Bunny Debarge
Encyclopedia
Etterlene "Bunny" DeBarge (born March 15, 1955) is an American
soul
singer-songwriter, best known as the lone female sibling of the Motown family group
DeBarge
. She is also best known as the lead vocalist behind the classic R&B ballad, "A Dream
" from the group's In a Special Way
album and is also the co-writer of the group's 1982 breakthrough hit, "I Like It
" and the number-one hit, "Time Will Reveal".
to Robert DeBarge, Sr. and Etterlene Abney
and raised later on in Grand Rapids
, Bunny is the eldest of the ten DeBarge children, which included brothers Bobby
and El
. Singing in church from an early age, Bunny sings in the high soprano
vocal style.
In 1979, Bunny and her three brothers El, Mark and Randy held an impromptu audition for Motown Records outside Berry Gordy
's offices. Gordy signed the group and shortly thereafter, Bunny began writing songs with her brother Bobby
for other Motown acts. She and Bobby co-wrote "Hold On to My Love" which was recorded by High Inergy
and "Love Over and Over Again," which was a Top 10 R&B hit for Bobby's group, Switch
.
Gordy released DeBarge's first album in 1981. Within a year, the group began to find success with songs such as "I Like It" and "All This Love", all the while Bunny stayed in the background.
Bunny began to break out in the group's third album, In a Special Way. Bunny sung on the last song of the album, a song she wrote titled "A Dream."
Bunny would later say that the demanding schedules of a successful music career pushed her to do hard drugs. After splitting from the group in 1986, Bunny released her first and only solo album, In Love, which included the single, "Save the Best for Me (Best of Your Lovin')". Despite this success, both she and her brother Chico were abruptly dropped from their contracts soon after. She then retired from show business shortly after to deal with a prescription drug
addiction, which she eventually overcame in the mid-nineties.
Within those years, Bunny became a born-again Christian and began to rebuild her life as a member of the church back at her home in Grand Rapids. In recent years, she has recorded mainly gospel
music and has penned the autobiography The Kept Ones about her life and career, released in 2008.
On September 21, 2011, Bunny, Bunny's daughter, James and Randy appeared on Lifechangers
, a half-hour daytime show hosted by Drew Pinsky
on The CW Television Network
. Bunny is currently in a rehabiliation program in West Hollywood, California. James entered the rehabilitation program but left few hours later. Randy left few days later.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer-songwriter, best known as the lone female sibling of the Motown family group
DeBarge family
The DeBarge family is a family of rhythm and blues artists from Detroit and Grand Rapids, Michigan.-Family members:Robert Louis DeBarge, Sr. was a soldier who served for the United States Armed forces and was of French Canadian descent. He met Etterlene Abney, who is African American, in Detroit,...
DeBarge
DeBarge
DeBarge was a sibling music group of American origin whose repertoire included R&B, soul, funk, and later gospel. Active as a professional recording group from 1979 and 1989, the group was one of the few recording acts to bring success to the Motown label during the 1980s.-Background:Hailing from...
. She is also best known as the lead vocalist behind the classic R&B ballad, "A Dream
A Dream (DeBarge song)
"A Dream" is a 1983 song performed and recorded by the famed Motown singing family, DeBarge, for their album, In a Special Way. Though the song was not released as a single and was not a hit, the song's key legacy derives from the fame it received from the interpolation of its melody being utilized...
" from the group's In a Special Way
In a Special Way
In a Special Way is the third studio album released by family singing group DeBarge released on the Gordy label on September of 1983.-Reception:...
album and is also the co-writer of the group's 1982 breakthrough hit, "I Like It
I Like It (DeBarge song)
"I Like It" is a late 1982 hit single composed by Randy, Bunny and El DeBarge and released as a single by the family singing quintet, DeBarge, for Motown's Gordy imprint. It was the second single from their second studio album All This Love.-History:...
" and the number-one hit, "Time Will Reveal".
Overview
Born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
to Robert DeBarge, Sr. and Etterlene Abney
Etterlene DeBarge
Etterlene "Mama" Abney DeBarge Rodriguez is a gospel singer, songwriter, and matriarch of the famous singing DeBarge family group...
and raised later on in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, Bunny is the eldest of the ten DeBarge children, which included brothers Bobby
Bobby DeBarge
Robert Louis "Bobby" DeBarge Jr. was an American musician and the lead singer of the 1970s Motown R&B group Switch. He was also the mentor behind his younger siblings who formed the musical group DeBarge and was the biggest influence among its members, most prominently El DeBarge...
and El
El DeBarge
Eldra Patrick "El" DeBarge is an American R&B/pop falsetto singer and was the focal point and lead singer of the family group DeBarge throughout the early to mid-1980s....
. Singing in church from an early age, Bunny sings in the high soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
vocal style.
In 1979, Bunny and her three brothers El, Mark and Randy held an impromptu audition for Motown Records outside Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
's offices. Gordy signed the group and shortly thereafter, Bunny began writing songs with her brother Bobby
Bobby DeBarge
Robert Louis "Bobby" DeBarge Jr. was an American musician and the lead singer of the 1970s Motown R&B group Switch. He was also the mentor behind his younger siblings who formed the musical group DeBarge and was the biggest influence among its members, most prominently El DeBarge...
for other Motown acts. She and Bobby co-wrote "Hold On to My Love" which was recorded by High Inergy
High Inergy
High Inergy was an American R&B and soul girl group who found fame on Motown Records in the late 1970s. They are best known for their hit, "You Can't Turn Me Off ".-History:...
and "Love Over and Over Again," which was a Top 10 R&B hit for Bobby's group, Switch
Switch (band)
Switch was an R&B/funk band that found fame recording for the 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 and Tommy's siblings.-Early years:Formed in...
.
Gordy released DeBarge's first album in 1981. Within a year, the group began to find success with songs such as "I Like It" and "All This Love", all the while Bunny stayed in the background.
Bunny began to break out in the group's third album, In a Special Way. Bunny sung on the last song of the album, a song she wrote titled "A Dream."
Bunny would later say that the demanding schedules of a successful music career pushed her to do hard drugs. After splitting from the group in 1986, Bunny released her first and only solo album, In Love, which included the single, "Save the Best for Me (Best of Your Lovin')". Despite this success, both she and her brother Chico were abruptly dropped from their contracts soon after. She then retired from show business shortly after to deal with a prescription drug
Prescription drug
A prescription medication is a licensed medicine that is regulated by legislation to require a medical prescription before it can be obtained. The term is used to distinguish it from over-the-counter drugs which can be obtained without a prescription...
addiction, which she eventually overcame in the mid-nineties.
Within those years, Bunny became a born-again Christian and began to rebuild her life as a member of the church back at her home in Grand Rapids. In recent years, she has recorded mainly gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
music and has penned the autobiography The Kept Ones about her life and career, released in 2008.
On September 21, 2011, Bunny, Bunny's daughter, James and Randy appeared on Lifechangers
Lifechangers
Lifechangers is an half-hour daytime show hosted by Drew Pinsky. It premiered on September 19, 2011, as part of The CW Daytime.-Overview:...
, a half-hour daytime show hosted by Drew Pinsky
Drew Pinsky
David Drew Pinsky , best known as Dr. Drew, is an American board-certified internist, addiction medicine specialist, and radio and television personality. He has hosted the nationally syndicated radio talk show Loveline since the show's inception in 1984. On television, he hosts the talk show Dr...
on The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
. Bunny is currently in a rehabiliation program in West Hollywood, California. James entered the rehabilitation program but left few hours later. Randy left few days later.