The DeBarge family - El, Marty, Randy, Bunny and James, not to mention Thomas, Bobby, and baby brother Chico - were supposed to be Motown's follow-up to the Jacksons. But after a trail of dazzling '80s hits, behind-the-scenes drama threatened to bring the family down. From dating Latoya and Janet Jackson to allegations of sexual abuse and drug addiction - the DeBarge family has dealt with everything from prison time to AIDS. But even now, their music is still sampled by the likes of Diddy and Polow Da Don, and some of the DeBarges are trying resurrect their careers. Is it too late, though, to pick up the pieces? A story in four parts, from our October 2007 issue. Episode 3.
Etterlene Abney was 17 when she met the 21-year-old Army soldier Robert DeBarge at a Detroit skating rink. "At first I didn't think he would like me, because I was so dark," Etterlene recalls. "A white man with a black woman…we were a freak show." They were married in 1953, two weeks before he was shipped out overseas. Etterlene says she'd never known brutality in her life — until she wed. "Robert was very jealous," she said with a sigh, "and an extremely abusive father." They stayed together 21 years before divorcing in 1974.
"Bobby went through a lot of pain," says Chico DeBarge of his oldest brother. "My father sexually molested a lot of my brothers and sisters. You could hear that anguish in Bobby's music."
Robert DeBarge Sr. has a voice as dry as sandpaper. At 75, he's had three surgeries and breathes with the help of an oxygen tank. "She has the right to her opinion," he says of his wife's allegations of abuse. "I don't think that I was at all . . . I don't speak a lot against her becasue she's the mother of my children. There are a lot of things, for the sake of the children, some things are best for them not to even know." Now remarried, with one son who died in a car accident, he firmly denies abusing his children sexually or otherwise. "Ohh no, no no," he says, sounding shocked at the idea.
"That may be our fault," says Bunny, unsurprised to hear her father's denials. "We never made daddy stand up. I don't hate my father, but he has a way of blocking things out of his mind."
Robert Sr. was a trucker after leaving the Army. A religious man, he sometimes found time to play the piano. "I was musically inclined," he says with a laugh, "so the children couldn't help but be talented." Although he had split with "the boys' mother" by the time his children had moved to Los Angeles, he says he "wasn't tickled to death about it," preferring they further their education instead. He never thought Motown would treat them right. "I knew they would use them instead of being fair with them. Being in the limelight is a struggle," he says. "Here today, and gone tomorrow."
According to Bunny — who, like her mother is working on a book, ominously titled The Kept One
— the DeBarge siblings' experience with drugs started early. She tried
sniffing coke after the group finished its second album and eventually
became dependent on pills. "It was the '80s — doing drugs was the thing
to do," says Bunny, stressing that she never went to sessions high. "If
you weren't doing drugs, you weren't in."
By 1987, Bunny had left DeBarge and was in a free
fall. "I had no drugs to help me cover, no fame to hide behind," she
writes in her forthcoming book. (Bunny has since kicked her habit,
crediting her turnaround to her relationship with God). The following
year, Bobby and Chico were convicted, along with two other accomplices,
on drug conspiracy charges [see sidebar]. Chico's self-titled debut
album had been released just two years earlier, and he should have been
enjoying the success of his single "Talk To Me" (Motown, 1986).
Instead, both brothers found themselves in jail cells serving five-year
sentences. But the most tragic fall of all was Bobby's.
"Bobby was always very sensitive and withdrawn,"
says Williams, "and there was a lot of abuse at the hands of Mr.
DeBarge. Heroin became his main way to escape." Though he stayed clean
for a while, after the success of Switch II, Bobby began slipping. "He was back on drugs, and his ego was out of control," Williams says. "Bobby was going around saying, 'I'm Switch.'"
Maybe he didn't need the band to show off his musical talents, but Bobby did seek refuge at his former bandmate's California home after being released from prison in 1994 with the HIV virus ravaging his immune system. "Bobby's last years were hell," Williams says. "He was separated from his wife and kids, and acting paranoid toward everybody. Bobby knew his life was basically over." He moved back to Grand Rapids the following year, and his family checked him into a hospice. After riding the heroin horse since his teens, Bobby died from complications of AIDS on August 16, 1995 at the age of 39. Taking his big brother's death to heart, El would never be the same.
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Comments
1.
westcoastlov says:
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AND YALL KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE AFTER READING THIS STORY YOU FEEL OBLIGATED TO RESPOND TO THIS OUTRAGE ~ ITS DEVISTATING NEWS THAT THEY ARE NOT HAPPY WHEN THEYRE MUSIC MADE AND MAKES SO MANY PEOPLE SO VERY HAPPY , I PRAY FOR THE DEBARGES FAMILY RECOVER IN HEALING FROM THE DEMONS THAT TORMENT THEIR SOULS , f**k THAT WE NEED YALL MUSIC TO KEEP US ALL WELL BABIES , WE MSS YALL YALL MAKE EVERYONE EEL BETTER , I BELIEVE EVEN YOURSELVES SO PLEASE STAY CRATING YOUR BEAUTIFL BABIES , MAKE MORE MUSIC FR ALL OF USDEBARGE ~ WESTCOASTLOVE BABY
December 23, 2007 at 2:56 am
2.
westcoastlov says:
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After reading this story I felt like i wanted to cry , this was my FAVORITE musical family back in the day ~ I still am willing to pay descent money to see them perform , why you may ask , the answer is simple the natural talent is still there, I
remember seeing Eldra perform while on tour with Run D.M.C @ jAM MASTER J. plus Bobby Brown and Eldra got off like no other his voice is simply beautiful , as well as Bunnies Chicos and Bobbys . My heart goes out
to them for the loss
of
their brother I will always believe that Janet did have James baby and Rebies taking care of her because shes the most normal one out of all of them
so she did what /father said and had the marriage anolled however she kept that baby but gave it to the sister who was the most stable in life ,it will come out years from now yall watch and then everyones going to realize just how deep the Jacksons bullshit goes back also,Joe Jackson probably
had something to do with the demise of the Debarge success , come on now hes a powerful man and he did not want his daughters
involved with the all natural beauties from the Debarge camp plus they where full of talent , no they may have not been dancing like Mikle but theyre voices and writing abilities made up for every dance move they couldnt or werent doing ~
thats called competition and that wouldve interfeared with his money Joe Jackson was not havin it .Now as far as the talented Debarge goes I pray that they come back and give this music industry exactly what its been missing the GREAT DEBARGE !!! How I wish that the artist that sample their and everyone elses music would at least break the real writers off $$$$ instead of the labls who where undermining the artist then and now we as black people have to remember to take care of our selves especilly when no one else is willing to , theres no way on earth that the Debarge shouldnt be beig paid each and every time we hear a sample from one of their great joints ~ I agree with Chicos fine ass when he says that it is written when it comes to their legacy in music ,it is what it is they defiately should be acknowledged as legends and icons , , I pray for their success backin the world thatthey belong in , leave them drugs alone and start creating beauty like never before El we miss you and Chico , I play songs from your cd daily , I cant help myself its so sincere , they aint ready for yall at yall best , come on and turn ummm out yall WESTCOAST LOVE DEBARGE .......
December 23, 2007 at 12:43 am
3.
Terri says:
I am very much interested in getting any Switch videos.... can anyone help?
November 5, 2007 at 12:26 pm
4.
Warren Burns says:
Bobby DeBarge was one of the best singers I have ever heard in my entire life. I am 41 years old from Philadelphia and for the longest time I have been searching for the Bobby DeBarge solo CD "It's Not Over", I have all of his other recordings. I feel that the entire family was and still is very talented, It's just a shame that drugs played a role in the developement of their careers. I am still a big family fan and I wish the best to all of them. Can someone please email me with info on Bobby's solo CD. Warrenb0820@msn.com
October 31, 2007 at 11:30 am
5.
sugar walls says:
so, i am assuming that bobby received AIDS from the needle! SAD! I can't be to suprised that they were on drugs, they are only human. hell your favorite sports star could be on drugs!
It is sad that their father did that to them! I know that they couldn't be lying, all of them saying the same thing....riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight! he is a sick old man, for 1. doing that sh*t to kids 2. for doing that to his own kids
October 24, 2007 at 10:38 pm
6.
andrew wells says:
man the article was crazy.i still think theres hope for the Debarge family.Bobby's son has the potential to be someone.check him out.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=83478517&MyToken=5137308b-5c75-4b94-a0aa-ade894e723c0
October 13, 2007 at 2:16 am
7.
andrea says:
As much as i have loved listening to Debarge and Switch, i never knew the pain was so deep.Eldra,will always be my favorite Debarge,but my prayers are with all of the remaining siblings.
October 6, 2007 at 2:26 pm
8.
Bernd Lichters says:
I like to add to the last paragraph in Episode III, regarding Bobby DeBarge's (RIP) last two years of his life after being released from the federal prison system, he had visit a few other very close friends, brothers and family and stayed with them for a few days before going back the last few weeks of his life to Grand Rapids into the Hospice to die in dignity and being redeemed.
But Bobby was very heroric to move his family, Teri and sons Christian and Bobby III by rental truck from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Los Angeles, California. The love he showed them, his last musical work 'It's Not Over', released at the beginning of August of 1995, to complete, which I had the peasure to guide him through this very difficult task. Bobby DeBarge did this with the head up. Of course the end of his life to him was very complicated to face, for everybody concerned and the most to himself, looking into the mirror every day.
We will keep his memory alive.
September 29, 2007 at 11:57 am
9.
Rohan Padiyar says:
Boy, I thought the Jacksons' father was abusive but the DeBarges' father takes the cake!
September 25, 2007 at 5:22 pm
10.
Dwaine K A Hicks says:
This Is A Very Good & LONG OVERDUE!I Always Wondered Why De Barge Broke Up Because His (El)Family Sung Back Up? I Can't Wait For The Book. One More Thing El Stil Represents For The Light Skin!
September 22, 2007 at 12:29 am
11.
J. says:
What riveting pieces! I've long wondered what happened to the family. Thanks for sharing their story.
September 21, 2007 at 2:53 pm
12.
anonymous says:
I only pray that those involved have total healing and that Mr. Debarge Sr repents. (Do works meet for repentance!)God is able.
September 19, 2007 at 7:23 pm
13.
karma says:
Not only is it NOT uncommon for the perpetrator to accuse the victim, it's usually almost always the case. When it comes to physical abuse, most abusers feel that they are warranted in the abuse they've caused their family... perhaps it was his form of discipline. I believe their stories of abuse and I believe Mr. Debarge, though denying the allegations, is far more coherent than he pretends. He knows what he did and his illness is his punishment. So, is the death of TWO sons!
September 19, 2007 at 9:37 am
14.
anonymous says:
In response to gggg. Are you a Doctor of sorts. I hear it is not uncommon for the perpetrator to accuse the victim, trying to make them responsible for the despicable acts that they endure at the hands of the predator. Futhermore, It is not plausible that an entire family would dream up a story like this. When it all hits the fan, Mr Debarge will have to face up to the things he forced upon his own family and his flesh and blood. In this life and the next...least he repent!
September 18, 2007 at 8:21 pm
15.
kay says:
SOME BODY PLEASE TELL HOW CAN A MOTHET WHO CLAIMS TO LOVE HER CHILDREN SELL THEM OUT FOR THE ALMIGHTY $$$$$$?
WOW! SOME LOVE
I'M SURE GOD IS SO PLEASED WITH THAT. NO WONDER THEY HAVE THE PROBLEMS THEY DO....
September 16, 2007 at 10:52 pm
16.
Vicky says:
I HOPE EL GETS OUT OF JAIL SOON AND IS O.K.!!! HE IS THE GREATEST ENTERTAINER THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN OR EVER WILL! I LOVE YOU ELDRA!
September 16, 2007 at 2:37 pm
17.
Eric Brown says:
Bobby was one of the greatest voices every, no doubt it. SWITCH also was a great musical(instrumentals) band also. Awesome sound, the SWITCH sound.
I think too many great black bands make the mistake of breaking-up, because one person think they are greater than the sum of all the parts.
For example, look at the Rolling Stones, I'm sure Mick Jagger has been told a million times to go on his own, but he was wiser than that. Need I say more.
September 16, 2007 at 11:07 am
18.
gggg says:
These are lies against this man. So sad. The DeBarge are sick mean people. The father NEVER molested them. They need to look at their uncles. So sad that Mom has them convinced of this. I've been working with a few of them to overcome this lie. It's disppointing to see it perpetuated.
September 16, 2007 at 10:18 am
19.
GLENN says:
I AM STARTING TO BELIEVE BOBBY WAS KICKED OUT OF SWITCH.
YEARS AGO IT WAS REPORTED THAT HE HAD RECORDED AN ALBUM FOR MOTOWN THAT WAS SHELVED ....I WOULD PAY TOP DOLLLOR TO HEAR IT.
September 15, 2007 at 12:31 pm
20.
JL says:
I didn't proof read my early comment before posting. Please forgive the missed spelled. I am embarrassed for all of you to see this. All O was trying to say is The Debarge Family can and will make a come back inclucing El and Chico. Bunny do the book!
September 14, 2007 at 8:21 pm
21.
JL says:
This truly a sad story, however I know the Degack family can and will come back. In fact I am working on a Switch and El Debarge (Rediscover The Music) cd now. Our new lable with support from Universal/Motown hope to have everything worked for this project in time for a 2008 summer release along with the Debarge family.
September 14, 2007 at 8:14 pm
22.
jamil anwar says:
Wow wow wow!!! great artical on the Debarge
September 14, 2007 at 7:02 am