El DeBarge

Eldra Patrick 'El' DeBarge was born in 1961 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

El was part of a musically rich family which was discovered by Jermaine Jackson and signed to Motown. The group, known as DeBarge, had several big hits in the 1980s. El was the group's lead singer for many big tracks, including 'Time Will Reveal.'

In 1986, El left the group and began a solo career. His first album, the self-titled El DeBarge was released in 1986. The album went gold and featured the hit single 'Who's Johnny' featured in the movie Short Circuit. The single topped the R&B charts and reached #3 on the Hot 100. The album's second big single, 'Love Always' reached #7 on the R&B charts.

His second album Gemini, released in 1989. The album featured one strong single with 'Real Love' which reached #8 on the R&B charts.

Breaking off with Motown, El released In The Storm on Warner Bros. in 1992. The album paid homage to Marvin Gaye and was rich in his influences. El's final album, Heart Mind & Soul was released in 1994. Both albums featured minor hits but did not come close to his early success.

El DeBarge disappeared from the public eye in 1995, following the death of his brother Bobby. Bobby died from an AIDS-related illness.