Donnie Elbert, born on 25 May 1936 in New Orleans, Louisiana, was an American soul singer and songwriter. At age three, his family moved to Buffalo, New York, where he learned guitar and piano. In 1955, he created the doo-wop group the Vibraharps, debuting with the single "Walk Beside Me". He pursued a solo career in 1957, signing with the King label's DeLuxe subsidiary and releasing his debut solo single "What Can I Do?", which made it to number 12 on the US R&B chart. He released singles on various labels, but saw limited success until 1972 when "A Little Piece of Leather" became a northern soul favourite in the UK. Notable hits include the Supremes' cover "Where Did Our Love Go?" (1971), which reached number 15 on the US Billboard pop chart, and "Sweet Baby" (1972). He collaborated with production teams like Hugo & Luigi and amassed several minor R&B hits before bowing out from performing in the mid-1980s. He experienced a major stroke and died on 26 January 1989, at the age of 52.
