By Fred L. Jones, Jr.
El Debardge knows a thing or two about the life of a rhythm and blues star. Debardge and his siblings know in their time as R/B chart toppers as “Switch” saw mountain highs and valleys lows.
Everything started out beautifully in the summer of 1978. Motown signed a band called Switch. Among the members were two young men from the family, Bobby and Tommy Debarge.
They clicked right away. “There’ll Never Be” soared into the national Top 10, and they followed up with additional hits, most notably “I Call Your Name,” “Best Beat in Town” and “Love Over and Over Again.” The group was self-contained, meaning they played their own instruments.
Eventually the Debarge brothers left which coincided with the group’s decline and eventual disbanding.
Grand Rapids-born Bobby Debarge was the first in the family to succumb to drugs (in his case, heroin). He became addicted during the heyday of Switch and years later, 1988, was sentenced to five years in prison for drug trafficking. He died of complications from an STD contracted in prison.
A second group of Debarges — El, Bunny, James, Mark and Randy — became an even bigger success. From 1982 to 1985 they enjoyed a string of major national hits, several of which are still popular today. Their seven biggest hits were “Time Will Reveal,” “Rhythm of the Night,” “I Like It,” “All This Love,” “You Wear it Well,” “Love Me in a Special Way” and “Who’s Holding Donna Now?”
By 1986, El Debarge, who sang lead as well as writing and producing the songs, was a successful solo artist. In 2001, he was arrested for cocaine possession and received probation. He was given probation a second time, in 2006, on essentially the same charge. But when he was arrested in 2008 for possession of crack, he was sentenced to two years in state prison.
“Drugs” happened,” said Etterlene Debarge. “When El got into drugs it just paralyzed him. He just couldn’t deal with all the people in the music industry. He couldn’t deal with their fakeness and people ripping him off. Motown had taken all of his publishing and they’re still making money from those son
A second chance has now come and Debardge revealed that he has 12 children (11 biological and one he’s accepted as his own) by 5 different mothers (3 of whom he was married to). After overcoming a 22-year drug habit that largely kept him away from his kids, El expressed this: “I intend to be in their lives forever. God gave me a second chance. I am so very glad with what is going on with my career, but I want to be a success in my relationship with my children”, Debarge says.
El Debardge is a changed man and is set to perform at the “All White Affair” Friday September 8th at the Greenwood Culture Center for more information logon to: www.646concerts.com
