The Dealers In The 1980's

Most people find the back-story of their parent’s youth less than riveting, but if your mother was once in an R&B band that was on the same recording label as Michael Jackson, you may be more curious. 'Tennessee Tribune' journalist A.J. Dugger’s 1st book chronicles his family’s drama-riddled path to fame as The Dealers in the 1970’s & 1980’s. Dugger provided an interview to JSaysOnline to discuss the biography and his experience with interviewing his relatives about their dark & astonishing past.

JSaysOnline: How did you learn that your mother was once a part of an up-and-coming band? Did you grow up knowing this?

Dugger: I grew up traveling the United States and Canada with these amazing people [The Dealers]. My earliest memories are traveling

The Dealers were right at the brink of worldwide fame. Though it was snatched away from them, they had problems on their way up. Personally, I think they might have destroyed each other. When you have easy access to everything you want, it changes you. I'm sure The Dealers would have won some Grammys, made music videos and had some real success if everything had gone according to plan, but some of them might have submitted to their demons. I can't say for sure, but that's my opinion. In some ways it's a blessing that they didn't go further than they wanted. There's no telling how their lives (and mine) would have turned out. For example, my mom was on the road so much when I was little, that sometimes I didn't see her much. I traveled with the band sometimes, but I spent more time at home with my dad. When my mom left the band, my life became more stable because both of my parents were

The Dealers worked hard. They performed with so many people on stage: Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Eagles; I could go on and on. They even recorded an album for CBS Records in 1985. The album should have been a smash! Michael Jackson was on the same label, so naturally The Dealers and other CBS artists were neglected and not given the attention they deserved. Despite their great music and affiliations with so many other legends, The Dealers have nothing to show for it today, other than many of their songs being available on YouTube. No money, no press, no fame…nothing. It would be tragic if their story was never