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Biography
Unreferenced|date=December 2008 Switch was an Rhythm and blues|R& B / funk band (music)|band that found fame recording for the Motown Records|Gordy label in the late 1970s releasing hit songs such as "There'll Never Be", "I Call Your Name" and "The Best Beat in Town" and influenced bands such as DeBarge , which featured members Bobby DeBarge|Bobby and Tommy DeBarge|Tommy 's DeBarge family|siblings .
Biography
Early years
Formed in Mansfield, Ohio in 1974 under the name First Class. Featuring brothers Bobby DeBarge and Tommy DeBarge and Greg Williams, all of whom hailed from Grand Rapids, Michigan along with Akron, Ohio natives Phillip Ingram (brother of James Ingram ), Eddie Fluellen and Jody Sims. At the time, they called themselves First Class. They joined Barry White's background group 'White Heat' as background musicians and were let go shortly thereafter.
Success years
Eventually changing their name to Switch due to their ability to 'switch' to different instruments during a song, the group got the attention of Jermaine Jackson , former member of The Jackson 5 , who heard the group's demo tape and within days the group was promptly signed to the Motown Records subsidiary record label|label , Gordy. There, they sound recording and reproduction|recorded and released their self titled debut album in 1978. The album featured their first Top 40|Top 10 R& B hit single entitled "There'll Never Be". Depending on whom was singing lead on the songs, their song s were songwriter|written by Williams, Ingram and Bobby DeBarge and often in collaboration with Jermaine Jackson, who continued to sponsor the band throughout their five years on the label. Though they never did manage to cross over into the pop music|pop singles record chart|chart , they were a consistent presence on the R& B charts through the late 1970s with albums such as Switch II from 1979 (their second release), This Is My Dream and Reaching For Tomorrow in 1980. Their final release on Gordy was Switch V which was released in 1981. Other than "There'll Never Be", songs such as "I Call Your Name" and "Best Beat in Town" also became hits for the group.
Later years
Shortly after the DeBarge brothers left to mentor the group DeBarge with their siblings, and lead singer Phillip Ingram left to pursue a solo career, new musicians were added in the personage of percussionist and singer Joe Robinson, Gonzales Ozen and keyboardist Attala Zane Giles. This configuration of Switch signed with Total Experience (well known home of their contemporaries The Gap Band ) and recorded a final album Am I Still Your Boyfriend in 1984 breaking up later on that year. In 1991, Motown released a greatest hits compilation album by the band, and a similar version on the 20th Century Masters series released more recently is all that remains in print of this band. Former lead singer Bobby DeBarge died of AIDS -related complications in his home in Grand Rapids, Michigan on August 16, 1995 at age 39. Switch has since reunited featuring original members founder/leader Gregory Williams, Eddie Fluellen, Phillip Ingram , original sessions/on stage guitarist Michael McGloiry, and new members Akili Nickson and Michael Norfleet.
Personnel
Gregory Williams (1975-present): vocals, keyboards, trumpet
Eddie Fluellen (1978-present): keyboards, trombone , vocals
1977: Pall Mall Groove (Released in Germany) (Polydor) (NOTE: Was released in the US as Smash in 1979 on the MCA-distributed Source label)
Albums
1978: Switch (Switch album)|Switch (Gordy) Billboard 200|U.S. #37, R& B #6
1979: Switch II (Gordy) - U.S. #37, R& B #8
1980: This Is My Dream (Gordy) - U.S. #85, R& B #21
1980: Reaching For Tomorrow (Gordy) - U.S. #57, R& B #23
1981: Switch V (Gordy) - U.S. #174, R& B #48
1984: Am I Still Your Boyfriend? (Total Experience)
Compilations
1991: The Best of Switch (Motown)
2001: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Switch (Motown)
Singles
1978: "There'll Never Be" - Billboard Hot 100|U.S. #36, R& B #6
1978: "I Wanna Be Closer" - R& B #22
1979: "Calling On All Girls"
1979: "Best Beat In Town" - U.S. #69, R& B #16
1979: "I Call Your Name" - U.S. #83, R& B #8
1980: "Love Over And Over Again" - R& B #9
1980: "Don't Take My Love Away" - R& B #41
1981: "I Do Love You" - R& B #73
1981: "You And I" - R& B #57
1982: "Call On Me" - R& B #70
Rich Boy sampled "I Call Your Name" in his song "Throw Some D's"; Ne-Yo sampled "I Call Your Name" in his song "It Just Ain't Right"
References
Vibe - October 2007 - Page 108-115 - Michael A. Gonzales: Broken Dreams
All Music Guide to Soul: the Definitive Collection By Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Reflist
External links
http://switchentertainmentworld.com/ Switch's official website
http://www.burndsman.com/ Website of Bernd Lichters
DeBarge DEFAULTSORT:Switch Category:African American musical groups|Switch (band) Category:American funk musical groups|Switch (band) Category:American rhythm and blues musical groups|Switch (band) Category:Musical groups established in 1975|Switch (band) Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1984|Switch (band) Category:American soul musical groups|Switch (band) Category:Musical groups from Ohio|Switch (band) Category:Motown artists|Switch (band) Category:DeBarge family
Copyright Citations
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