| Bobby DeBarge | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 5, 1956 Detroit, Michigan |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan |
| Died | August 16, 1995 (aged 39) Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Genres | R&B, soul |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano/keyboards |
| Years active | 1975–1995 |
| Labels | Motown, Striped Horse |
| Associated acts | Barry White, Switch, DeBarge |
Robert Louis "Bobby" DeBarge Jr. (March 5, 1956–August 16, 1995) was an American musician and the lead singer of the 1970s Motown R&B group Switch. He was also the mentor behind his younger siblings who formed the musical group DeBarge and was the biggest influence among its members, most prominently El DeBarge. He later joined the group for a year before his career was interrupted by a drug conviction.
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Robert Louis DeBarge Jr. was born to Etterlene and Robert DeBarge Sr. in Detroit, Michigan. Growing up, family members recounted how Bobby was physically abused by his father. The family says that the abuse toward Bobby had a psychological effect. In his late teens, Bobby became addicted to heroin. Despite his rough upbringing, after moving to Grand Rapids in the early 1970s, Bobby began playing in bands in the local area. A gifted singer and pianist since childhood, Bobby befriended fellow musician Gregory Williams and, with Eddie Fluellen, Phillip Ingram and Jody Sims, eventually signed as Barry White's background group White Heat in 1975. In 1976, White dropped them because of a tax problem and kept one of the group's saxophonists as part of White's Love Unlimited Orchestra.
Afterward, the group changed its name to Switch and eventually signed with Motown after the group gave a demonstration tape to Jermaine Jackson, formerly of the Jackson 5. The group (which also included brother Thomas "Tommy" DeBarge) recorded the hits "There'll Never Be," "I Call Your Name," "I Want to be Closer," "Love Over and Over Again," and "My Friend in the Sky".
In 1981, both Bobby and Tommy left Switch and Bobby later began producing his other siblings, who made up the popular R&B group DeBarge. He served as mentor of the group's lead singer and younger brother, El. In 1987, he promptly joined the El and Bunny-sans lineup of the group, singing lead on several songs off DeBarge's final album, Bad Boys. He was with the group when they appeared in a Punky Brewster episode. Unable to shake his addictions to heroin and crack cocaine, in 1988, Bobby and his younger brother Chico were arrested for intention to distribute drugs in their hometown of Grand Rapids.
Bobby served his five years in a federal penitentiary in Wisconsin, and his brother Chico served five years in a federal penitentiary in Milan, Michigan. After leaving prison and gaining sobriety, DeBarge tried continuing his music career, but shortly after his release, Bobby died from complications of AIDS on August 16, 1995 at age 39. Bobby's final musical endeavor was the album titled It's Not Over, which included the songs "Thief in the Night," "It's Not Over," and "Good Times."
According to an article in Vibe, he briefly dated LaToya Jackson, who was said to be the inspiration behind Switch's 1979 hit "I Call Your Name."[1] With his death, he left behind a wife named Teri and two sons, Christian and Bobby III.[2]
DeBarge's voice and the intro of his band's 1979 hit "I Call Your Name" was later sampled on rapper Rich Boy's 2007 hit "Throw Some D's", and in the Ne-Yo song "It Just Ain't Right". Bobby Debarge wrote You and I, for Latoya Jackson
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