Radio de El 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. 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. After he, Mark, Randy and Bunny formed the DeBarges in 1978. In 1979, Bernd Lichters, with the release of the SMASH album on Source/MCA, rented a home and bought instruments in California to move El, Randy, Marty and Bunny DeBarge to Los Angeles, which than gave brother Bobby of Switch the oportunity for the family to win an impromptu audition at El's brothers' Bobby and Tommy's group, Switch's Motown label for Jermaine Jackson, who eventually helped them get a deal in 1979. While Switch went on to some success during the late 1970s, 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.