Chuck Barksdale (Finding Aid)

Chuck Barksdale

1935 -

Favorite Color: Purple and Blue

Favorite Food: Fish, salad, potatoes and rolls

Favorite Time of Year: Summer

Favorite Vacation Spot: Aruba

Interview Length: 111 minutes

Interview Date(s): July 19, 2000

Interview Location(s): Chicago, Illinois

Abstract

Chuck Barksdale describes his family background, starting with his mother. He recalls that her singing ability and love for music influenced him from an early age. Barksdale remembers his father as a street hustler, who also found jobs on stage as an actor. Barksdale recalls attending a performance and being shocked at the stereotypical character his father played. Barksdale then shares a story from his father's past, involving his grandfather and a mishap at an amusement park. Barksdale moves on to discuss his music group, the Dells. He describes forming the group with friends from high school in Harvey, Illinois. Barksdale says forming the group provided him with the direction and mentors he did not have as a high school student. After talking about the origin of the Dells's name, Barksdale discusses the Dells's first recording experience with Chess Records, and subsequent signing with Vee-Jay Records. [Note: Timecodes have been adjusted to conform with HistoryMakers standards. A copy of the interview with Chuck Barksdale discusses the Dells's influences, citing the Five Keys as being particularly inspirational musically, while Dinah Washington taught them how to properly perform on stage. Barksdale also explains the inspiration behind their hit single 'Oh What A Night,' saying it became so popular that they made another recording twelve years after its original release. Barksdale then talks about various record companies, including the failure of the Dells's first label, Vee-Jay Records, and the overwhelming success of Motown Records. He then describes the hard times for the Dells after they were involved in an auto accident, crediting their perseverance and friendship for allowing the Dells to stay together for almost fifty years despite hard times. Barksdale then discusses the talents of Dells lead singers Marvin Junior, whose vocal style was widely imitated, and Johnnie Carter, whom Barksdale believes does not get enough credit for his talent. [Note: Timecodes have been adjusted to conform with HistoryMaker Chuck Barksdale discusses at length the reasons behind the Dells's longevity. He explains their personal relationships, he praises each member of the group for fulfilling a specific role, and he talks about the cohesion they developed over their many years on the road, a key ingredient to their longevity. Barksdale then moves into a discussion about the film 'The Five Heartbeats,' a movie loosely based on the Dells's career that featured some of their music. Barksdale describes the Dells being first approached to consult for the movie, then taking on a more significant role. He talks about the success and popularity of the movie, which led to an increase of interest in the Dells by the younger generation, and a new hit record. Barksdale says that director Robert Townsend did not give the Dells enough credit for the movie, but says such situations are the nature of the entertainment industry. Barksdale then talks about some of the Dells's concerts, including a legendary performance at Carnegie Hall with Ray Ch Chuck Barksdale talks about the Dells's early recording career with Vee-Jay Records, listing some of the songs they recorded and naming artists with whom they worked. Barksdale explains that following the collapse of Vee-Jay, the Dells signed with Chess Records, where they enjoyed many years of success. Barksdale credits owner Leonard Chess with much of their success, saying that Chess's death marked the end of an era. Barksdale names some songs that reached the top of the charts during the Dells's time at Chess. Barksdale then discusses the financial and legal side of the music business, explaining why the Dells chose to incorporate and talking about dishonest attorneys and managers in the business. Barksdale then gives his advice to young people and to anyone aspiring to succeed in show business, emphasizing education and experience. Along those lines, Barksdale discusses many of the Dells's mentors, including Quincy Jones, Harvey Fuqua, and Joe Zawinul. [Note: Timecodes have been adjusted to conform with H Chuck Barksdale describes photos of the Dells, some of which were used for album covers. [Note: Timecodes have been adjusted to conform with HistoryMakers standards. A copy of this interview with non-adjusted timecodes is available at the HistoryMakers archive.]

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