987, they recruited older brother Bobby, who had been mentoring the group following his split from Switch in 1981, as a member releasing their final album, Bad Boys. [...] Active as a professional recording group between 1979 and 1989, the group was one of the few recording acts to bring success to the Motown label during the 1980s. [4]
The cut went to number one, and he soon left the group to begin a solo career. [2]
His eponymous debut album was an attractive mixture of pop and soul, fashioned in the style of Michael Jackson, on whom DeBarge has modelled his career. [6]
Sources:
[1] El DeBarge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[2] DeBarge / El DeBarge Biography | SoulTracks - Soul Music …
[3] DeBarge Family News
[4] DeBarge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[5] DeBarge: Information from Answers.com
[6] El DeBarge - Dating, Gossip, News, El DeBarge Photos