The Deele

The Deele, an American band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in 1981 and initially comprised local musicians Antonio "L.A." Reid, Kevin "Kayo" Roberson, Darnell "Dee" Bristol, Carlos "Satin" Greene, Stanley "Stick" Burke, and Steve "Tuck" Walters. Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds joined later that year, replacing Walters before their debut album recording. The group's breakthrough came in 1983 with the release of Street Beat, which included the hit single "Body Talk", reaching number 3 on the R&B chart and number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their follow-up album, Material Thangz (1985), was less successful. In 1987, The Deele released their third album, Eyes of a Stranger, featuring top-10 R&B singles "Shoot 'Em Up Movies" and "Two Occasions", the latter reaching number 4 on the R&B charts and cracking the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. During this period, L.A. Reid and Babyface Edmonds began crafting their talents as songwriters for other artists, including Pebbles' "Girlfriend" and The Whispers' "Rock Steady". In 1988, Reid and Edmonds left The Deele to found LaFace Records in 1989, becoming successful record producers. The group disbanded after releasing An Invitation to Love (1993), which failed to make a significant chart impact. The Deele reunited in March 2016 for a BET Honors performance, leading to a more permanent reformation and plans to tour and record.