Mark "Marty" DeBarge (born June 19, 1959) is anAmericanR&B/soul singer-songwriter, drummer, percussionist, and plays a variety of wind instruments, such as the saxophone, trumpet, flugelhorn and flute. He is best known for his work as an original member of 1980sMotown singing family groupDeBarge.^[1] He is also known for writing the group's popular album track, "Stay With Me", later covered by the likes ofThe Notorious B.I.G.,Ashanti andMariah Carey.

Mark was born inDetroit,Michigan as the fifth of ten children to Robert Louis DeBarge, Sr. (1932-2009) andEtterlene (née Abney) DeBarge (1935-2024). His father, Robert DeBarge, is of French descent, while his mother, Etterlene, is of African American and American Indian descent.DeBarge sang in his local church choir as a child. Later, after his family moved toGrand Rapids, he and the rest of his family began performing at Bethel Pentecostal church, where his uncle William Charles Abney, Jr. was pastor. His father Robert was reportedly physically and sexually abusive towards his children, leading to his and Etterlene’s divorce in 1974.DeBarge and his brothers and sister were inspired bysoul singers such asMarvin Gaye and brotherBobby DeBarge, who was the writer, lead singer, and pianist for the groupSwitch in the late 1970s. In 1980,Motown Records signed Mark DeBarge and his brothersEl andRandy and sisterBunny to a recording contract, with the group being known asDeBarge. The group released their debut album,The DeBarges on April 6, 1981.

By the time the group's second album, 1982'sAll This Love was released, brotherJames had joined the group. The second album was the group's first album to score hits and included songs such as "I Like It" and "All This Love", which featured Mark on backing vocals as well as playing the flugelhorn. Throughout the 1980s, other DeBarge hits included "Love Me in a Special Way", "Time Will Reveal", "Rhythm of the Night", and "Who's Holding Donna Now".

Mark remained in the group when brother El and sister Bunny left in 1986 for solo careers. BrotherBobby joined the group. DeBarge was released from Motown following the departure of El and Bunny and the group signed with the independent Striped Horse Records. Soon after, the new DeBarge line-up released the albumBad Boys, but it contained no hit singles. DeBarge split up in 1989 after the convictions of brothers Bobby and Chico on drug trafficking charges.

Mark, El, James, Randy, Bunny, twins Darryl and Carol, and all the siblings' mother Etterlene got together as The DeBarge Family and released the 1991 gospel albumBack on Track.

Mark is the father of six children. A girl, four boys, and another child: Lakeysha, Mark Jr., Devyn, Piper, Michael, and Giovanni Debarge. Mark DeBarge lives inCalifornia according to mother Etterlene in an article about his family inJet.^[2]

with DeBarges

• The DeBarges (1981)
• All This Love (1982)
• In a Special Way (1983)
• Rhythm of the Night (1985)
• Bad Boys (1987)
• Back on Track (1991)

• 1959 births
• Living people
• 20th-century American singers
• Musicians from Grand Rapids, Michigan
• DeBarge members
• American male trumpeters
• American saxophonists
• American male saxophonists
• American soul singers
• American tenors
• African-American male singers
• American contemporary R&B singers
• DeBarge family
• Singers from California
• 20th-century American saxophonists
• 20th-century American trumpeters
• Songwriters from California
• Songwriters from Michigan
• Singers from Detroit
• 21st-century American saxophonists
• African-American songwriters

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