The Dells

The Dells are an R&B and crossover musical group. Their successful recordings spanned more than four decades. Formed in 1952 after attending high school together, the Dells' repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul, disco and contemporary rhythm and blues. Unlike many of their contemporaries, the group's lineup did not change much from 1960 and consisted, until 2009, of falsetto leader Johnny Carter (died August 21, 2009), baritone lead singer Marvin Junior and background singers Mickey McGill, Verne Allison and Chuck Barksdale.
The Dells grew up in Harvey, Illinois and began singing together while attending Thornton Township High School. Forming in 1952 under the name the El-Rays, the group initially consisted of Marvin Junior, Mickey McGill, Lucius McGill, Verne Allison, Chuck Barksdale, and Johnny Funches. Two years later, the pared down quintet---Lucius left in 1954---signed with the Chess brothers' Checker label and released a doo-wop single, "Darling I Know", that flopped.
In 1955, the group renamed themselves the Dells and signed with Vee-Jay Records. In 1956, they recorded their first hit, "Oh What a Night" (a song co-written by Johnny Funches, who also sang lead on the recording), which hit the Top 5 of the R&B singles chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The song is ranked on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Follow-ups to the hit failed to make a similar impact. In 1958, a car accident threatened to derail the group with McGill nearly losing his leg in the accident. The group agreed to split up to bide time as McGill recovered.
Barksdale joined a new version of the doo-wop group The Moonglows. McGill eventually recovered from his injury, with Barksdale returning to Illinois to rejoin the Dells in 1960, but not before Johnny Funches, frustrated with the group's slow progress, left permanently. He was replaced by Johnny Carter, formerly of The Flamingos.
It would be the final lineup change for the group as they went on to sing background for Dinah Washington, Ray Charles, and Barbara Lewis ("Hello Stranger", 1963). The group was also being vocally fine-tuned by Quincy Jones and began to include jazz and Broadway-styled show tunes as part of their live and recording acts.
In 1966, the Dells returned to Chess under the label's Cadet subsidiary working with Bobby Miller and future Earth, Wind & Fire arranger Charles Stepney. In 1967, the Dells issued the album "There Is," which included their first R&B chart-topper in years with the title track, which showcased the sharp baritone of Marvin Junior and the harmonies with the four other Dells. The song was also their first top 20 pop hit.
Subsequent R&B hits included "Wear It on Our Face," "Always Together," "I Can Sing a Rainbow - Love is Blue (medley)" and their first R&B hit and first Top Ten pop hit, 1968's "Stay in My Corner," which reached on the pop chart and showcased both Carter and Marvin in lead vocals. It was not until 1969, however, that the group suddenly became R&B stars with their revival of their first hit, "Oh What a Night," re-produced under a classic soul format. Marvin Junior's husky lead vocal on the new version was in stark contrast to the smooth tenor of Johnny Funches on their original recording. The song was their second hit on the R&B charts and their second Top Ten pop single while becoming a signature song. The track sold over one million copies for the second time. Subsequent hits included "Open Up My Heart," "Oh What A Day," and "On the Dock of the Bay."
In 1971, the Dells' "The Love We Had Stays on My Mind" became another Top Ten hit on the R&B charts, also reaching the pop Top 30. By this time Charles Stepney had taken over production duties from Bobby Miller. 1973's "Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation" was their third certified gold record. The song was written by L.V. Johnson and produced by Don Davis, and by then the Dells were a top-selling recording and headlining act.
Leaving Cadet around the end of 1974 with the parent company in financial difficulties, the group would continue recording under the Mercury, ABC, 20th Century Fox and Virgin labels finding some hits including 1980's "I Touched a Dream", which returned the group to the Top 40 on the R&B charts. The Dells were confined mostly to the oldies market afterwards until they were asked to be creative consultants to Robert Townsend's acclaimed 1991 musical, The Five Heartbeats, which was loosely based on the lives of the Dells. The group recorded a composition titled "A Heart Is a House for Love". The success of the song issued on the movie's soundtrack---it reached number thirteen on the R&B singles chart---gave the Dells a jolt and helped to make them just the second group to chart singles in four consecutive decades after The Isley Brothers. The success resulted in the group being signed to the Philadelphia International label where they recorded the album I Salute You. In recent yea
更多>
 收藏
作品