Donnie Elbert | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Donnie Elbert |
Born |
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
May 25, 1936
Died | January 26, 1989 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
(aged 52)
Genres | Soul, R&B, disco |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
Instruments | Vocals, multi-instrumentalist |
Years active | 1955–late 1970s |
Labels | Numerous |
Donnie Elbert (May 25, 1936 – January 26, 1989) was an American soul singer and songwriter, who had a prolific career from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s. His US hits included "Where Did Our Love Go?" (1972), and his reputation as a Northern soul artist in the UK was secured by "A Little Piece of Leather", a performance highlighting his powerful falsetto voice.
Elbert was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, but when aged three his family relocated to Buffalo, New York. He learned to play guitar and piano as a child, and in 1955 formed a doo-wop group, the Vibraharps, with friend Danny Cannon. Elbert acted as the group's guitarist, songwriter, arranger, and background vocalist, making his recording debut on their single "Walk Beside Me". He left the group in 1957 for a solo career, and recorded a demonstration record that earned him a recording contract with the King label's DeLuxe subsidiary. His solo debut "What Can I Do?" reached #12 in the U.S. R&B chart, and he followed it up with the less successful "Believe It or Not" and "Have I Sinned?", which became a regional hit in Pittsburgh.