Good morning P.O.U. Fam!
The Dells are today’s featured “Chicago Soul” artists.
Initially known as the El-Rays, The Dells started in 1952 in Harvey, Illinois, as five friends from high school. Eventually, the El-Rays cut their very first single, “Darling I Know,” for Chess Records. It went nowhere. Two years later, with a new record contract with Vee Jay Records as The Dells, they released their 3rd recording “Oh What A Night.” It became an immediate R&B hit, finishing third behind Elvis‘ Don’t Be Cruel at number two and Fats Domino’s Blueberry Hill on top.
By 1960, The Dells were soon opening and touring for Dinah Washington. Here they fashioned their sound and caught the attention of Ray Charles. The Dells soon began touring with Ray Charles, singing more ballads and standards and incorporating jazz into their singing styles.
By 1967, The Dells began charting a string of R&B & Pop Billboard hits, including 3 number one R&B hits: “Oh What A Night,” certified as a million seller in 1956 & 1969; “Stay in My Corner”, and “Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation.” These hits transformed The Dells from an opening act from a Chicago suburb to major concert headliners around the world.
In 1991, Robert Townsend released The Five Heartbeats, an acclaimed movie based on the lives and careers of The Dells. This film produced another R&B Billboard chart hit, “A Heart Is a House for Love,” and introduced The Dells to a younger generation of R&B music lovers. The Dells were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.