The DeBarge family made waves back in the 1970s when brothers Bobby and Tommy were an integral part of the soul band, Switch.
Several years later, other family members formed the R & B group DeBarge and created more hits shortly thereafter. News coming from the family has revealed that Tommy DeBarge, 64, a founding member of Switch, died yesterday, according to TMZ.
A family member of the famed musical family reported that Tommy had suffered from liver and kidney failure over the past few years. Recently, the condition took a turn for the worse. He was hospitalized a couple of weeks ago and died while at the hospital.
Bobby died of AIDS-related complications back in 1995.
Tommy gained fame while a member of Switch in the mid to late 1970s when the group had several hits.. “There’ll Never Be” is undoubtedly the group’s best-known single, hitting number number 6 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1978. “I Call Your Name” hit number 8 the following year. “Love Over & Over Again” was their third and last single to make it to the top-10, hitting number 9 in 1980. “There’ll Never Be” also peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, their only top 40 hit.
Tommy and Bobby left Switch to help their younger siblings, Mark, James, El, Bunny, and Randy, who formed the more successful group, DeBarge, which recorded on the same Motown-distributed label, Gordy Records, in the 1980s.
DeBarge had more charted hits, including “I Like It,” “All This Love,” “Who’s Holding Donna Now,” “Time Will Reveal,” and “You Wear It Well.” All hit the top 10 on the Billboard R & B chart, with Time Will Reveal” and “Rhythm of the Night” hitting number one. “All This Love,” “Rhythm of the Night,” and “Who’s Holding Donna Now” also hit number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.