13 Facts About Donnie Elbert

Donnie Elbert was an American soul singer and songwriter, who had a prolific career from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s.

Donnie Elbert learned to play guitar and piano as a child, and in 1955 formed a doo-wop group, the Vibraharps, with friend Danny Cannon.

Donnie Elbert acted as the group's guitarist, songwriter, arranger, and background vocalist, making his recording debut on their single "Walk Beside Me".

Donnie Elbert left the group in 1957 for a solo career, and recorded a demonstration record that earned him a recording contract with the King label's DeLuxe subsidiary.

Donnie Elbert continued to release singles on DeLuxe, but with little commercial success, and played New York's Apollo Theater and toured the Chitlin' Circuit of African-American owned nightclubs.

Donnie Elbert's career was interrupted by a spell in the US Army, from which he was discharged in 1961.

Donnie Elbert then recorded singles for several labels, including Parkway, Cub and Checker, but with little success.

Donnie Elbert relocated to the UK in 1966, where he married.

The track and its b-side, "Got To Get Myself Together", both written by Donnie Elbert, were released several times on different labels in subsequent years.

Donnie Elbert baulked at the label's insistence that he record material associated with Motown and departed with only a few tracks left to record for an album.

Donnie Elbert had originally written the song as "Baby Walk Right In" and given it to Banks, but received no writing credit on the original record.

For 1975's "You Keep Me Crying ", Donnie Elbert formed his own label and "I Got to Get Myself Together", appeared on an imprint bearing his surname, but it was among his final recordings.

Donnie Elbert suffered a massive stroke and died in 1989, at the age of 52.