Eldra Patrick "El" DeBarge (born June 4, 1961) is an American R&B/pop falsetto singer and was the focal point and lead singer ...
As a solo artist, he is best known for the hits "Who's Johnny" and "Love Always" and for his collaborations with Tone Loc, Quincy Jones, Fourplay and DJ Quik.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Eldra Patrick DeBarge was born the fifth of eight brothers and sixth of ten DeBarge family members to Etterlene (née Abney) and the Robert Louis Debarge, Sr. El, as he was nicknamed as a child, was born to an African-American mother and a White father (as well as his siblings). The couple moved their children from Detroit to Grand Rapids, Michigan, but Etterlene eventually divorced Robert in 1974. 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 and years of private study with music educator Ricky Callier. El was a natural in the role of lead singer for the family group they founded, simply titled DeBarge.
After the commercial pop success of "Rhythm of the Night", El was encouraged to leave the group by Berry Gordy, believing that he could continue even further as a solo singer. After he left the band, the remaining members recorded two more albums, but they never retained their initial successes and eventually disbanded.
In 1986 he released his self-titled debut solo album El DeBarge. "Who's Johnny" was the first single released from that album and was featured in the comedy film Short Circuit. The single was a major success, peaking at #3 in the U.S. The music video for the song featured El with co-actors Ally Sheedy, a cardboard cutout of Steve Guttenberg, and the main character from the movie, a robot called Johnny 5. El also guest starred on an episode of the Disney Channels TV series Sidekicks, where he performed Thrill Of The Chase.
It took over three years for El to release his second (and last for Motown) solo album in 1989, titled Gemini, but the album and the singles released failed to chart due to waning interest. The album is still considered one of his more smoothly produced, and copies of his album are collector's items since Motown let it go out of print.
In 1990 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.
After leaving Motown he signed with Warner Brothers in 1992 and released his third solo album In The Storm, which was produced by Maurice White of Earth Wind and Fire. The album featured several duets: one, with his musical protege Chante Moore on the song "You Know What I Like", peaking at number 14 on the Billboard R&B charts, with his brother James on "Another Chance", and on the song "After the Dance" he shared singing credits with the R&B group Fourplay, R&B singer Patti LaBelle. The album itself did not chart in the U.S., but many critics and fans even today still call this album a masterpiece due to its influences in trying to capture the original feeling of Marvin Gaye's album What's Going On.
Two years later, in 1994, El collaborated with hit producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and released his fourth solo effort Heart, Mind and Soul. "Can't Get Enough", "Slide", and a duet with Babyface titled "Where Is My Love" (with Stevie Wonder playing harmonica on the track) were released as singles.
In 1998, El was featured with DJ Quik on hit single "Hand In Hand". Also that year the DeBarge brothers - El, Marty, Randy and James - reunited for several shows, including Sinbad's Summer Jam concert in Aruba where they performed "I Like It" and "All This Love". Around this time, records released by DeBarge were again being played again due to hip-hop singers and rap acts sampling the group's instrumental sounds. debarge also sang "second Chance",2011
DeBarge was a 2011 Grammy Nominee.
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