The Mighty Dells 50th Anniversary 2001

I shot this video on May 5, 2001 on the 50th Anniversary of The Mighty Dells for their performance at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. This would be the last opportunity I would get to document this wonderful Doo Wop group that hailed from Harvey, Illinois. Their hits were a part of the soundtrack of my youth in senior high school. "Stay In My Corner" was the 'blue lights in the basement' anthem in Washington, DC which The Mighty Dells considered their second home. You can imagine how overwhelming it was for me as a photojournalist to grow up & eventually meet The Mighty Dells, photograph them, & play golf with Marvin Junior, Jr. (Marvin Sr.'s son). Enjoy and embrace this moment in time as well as the other videos I shot of this game changing quintet over the years. We miss them and love them and wish the best for the surviving members Verne Allison and Michael McGill.

[@charlesgalbosr6344]

All I can say is they were the greatest group of all times, wish they were still here.🙏🏻🎶🎼

[@deborahbraswell4665]

Saw them perform twice in Baltimore. They were great.❤❤❤

[@Marie70272]

@@deborahbraswell4665 Ditto!❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰

[@VictorK.Thomas]

3:24 3:27 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@VictorK.Thomas]

They came to the SugaShack, I'm telling you,What a show....🎉🎉

[@westriaarnold9457]

❤❤❤ Real music never gets old🎉

[@evadneydavis1322]

They are really the mighty dells Marvin junior voice did not change

[@071oakland]

I met the Dells when I was a kid.. They were nice guys.

[@maceymc.7612]

Like Townsend said years ago,"their voices were still there", and that was so true.... thanks Mr Baker for this great video ❤😊

[@ronaldgilbertbaker5259]

You and all Dells fans are welcomed. Growing up as a teen in middle and high school playing Dells music, I never thought I’d ever meet them, let alone photograph and videotape them. But my career as a photographer and photojournalist gave me that blessing. Enjoy the videos I’ve posted because like Marvin Junior said in one of the videos “there will never be no shyt like this here again. We’re the last of the Mohicans. After this, there won’t be no more.”

[@dominicmcleman5579]

Wow! Thanks for sharing 🙏

[@laurencerawls7369]

I had the opportunity to meet lead singer Marvin Junior and he was w a rm and very kind. The Dells, as you can see and hear, were/are AWESOME! The Mighty DELLS!

[@Kjohnson618]

Thank you so much

[@ronaldgilbertbaker5259]

You’re welcome.

[@Marie70272]

One of my favorite groups along with the Spinners and 4 Tops!🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@robertwaller6364]

Early Spinners and the late spinners, amen That's what girls are made for and It's a shame somebody say hello.

[@robertwaller6364]

Mighty Dells

[@easonj11523]

My my these gents were such a powerhouse 👍🏾

[@007DaTruth]

Amazing, Marvin Junior is one of a kind !!!!

[@jameslove6427]

What Amazing groups

[@joshc441]

I love the Bells. The wad absolutely amazing.

[@obedirect5491]

Precision harmony in every note

[@nazimrashid2935]

Those arrangements- that band & string section R the greatest- the best backup there was

[@ronaldgilbertbaker5259]

Whenever The Mighty Dells came to DC, they brought their rhythm section and they hired the Clarence Knight Orchestra with their horns & strings. Always a treat. Mr. Knight & his Orchestra was also a fixture at the Annual Congressional Black Caucus Phoenix Awards Dinner for many years.

[@oldschoolsinger]

The Dells, along with the Four Tops have my respect more than any other Soul vocal group of their era. The reason? Because none of them ever left the group and went solo, and they stuck together, separated only by the deaths of the members, one by one. The Dells were together since 1955 and once Johnny Carter replaced Johnny Funches on tenor in 1961, the 5 of them stayed together for the rest of their lives, the same as the Four Tops. No other group from that time can make that claim.

[@ronaldgilbertbaker5259]

The difference between The Dells, Tops and The Isley Brothers was the members knew their role in the group. Marvin Junior was the lead, Levi Stubbs was the lead and Ronald Isley was the lead. Everyone accepted their position and made the groups successful for generations. David Ruffin misinterpreted his value along with Eddie Kendrick’s and found out they were Temptations and not long term solo artists. Phillipe Wynn found out leaving the Spinners was a bad decision. The few artists that went solo and made is was Jerry Butler of The Impressions, Curtis Mayfield of The Impressions, Jeffrey Osborne of LTD, Lionel Richie of The Commodores, Teddy Pendergrass of Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, Beyoncé of Destiny’s Child, Diana Ross of The Supremes and James Brown of The Famous Flames. Lauryn had that one album success after the Fugees broke up but was a flash in the pan. Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant had some solo success but they learned that they will always be New Edition.

[@oldschoolsinger]

@@ronaldgilbertbaker5259 Well I don't know much about people in the 80's and forward, being more of a 60s and 70s guy. But you're right and you forgot one of the biggest: Smokey Robinson.

[@kametrymusic4173]

And Sam Cooke

[@charessaholt2580]

I grew up listening to their music while growing up. I still love hearing their music now. I have all their albums that they recorded. Love you Dells.

[@hervamiddleton1163]

I had the pleasure of living on the next block from Marvin of the Dells and I remember when Marvin Junior and his family moved on Marshfield which I stayed on Ashland on 160th block and they want 160th and Marshfield and Marvin would come out early in the morning and he would say oh what a night add duck back in the house the network just make my family's day I forgot to say that was Harvey Illinois.

[@alisacollette]

Why does their singing make me cry?!!!! Sooo good!!❤

[@okraslush4630]

Johnny Carter singing =--'ALFIE' and hitting octaves as he laid dying in Hospital bring more than tears....

[@LeroyLindsey-s1n]

Cold blooded

[@kyereCat]

I saw them at The Carter Baron in DC in the mid 2000s. They were still amazing, sounding like their recordings. They are indeed "Mighty". Best concert of my life.

[@belindasmith1945]

I saw them at Carter Barron and Constitution Hall in DC sonewhere in the 80s and early 2000s. Amazing group. They didn't do a lot of choreography, but they sure did SANG!!!

[@patriciahenderson3165]

My favorite group dell ,old school 😅

[@jamesgarcia9123]

thanks ron! great music hear! the temptations', four tops' stylistics', spinners', mighty dells', all great music! thank god'! the older ' people' and others keep this great soul' music alive! thanks and peace

[@ronaldgilbertbaker5259]

@@jamesgarcia9123 Thank you.

[@belindasmith1945]

I agree! You really can't compare greats against greats. The music of that era had so many, but I loved and still love the Dells, and all you mentioned.

[@MVTheActor]

Awesome show👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@charlesgalbosr6344]

My favorite group of all times, they were unbelievable, I Hope thier singing in Heaven for the MAN.🙏🏻🌴🏝️👮‍♂️

[@michaelsharp5115]

In my opinion, they were the great group out there, for a long time.

[@robertwaller6364]

When singers sang god bless you.

[@smokeflame8333]

YES INDEED MR. BAKER!🫴🏿🫴🏿🫴🏿🫴🏿🫴🏿🫶🏿💯💯💯🎙 STANDING OVATION 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

[@MaxineJohnson-pp8fj]

Now, that's the song.❤❤❤❤

[@josephbailey1995]

Extremely underrated group!

[@pattypointer5318]

9:23am April 17,2924, I didn't know this divine amazing fantastic performer existed until now. I love music so I was looking what a wonderful find. I grew up listening to Jackie Wilson's music and one of the songs Bobby Wilson performed I'll be around by The Spinners it's one of my favorite songs. Mr Wilson is a blessing to all🙏

[@Elizabeth-os9tn]

Thanks ‼️❤️

[@fdozi5801]

Awesome!!

[@charlesgalbosr6344]

Love when they sing Nadine.❤️❤️

[@okraslush4630]

and their version of 'Honey' is...

[@gdeeable]

Mr. Baker, thank you for sharing.

[@ronaldgilbertbaker5259]

You’re welcome. We must hold on to their memory and legacy.

[@michaelfarranto-wg6zw]

HERE'S MY COMMENT! THE MIGHTY MIGHTY DELLS ARE WITHOUT ANY DOUBT WITH NO REASON TO DOUBT YA' HEAR ME ARE THE UNPARALLELED ABSOLUTE GREATEST SINGING GROUP PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE! THIS COMMENT IS COMIN' DEEP FROM MY SOUL. I ACCIDENTALLY STUMBLED ON THIS CONCERT! AS A RESULT ITS BEEN, " OH WHAT A NIGHT"! I'M 81 YEARS OLD NOW! WHEN I WAS 19 YEARS OLD I PLAYED TRUMPET 🎺 IN A RHYTHM AND BLUES INTEGRATED BAND. I WAS STATIONED IN PUERTO RICO WHILE A UNITED STATES ARMY 🪖☮️🇺🇲 MILITARY POLICE OFFICER WHO SIMPLY PUT SOUGHT JUSTICE NOT INJUSTICE NO MATTER RACE COLOR OR CREED! THE LEADER OF OUR BAND JOE TURNER HEARD ME PLAYING MY HORN ONE NIGHT IN THE FIELD HOUSE. I HAD MY MOTHER SEND ME MY HORN. AFTER RECEIVING IT I SAW THE LIGHTS ON IN THE GYM. I WENT TO INVESTIGATE WHY THEY WERE ON AT 9PM AT NIGHT. EVERYTHING WAS KOOL. I TOOK MY HORN OUTTA' THE CASE PUT A 7C MOUTH PIECE IN MY HORN AND STARTED PLAYING A SONG CALLED "STARDUST"! WHEN I FINISHED I PUT MY HORN IN THE CASE TURNED AROUND AND JOE,WHO I DIDN'T KNOW, WAS JUS' STANDING THERE LISTENING. I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS THERE! WHEN I PASSED HIM JOE SAID THIS TO ME, " DO YOU WANNA' PLAY IN A BAND"! I SAID SURE! HE WAS AFRO-AMERICAN! ASKING ME A 19 YEAR OLD WHITE DUDE! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT I NEVER THOUGHT I WAS THAT GOOD! MY MOTHER MADE ME GO TO THOSE BORING LESSONS. FORCED ME! I WAS 14 YEARS OLD! LOOK HERE Y'ALL I HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE. WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW WAS MY TRUMPET 🎺 TEACHER TOLD MY MOTHER YOUR SON CAN PLAY THAT TRUMPET. SHE DIDN'T TELL MEC THAT! R I P MOM FOR THAT ONE! WILSON PICKETT WAS ASKED WHAT'S SOUL PICKETT HE SAID THIS, " SOUL AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT A FEELIN' "! HE WAS SO RIGHT 👍! I KNOW CAUSE THIS WHITE BOY HAD SOUL MANY YEARS AGO AND I STILL GOT IT! HALLELUJAH TO THE KING 👑 JESUS CHRIST! RIGHT 👍 ON! RIGHT 👍 ON! I STILL GOT IT AT 81 YEARS OLD CAUSE SOUL AIN'T GOT NO COLOR BOUNDARIES! I'M PROOF OF THAT! THE MIGHTY DELLS THERE'S TEARS IN MY EYES YA' HEAR ME! THERE SO GOOD THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW GOOD THERE ARE! I GOTTA' GO AND LISTEN AND KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON LISTENING TO ONE BAD ASS GROUP! OH GOD! ALWAYS TOGETHER HUH! ✌️ PEACE THAT SURPASSES UNDERSTANDING I PRAY FOR EACH OF YOU YA' HEAR ME! GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS TAKE CARE AND STAY SAFE AND STAY STRONG IN THE FAITH AND IN THE FAITHFUL! I'M OUTTA' HERE 4 NOW! MICHAEL! AND REMEMBER "STAY IN MY CORNER" AND I'LL MAKE SURE TO STAY IN YEARS YA' HEAR ME! I'M GONE!!❤🎉😢😮😊

[@dianeharris8020]

🥰👏🏾🙌🏾❣

[@funkpill]

🎶🎧😊

[@dianaphillips8927]

little sound