Marvin Junior of the Dells
succumbed to kidney failure after a long illness at his home in Harvey, Illinois
on Wednesday, May 29, 2013.
The Dells were formed in high
school in 1952 as the El-Rays, and had their first hit as the Dells in 1956 in
“Oh What a Night”, led by Marvin Junior and Johnny Funches. Most of us do not
really recall the original of this song, but remember only the re-release in
the 1960s. (Remember where it says, “We re-dedicate this song to you”?) “Oh
What a Night” is ranked #260 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500
Greatest Songs of All Time.
The group disbanded in 1958
following a near-fatal car crash, but re-formed in 1960. They went on to score
such hits as “Always Together,” “Stay in My Corner,” and “The Love We Had Stays
on My Mind” (my favorites). They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame in 2004.
In 1991 The Dells recorded a
composition titled "A Heart Is a House for Love" for the soundtrack
of The Five Heartbeats (another of my favorites). This song reached
number thirteen on the Billboard R&B chart, making them only one of two
groups to have hit singles in each of five decades. The Dells continued
performing until 2012 when illnesses forced retirement of two of its members.
I remember trying to hit those
l-o-n-g notes, and sometimes I even succeeded! The Dells have a fond place in
my heart.
R.I.P. Marvin Junior [1936 – 2013]
© 05/30/2013
No comments:
Post a Comment