About The Dells

The Dells are one of the longest standing R&B groups; formed in 1952 in Chicago, Illinois, and still going as of 2006. Moreover, the membership of the band has stayed the same since 1960. One of the few doo-wop groups to successfully update its sound, the Dells enjoyed most success in the late 1960s and 1970s as a soul music group with songs like "Oh, What a Night", "Stay in my Corner" and "Give your Baby a Standing Ovation" which was their only million-seller. The band acted as a consultant for a 1991 film about a fictional vocal group called The Five Heartbeats and they had a surprise hit from the soundtrack "The Heart is a House for Love". Their revived popularity caught the attention of NBC producer Roger Brown who featured them in a segment on "The Today Show" that same year. As well as their recording career, the band also worked with Dinah Washington and Ray Charles as backup singers during the 1960s. They can also be heard singing the catchy background vocals on Barbara Lewis' "Hello Stranger". One of the members, Chuck Barksdale, was temporarily a member of the Moonglows with a young Marvin Gaye in the late 1950s. Falsetto tenor Johnny Carter was once a member of The Flamingos. Two of their songs, "Wear It On Our Face" and "Run For Cover" are very popular on the Northern Soul circuit. The Dells grew up in Harvey, Illinois and began singing together while attending Thornton Township High School.