Delegation (band)

Delegation was a British soul musical group with a lengthy career, and an amount of international success. They are generally viewed in the United States as a one-hit wonder, based on the crossover hit, "Oh Honey" (1978). Their biggest success in the United Kingdom came in 1977, with the Top 30 hit single, "Where Is the Love (We Used to Know)".[1]

Delegation
OriginUnited Kingdom
GenresFunk, soul, R&B
Years active1975–1999
LabelsState Records, Epic
Past membersRicky Bailey
Len Coley
Roddy Harris
Ray Patterson
Bruce Dunbar
Kathy Bryant
Stuart Russell
Matthew Bolton
Trevor Taylor
Steve Dunkley

Career

Delegation was formed in the United Kingdom in 1975, by Ricky Bailey, Len Coley and Roddy Harris.[2] Working with record producer/songwriter Ken Gold (who masterminded The Real Thing), they began releasing a series of moderately successful singles such as "The Promise of Love" and "Where Is The Love (We Used to Know)".[2]

But their fortunes changed for the better in 1977, with the release of "Oh Honey", a mid tempo cut that hit the Top Ten in several countries. The accompanying album, The Promise of Love, included the ballad "Mr. Heartbreak", "Where Is The Love (We Used To Know)" and "Someone Oughta Write a Song (About You Baby)", which also charted.

Coley left the band and Bruce Dunbar took his place.[2] In 1979, Delegation released Eau De Vie, on the Ariola label and had international hits with "Heartache #9", "You And I" and the "Put A Little Love On Me".[2] By 1980, Harris was replaced by Ray Patterson, and the group continued on with lesser success.[2]

They followed with an eponymously titled album in 1981, and Deuces High in 1982.[2] All charted in Europe, but not in the United States. Dunbar quit the band in 1984, and was replaced by Kathy Bryant.[2] The act recorded a couple more singles, and continued to perform through the end of the decade. The record It's Your Turn, on Epic was successful only in France, although did well on the club scene across the United Kingdom, and The Mix on Scorpio Records, a segue compilation of five of their greatest hits, also sold poorly.

Bailey reunited with Gold, to form Euro Jam Records in the mid 1990s,[2] to repackage Delegation's earlier recordings into new compilation albums, and reformed the group to release Encore in Europe in 1999, but this was Delegation's final recording.

Bailey was a guest on the 'identity parade' on Series 13 of BBC Television's programme, Never Mind the Buzzcocks.The band still occasionally perform their old hits at gigs around Europe led by Rick Bailey and several former band members, most recently appearing in a sold-out gig at an intimate venue in Paris in October 2018.

See also

Chart discography

Singles (selected)
  • "Where Is The Love (We Used to Know)" (1977) – UK #22
  • "You've Been Doing Me Wrong" (1977) – UK #49
  • "Honey, I'm Rich" (1978) - UK
  • "Oh Honey" (1978) – U.S. R&B #6, U.S. Pop #45, CAN #99
  • "Put a Little Love on Me" (1979)[3]
  • "Someone Oughta Write a Song (About You Baby)" (1979) – U.S. R&B #45, (1980) – U.S. R&B #66, U.S. Dance #57
  • "You and I" (1979)
  • "Welcome To My World" (1980) – U.S. R&B #50
  • "Heartache No.9" (1980) – U.S. R&B #66
  • "Singing/Twelfth House" (1981) – UK
  • "In Love's Time" (1981) – U.S. R&B #54[1][4]
  • "It's Your Turn" (1983)
  • "Thanks To You" (1985)

Albums
  • The Promise of Love (1976) – U.S. R&B #8, Pop #84
  • Eau De Vie (1979)
  • Delegation (1980) – U.S. R&B #69 (another "Eau de vie" release for the United States)
  • Delegation II (1981)
  • Deuces High (1982)[5]
  • Encore (1993)

References
  1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 149. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. "Biography by Andrew Hamilton". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 12 January 2009.
  3. Discogs.com
  4. Allmusic.com – Charts & Awards (singles)
  5. Dance70.com
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