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Artist

The Dells

The Dells is an act on the Starverb influence map. Their sound grew out of Terry Callier, Vee-Jay Records, Barrett Strong, Chess Records and Marvin Gaye. Those roots explain a lot about how The Dells arrange songs and choose their tones. They run in the same orbit as The Intruders, The Originals, The Dramatics, The Chi-Lites and The Four Tops, sharing audiences, venues and reference points rather than a straight line of influence. Their influence carried into The Massacre, Phil Upchurch, Frankie Beverly, Earth Wind and Fire and Maurice White, where the same ideas turn up rearranged for a later generation. Altogether the chart holds 31 connections around The Dells, reaching back through Terry Callier and forward to The Massacre. Follow any of those threads to keep travelling the influence between bands and genres on Starverb.

Background

The Dells were an American R&B vocal group. Formed in high school in 1953 by founding members Marvin Junior, Verne Allison, Johnny Funches, Chuck Barksdale, and Michael and Lucius McGill, under the name the El-Rays. They released their first recording in 1954 and two years later had their first R&B hit with "Oh What a Night". After disbanding due to a near-fatal car crash in 1958, the band re-formed in 1960 with Funches being replaced by Johnny Carter. This lineup remained together until Carter's death in 2009. In 2004 the Dells were inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. The group performed until illness forced longtime lead singer Marvin Junior and bass vocalist Chuck Barksdale into retirement, ending the group's 60-year run.

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Roots — what shaped themLegacy — who they shapedKindred — same orbit
The DellsTerry CallierVee-Jay RecordsBarrett StrongChess RecordsMarvin GayeDinah WashingtonThe FlamingosRay CharlesThe MassacrePhil UpchurchFrankie BeverlyEarth Wind and FireMaurice WhiteEarth, Wind & FireThe IntrudersThe OriginalsThe DramaticsThe Chi-LitesThe Four TopsThe DriftersThe SpinnersDavid Ruffin

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The Dells connections

The Dells grew out of Terry Callier, Vee-Jay Records, Barrett Strong and Chess Records, shares an orbit with The Intruders, The Originals, The Dramatics and The Chi-Lites, went on to shape The Massacre, Phil Upchurch, Frankie Beverly and Earth Wind and Fire. 31 connections mapped across roots, kindred and legacy.

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