R&B statesmen Tommy DeBarge of Switch dies

R&B elder statesman Tommy DeBarge passed away on Oct. 21 after a lengthy battle with liver and kidney disease. DeBarge was hospitalized several weeks ago before succumbing to his illnesses. DeBarge suffered from liver and kidney disease over the years, but recently took a turn for the worse, a family member told TMZ. He was hospitalized for weeks and died in the hospital Thursday.

Tommy’s daughter, Marina DeBarge, told the outlet that the singer battled COVID-19 earlier this year as well, but recovered from the virus. She revealed that she spoke to her father on Wednesday, Oct. 21 before his passing and that he fought till the end.

Tommy DeBarge was the bassist for ’70s R&B soul and funk band Switch which also included his brother Bobby who sang lead on some of their most memorable classics like “There’ll Never Be” and “I Call Your Name.” The DeBarge brothers eventually left the group and groomed their younger siblings for the family-based and musical powerhouse DeBarge. Tommy’s younger brother El, who was the lead singer of the group DeBarge, whose hits includes songs like “Rhythm of the Night” and “I Like It,” also shared his family’s sad news on Instagram.

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