Tommy DeBarge — a founding member of the R&B/funk band Switch — has died of natural causes. He was 64.
Tommy suffered from liver and kidney failure for years. Tommy was a lifelong drug addict and was on kidney dialysis for years before he died.
Tommy was a member of the famed DeBarge family of singers, songwriters and music producers.
According to TMZ, Tommy suffered from liver and kidney failure for years, and his health recently took a turn for the worse. He was hospitalized a couple weeks ago, and died in the hospital Thursday.
While his younger siblings would later rise to fame as DeBarge, Tommy blazed his own trail as a member of Switch alongside his brother, Bobby, who died of AIDS in 1995 at age 39.
The group’s smash hits in the 1970s included “I Call Your Name,” “There’ll Never Be,” and “Love Over & Over Again.”
Switch, with Bobby’s falsetto lead vocals, had a huge following in the mid ’70s and would influence emerging R&B/funk bands.
Bobby and Tommy left Switch to mentor their younger brothers, James, Randy, El, Mark, and sister, Bunny.
The Grand Rapids, Michigan family band signed a record deal with Motown subsidiary Gordy Records.
Their hit singles in the 1980s included “I Like It,” “All This Love,” “Time Will Reveal,” “Love Me in a Special Way,” and “Rhythm of the Night.”
