Music
Darrell Banks
1937–1970 · singer
Soul singer whose "Open the Door to Your Heart" (1966) on the Detroit label Revilot became a hit and a northern soul treasure; he was killed in Detroit in 1970.
- Born
Mansfield, Ohio- Died
Detroit, Michigan
aged 32- Birth name
- Darrell Eubanks
- Detroit years
- 1960s–1970
- Field
- Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Born in Ohio and raised in Buffalo, Banks learned to sing in gospel churches before turning to secular music. He signed with Solid Hitbound Productions and its Detroit label Revilot, which in 1966 released "Open the Door to Your Heart"; the song was a hit, though a long legal fight followed after Banks was credited as its writer instead of Donnie Elbert, who eventually won. "Somebody (Somewhere) Needs You" followed. He then recorded for Atco, Cotillion and Stax without further chart success. In February 1970 he was shot and killed in Detroit by an off-duty police officer in a dispute involving Banks's girlfriend. His records became prized on the British northern soul scene; in 2014 a rare London Records pressing of "Open the Door to Your Heart" sold for more than £14,000. He is buried at Detroit Memorial Park East.
Highlights
- "Open the Door to Your Heart" (1966) on Revilot
- "Somebody (Somewhere) Needs You" (1966)
- Albums Darrell Banks Is Here! (1967) and Darrell Is Here to Stay (1969)
- A rare UK pressing sold for over £14,000 in 2014
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Buried here · 1970
Detroit Memorial Park East
Status being checked
His grave (per Wikidata).