El DeBarge

Infobox Musical artist
Name = El DeBarge


Img_capt =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Eldra Patrick DeBarge
Born = birth date and age|1961|6|4
Origin = Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
Instrument = Vocals, piano/keyboards
Genre = R&B, soul
Occupation = Singer-songwriter, record producer
Years_active = 1978 - present
Associated_acts = DeBarge, Switch, Chico DeBarge

Eldra Patrick "El" DeBarge (born June 4, 1961) is an American R&B and soul falsetto singer, the focal point and lead singer of the DeBarge family group throughout the early to mid-1980s. As a solo artist, he's best known for the hits "Who's Johnny" and "Love Always" and for his collaborations with Tone Loc, Quincy Jones, Fourplay and DJ Quik.

Biography

Career

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eldra "El" DeBarge was born the fifth of eight brothers and sixth of ten DeBarge family members. Like his siblings, El participated in the local church choir and was labeled a child prodigy thanks to his skills as a vocalist and a keyboardist. Later, he, Mark, Randy, James and Bunny formed DeBarge in 1978. In 1981 DeBarge released their album "The DeBarges", which produced one single, "What's Your Name." The album was not considered a success and quickly fell into obscurity. El was a natural in the role of lead singer for the group.

In 1982, DeBarge finally found success with their acclaimed second album, "All This Love", which gave DeBarge major chart success with singles "Stop! Don't Tease Me," the perennial "I Like It," and the title track. In 1983, DeBarge's third album, "In A Special Way" garnered yet more success for the group. El wrote and sang most of the songs. The album produced the hit singles "Time Will Reveal" and "Love Me In A Special Way."

In 1985, the group released their fourth album, "Rhythm of the Night" which produced hits "The Heart Is Not So Smart," "Who's Holding Donna Now," "You Wear It Well," and the massively successful title track, which was their second single to top the R&B charts, reached #3 in the U.S., and #4 in the U.K. Its music video was featured in the 1985 martial arts film, "The Last Dragon". That year, El appeared as himself in an episode of the television series "The Facts of Life" and sang "You Wear it Well."

olo career

After the commercial pop success of "Rhythm of the Night," El left the group in 1986 to begin a solo career. The same year, El released his self-titled debut solo album. "Who's Johnny" was the first single released and was featured in the movie "Short Circuit". The single was a major success, peaking at #3 in the U.S. The music video for the song reflected its use in the movie, depicting a mock trial for characters Stephanie Speck and Newton Crosby (Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg, respectively) for the theft of the movie's main character, the robot Johnny 5, with scenes from the movie being shown as evidence.

Other singles from this album were "Someone" and the laid-back ballad "Love Always". A break in El's career kept him from the spotlight until 1989 when he returned with a second solo album, "Gemini". This marked El's final Motown release. "Real Love" was a single, as well as "Broken Dreams." El signed with Warner Brothers and released his third solo album, "In The Storm". "You Know What I Like," which featured Chante Moore (Latimore) on co-lead vocals, "My Heart Belongs To You," and a cover of Marvin Gaye's "After The Dance" (recorded with Fourplay and featuring Patti LaBelle) were singles. Two years later, in 1994, El collaborated with hit producer Babyface and released his fourth and most recent solo album "Heart, Mind and Soul". "Can't Get Enough", "Slide," and a duet with Babyface, "Where Is My Love," were singles.

El teamed up with Quincy Jones to create the successful collaboration, "The Secret Garden," a single from 1990 which also featured Barry White, Al B. Sure!, and James Ingram on vocals. In 1998, El worked with DJ Quik for the single "Hand In Hand."

In 2008, was featured on RZA's album "Digi Snacks" on the track "Up Again".

Personal life

According to his mother, Etterlene DeBarge, El is the father of 11 children, the eldest born when El was only fifteen. His children include Adris DeBarge, who is an executive assistant for producer Tracey Edmonds. [cite news
url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20076254/
title= Scary Spice seeks child support from Murphy
date=2007-08-01
work=Associated Press (accessed on MSNBC.com)
location= United States
accessdate-2008-07-18] He is currently married to Monique DeBarge

Legal troubles

El DeBarge was arrested in Los Angeles County, California on August 26, 2007 for violating his probation. [ [http://www.accesshollywood.com/article/6657/singer-el-debarge-arrested-on-domestic-violence-charge Access Hollywood ] ] He has been released and has started work on a new album. "Rhythm of the Night" will be the theme song of Lowes Motor Speedway during the 2008 NASCAR season.

Discography

Albums

*1986: "El DeBarge"
*1989: "Gemini"
*1992: "In The Storm"
*1994: "Heart, Mind and Soul"
*2003: "Ultimate Collection"
*TBC: "TBC New Album"

ingles

*1985: "You Wear It Well" (US pop #46; US R&B #7; US AC #18; US Dance #1)¹
*1986: "Who's Johnny" (US pop #3; US R&B #1; US Dance #10)
*1986: "The Heart Is Not So Smart" (US pop #75; US R&B #29; US AC #17)¹
*1986: "Someone" (US pop #70; US R&B #32; US AC #20)
*1986: "Love Always" (US pop #43; US R&B #7; US AC #8)
*1989: "Somebody Loves You" (US R&B #24)
*1989: "Real Love" (US R&B #8; US Dance #14)
*1991: "All Through the Night" (US R&B #18)
*1992: "You Know What I Like" (US R&B #14)
*1992: "My Heart Belongs To You" (US R&B #64)
*1992: "Another Chance" (US R&B #62)
*1994: "Where is My Love" (US R&B #19)
*1994: "Can't Get Enough" (US R&B #21)
*1995: "Where You Are" (US R&B #86)
*1994: "Slide" (US R&B #36)

¹ - Released under the title "DeBarge featuring El DeBarge".

Trivia

*DeBarge's "Stay With Me" is sampled on The Notorious B.I.G.'s "One More Chance" remix (featuring Biggie's eventual wife Faith Evans), and Ashanti's song "Foolish" as well as Ne-Yo's "Stay".
*"A Dream" was sampled by 2Pac in "I Ain't Mad At Ya" and in Blackstreet's "Don't Leave".
*Mary J. Blige recorded a cover version of the DeBarge song, "A Dream" which up to that point had been covered only in sampled form by the artists mentioned above.
*In the Ying Yang Twins' "Bedroom Boom" (which featured Avant), his song "All This Love" is referenced: "All this love is waiting for you, like I'm El DeBarge".
*The rapper AZ samples "All This Love" in his track "Problems" from the album "9 Lives".
*Songstress Mariah Carey samples Debarge's "Stay With Me" in her song "I'll Be Lovin' You Long Time," off of her new album E=MC^{^2}.
*He released the song Starlight Express from the musical with the same name.

References

ee also

*List of number-one dance hits (United States)
*List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart