The Deele

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = The Deele
Background = group_or_band


Img_capt =
Alias =
Origin = Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Genre = R&B
Years_active = 1981 — 1988, 1993, 2007-present
Label = Solar
Current_members = Carlos "Satin" Greene
Darnell "Dee" Bristol
Kevin Roberson
Stanley Burke
Past_members = Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Antonio "L.A." Reid

The Deele (pronounced The Deal) is an American 80s R&B band from Cincinnati, Ohio, originally consisting of Indianapolis native Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds along with Antonio "L.A." Reid, Carlos "Satin" Greene, Darnell "Dee" Bristol, Stanley Burke, and Kevin "Kayo" Roberson. They have currently reunited in an incarnation featuring Bristol, Greene, and Roberson. Burke has also rejoined this lineup.

Biography

Formed in 1981, The Deele recorded three albums during the 1980s, and scored several hit singles. In 1984 "Body Talk" became their first hit, reaching #3 on the R&B charts and #77 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. The band reached the apex of their success in 1987 with the release of their "Eyes of a Stranger" album, which produced two top-10 R&B singles, "Shoot 'Em Up Movies" and perhaps their best-known hit "Two Occasions." This latter track reached #4 on the R&B charts and also cracked the Top 10 on the pop charts. It was during this time that L.A. Reid & Babyface Edmonds began crafting their talents as songwriters for other artists. They wrote "Girlfriend" for Reid's girlfriend Pebbles (which was a top ten hit) and they wrote The Whispers "Rock Steady". In 1988, both Babyface and Reid left the group and later founded LaFace Records in 1989. At the start of the 1990s, Reid and Edmonds would become successful record producers. Babyface would also embark on a successful run as a solo artist.

The group reunited one last time in 1993, without Reid or Edmonds, to record their last album, "Invitation to Love". The group would call it quits later that same year.

Their hit song "Two Occasions" was later referenced (along with Babyface) by Mariah Carey in her 2005 hit song "We Belong Together."

Reunion

As of 2007, Dee, Carlos, and Kayo have officially reformed the band with new members. Their new MySpace page currently includes a new Christmas song released by the band, as well as a recent interview with the three original members (although Kayo was very reserved) at a Dallas radio station, during which Dee discusses, among other things, how The Deele were the first band signed to Solar Records solely based on their music (the representatives hadn't actually seen them perform). Now a part of Dallas Based Eieg/D-Town Records.

A fourth original member, Stanley "Stick" Burke has apparently also joined the current line-up, leaving Babyface and L.A. Reid the only two original members not participating in the current project.

Original Members

* Darnell "Dee" Bristol: Vocals
* Stanley "Stick" Burke: Guitar, keyboards (left after the first album)
* Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds: Keyboards, guitar, vocals
* Carlos "Satin" Greene: Vocals
* Antonio "L.A." Reid: Drums
* Kevin "Kayo" Roberson: Bass

Discography

tudio albums

* "Street Beat" (Solar Records, 1983)
* "Material Thangz" (Solar Records, 1985)
* "Eyes of a Stranger" (Solar Records, 1987)
* "Invitation to Love" (Solar Records, 1993)
* "The Only 1 (single)" (Eieg/D-Town Records, 2007)
* "All I Want For Christmas (single)" (Eieg/D-Town Records, 2007)

Compilation appearance

* "Deep Cover" (movie soundtrack) (1992)

External links

* [http://www.thedeele.com/ Official Site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/dtrthedeele MySpace Page]
* [http://www.dtownrecords.com/ Official Site for their new record label]