R&B Group Vocalist Battle #3: El Debarge(Debarge) vs. Maxine Jones (EnVogue)

El Debarge (Debarge)

Success with the band DeBarge

In 1981 their first album, titled The DeBarges, failed to chart any singles or the album itself. This first album saw limited success, although this album featured some productions and original compositions by the DeBarge members. The group, especially El, was determined to produce themselves on the next record.

Also at this time the band was still a quartet, consisting of Bunny, Randy, Marty and El. Their younger brother James joined in 1982, and later that year they found success with their second album All This Love, which gave DeBarge major chart success with singles "Stop! Don't Tease Me", the now-classic "I Like It", and the title track, with El gaining credit as producer, writer and lead singer.

In 1983, their next album titled In a Special Way, garnered yet more success for the group - again with El producing, writing and singing lead in most of the songs - including the hit singles "Time Will Reveal" and "Love Me in a Special Way."

After preparing meticulously for their next album in 1985, the band (and El himself) finally realized an overnight breakthrough with the release of their pop hit "Rhythm of the Night", which was accompanied by a music video with his siblings featured in Berry Gordy's film that same year, The Last Dragon (film). (The song, written by songstress Diane Warren, was one of her first major hits.) The massively successful title track soared to the top of the charts both in the U.S. and in the United Kingdom. The album of the same name also went to number 3 on the 'Billboard' R&B charts and scored for the band their first platinum album.

El also produced other hits off the album such as "The Heart Is Not So Smart", "Who's Holding Donna Now", "You Wear It Well", and the ballad "Love Always", written and produced by the successful writing duet of Burt Bacharach and Carol Bayer Sager. He also performed the song "You Wear It Well" in an episode of the second season of the television show Miami Vice titled "Bought and Paid For" with a few other members of the band and appeared as himself in an episode of the television show The Facts of Life, also singing the song.

Maxine Jones (En Vogue)

As a member of En Vogue, Maxine was credited as the member with the "Motown" voice. It seemed as perfect reasoning, since she stated in many interviews that her musical influences: Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Patti Labelle, Tina Turner, and Gladys Knight all had musical careers although some were not Motown artists.
Maxine has a wide vocal range, spanning between 3-5 octaves,^{[citation needed]} making her quite versatile within the group. In group harmonies, Maxine usually sings the "bottom" or the lowest key in the harmony.

[edit] Leads/Shared Leads

• 1990 - "Lies"
• 1992 - "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)"
• 1992 - "Free Your Mind"
• 1993 - "Give It Up, Turn It Loose"
• 1994 - "Whatta Man"
• 1996 - "Don't Let Go (Love)"
• 1997 - "Whatever"
• 1997 - "Too Gone, Too Long"
• 2000 - "Riddle"

[edit] Personal

In addition to singing, Jones and her sisters have a general goods business. She currently resides in Charlottesville with her daughter. Her sister Rose Hill, who is a well known artist also resides in Charlottesville.^{[citation needed]}