Paris Delane (April 14, 1956 - February 28, 2020) was a blues singer and songwriter with a voice that had an astonishing seven octave vocal range that drew you in with messages from his heart and soul. The presence of Paris Delane on stage was so overwhelming It was an experience one did not forget.
Born Kenneth H. Deloney, he was raised on the south side of Chicago, in a neighbourhood where statistically young black men didn't live past the age of sixteen. Paris Delane found himself in his music. His mother Lillian put a guitar in his hands at eight years old and by the time he was nine, he had begun to write his own songs while attending Shakespeare Grammar School.
As Paris discovered life through a young boys eyes, he was influenced musically through his mother Lillian, who sang with legnedary gospel singer Albertina Walker. Lillian made two recordings, Great is the Lord and I'm a child of the King. She kept company with people like Jessie Dixon, Rev. Maceo Woods, Harold White and Miss Evelyn Gaye who was Marvin Gaye's cousin. Paris was also influenced by other legendary singers and musicians such as Miles Davis, Mavis Staples, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, and Otis Redding.
Paris continued to sing as he grew up on the streets, singing for the neighbourhood, in church, in talent shows and once in high school formed a rock band. Along the way Paris learned to play the piano, lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, flute, and the saxophone. He took a short hiatus from music when he was twenty four and moved to Florida and spent several years as a bodyguard It wasn't long before he moved back to Chicago and once again began to sing. He heard of a group singing and drawing crowds in the subways and one snowy day he grabbed his guitar and went. His sole motivation was to play his music yet he discovered that others enjoyed what he was doing. He went back the next day, and the next, and soon he had a literal underground following.
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| Sonia Dada |
Paris invited his brother Sam Hogan to join him and form a duo. Soon the duo became a trio and not long after that, Rough, Smooth and Silk was born. The three of them, Paris, Sam and Michael became a huge sensation in the Chicago area. They sang on the Oprah Winfrey show for Michael Jordan and the rest of the Bulls, the song titled The Ballad of the Bulls. Rough, Smooth and Silk opened for Aretha Franklin, and traveled to Japan to sing, they also played Music Row in Nashville. They were approached by another local musician named Dan Pritzker and soon the trio became the voices of the band Sonia Dada.
Here's "Can't Go Back" from above album.
Paris had been with the soul band fifteen years, touring throughout the United States, Europe and Australia. He earned awards such as a Triple Platinum, Double platinum, Platinum and Gold in Australia. He won a Cleo award and was featured on the movie sound track for Nothing to Lose starring Martin Lawrence and Tim Robbins, and also the Sound Track for the movie Waterproof written and directed by Barry Berman starring Burt Reynolds April Grace, Orlando Jones and Janet Dubois.
Paris's talent sent him touring with Carlos Santana, Steve Winwood and Traffic, Tower Of Power, and The Allman Brothers. He opened for Bob Dylan, James Brown, Bruce Hornsby Funky Meters, and many others, which is to many to mention! He appeared on talk shows such as Conan Obrien, Regis and Kathy Lee, while entertaining the Australian Music Awards with host Will Smith. Paris played with The Counting Crows, and has recorded with Music Giants, Marianne Faithful, John Oates and Billy Corgan.
He formed a new band called the Legends Elite. The band was soulful, funky, with a rock edge that was heartfelt. In 2010 Paris Delane co-produced his second solo project Titled Writer Without A Pen with legendary keyboard player and producer Bill Cuomo. Cuomo, who is well known for co-writing Oh' Cherry and his keyboard work with Steve Perry, Kim Carnes, Smoky Robinson, and White Snake.
Paris Delane also joined forces with the legendary percussionist, and record producer, Pino who helped to form John Rich's Music Mafia. Before his death he was a regular at Slo’ Bones BBQ Smokehouse, Frankenmuth, Missouri.
Delane
died in Chicago Illinois on February 28, 2020. He was 64 years old.