The Legacy of the Peerless Soul Singer! - Gerald Levert
November 28, 2008 by admin
Filed under Featured Artists
Gerald Levert was an R&B singer and was popular for his soul and R&B music. He was much active from 1984 to 2006 when he died. He worked with several labels which include Atlantic, EastWest and Elecktra.
He was associated with acts Levert, LSG and Rude Boys.
Gerald was born in Philadelphia on 13th July 1966 and grew up in Ohio. His father was a lead singer in the band and due to this he travelled a lot with his father’s band. He was inclined towards music from childhood and had formed a trio with his brother and friend in high school in 1984. The trio was named Levert. The group was successful in giving four platinum albums out of seven and these include “I Get Hot”, “Bloodline”, “The Big Throwdown” and “Just Coolin”.
Levert came out with a solo album in 1991 “Private Line” which rocked the R&B music charts. Next year Gerald came out with an album with his father which was “Baby Hold On to Me”. Levert recorded several singles and albums from 1990’s to 2000 and had the hit singles “Thinkin About It, which went on Pop No 12, “Funny”, “Taking Everything” which went on Pop No 11, “Mr. Too Damn Good to You” and “I Believe I Can Fly” to name a few.
Gerald as a songwriter wrote songs for The O’ Jays, The Winans, James Ingram, Teddy Pendergrass, Stephanie Mills and Barry White. Levert formed a super group in 1997 with Johnny Gill and Keith Sweat. The group came out with “Levert-Sweat-Gill” in 1997. The following album was LSG2 by the band in 2003.
Levert never married but had four children.
Levert died on November 10, 2006 in his bed at his home. Diagnosis revealed that he had a heart attack but the later diagnosis revealed that he was exposed to lot of narcotics and over-the-counter drugs. He was using narcotic pain relieves and Darvocet and Perocet were found in his blood.
Later it was discovered that he had been taking pain killers for a shoulder pain and these were prescribed medicines. He had also undergone surgery in 2005 to repair a disengaged Achilles tendon. He was also prescribed to take Xanax for anxiety attacks.
Levert completed his album “In My Songs” before the attack. After this on December 7th 2006, Levert was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best R&B Perfomance by a Duo or Group With Vocals. Levert was again nominated for the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. Levert won the Grammy Award at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards for “In My Songs”.
Levert gave several albums which include “I Get Hot” in 1985, “Bloodline” in 1986, “The Big Throwdown” in 1987, “Just Coolin” in 1988, “Rope A Dope Style” in 1990, ’For Real Tho” in 1993 “The Whole Scenario” in 1997 and “Love & Consequences” in 1998.
His albums with LSG are “”Levert-Sweat-Gill” in 1997 and “LSG2” in 2003.
His albums with his father are “Father & Son” in 1995 and “Something To Talk About” in 2007.
His singles include “Casanova” in 1987, “My Forever Love” in 1987, “Pull Over” in 1988, “Just Coolin” in 1989, “Gotta Get the Money” in 1989, “Rope A Dope Style” in 1990 to name a few.
He achieved success early in his life and left at the age of 40. He was a great singer and a highly acclaimed songwriter and producer for many singers.
He will always be remembered by his fans as the most wonderful soul singer.
TJ Grooves
Rare SOul Grooves & Soul Music TV
This R&B singer was one of the most popular singers of the world. He is my favorite as well. He created a prominent place for himself in the field of R&B and soul music. It is really sad that this talented singer died so early. He could have please us with so many tracks and albums had he been alive today.
During the 1980’s he was really a big star. Labels like Elecktra, Atlantic, and EastWest did a lot in helping him become a popular, although he had his own talent to support him. Music ran in his family and thanks to the musical background of his father that he developed his singing skills in a young age.
It is surprising that this classy singer of R&B came up with the idea of forming his own band when he was only in high school. That was a big step for him as it opened up many avenues for his future. It was just the three of them. Levert (his surname) was a good name for a band.
I think I read somewhere that Sean and Marc planned to revive Levert as a duo, but whatever happened with thta? And there was this big bust up over Gerald Leverts money - probably because he had children but never married - seems a shame that he died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.
One of his daughter, Carlysia, an aspiring singer, appeared on the MTV series My Super Sweet 16, with her father in 2005.
Btw, Geralds brother Sean died a couple of years later so that reunion group never happened. He was in jail at the time for failing to pay child support. Allegedly Marc still wanted the group to continue but it looks even less likely with both the levert brothers sadly gone.
His song “I’d Give Anything” brings tears to my eyes…will he ever come?
The sad thing is that he died so depressed. People close to him said Gerald never found anyone who loved him. Steve Harvey said he talked to him before he died. Gerald was so sad Steve said that he called his father to talk to him.
Loved this man! Great voice! Such a shame he died!
He was a legendary singer and will remain immortal in our hearts forever. “In My Songs” is one of his masterpieces and I think it is one of the best albums of his life. He was the greatest gift he gave us before he suffered from that fatal heart attack. This talented artist deserved some more Grammy nominations and awards as well.
He gave us many albums between 1980s and the 21st century. Some of my favorite albums from the ‘80s is “I Get Hot”, The Big Throwdown”, “Just Coolin”, and “Bloodline”. I also like “LSG2”. It has many modern elements, which were not there in the earlier albums. That made it quite refreshing.
It was very unfortunate to lose such acclaimed singer when he was just 40 years old. If he had lived longer then he could have enriched his repertoire of music. That would have been a huge gift for the world. I love the albums that he did with his father.
Eddie Levert, Gerald’s father was the lead singer as well as the founder of the O’Jays. In their native Canton, the family also has a street, which is named after them. On many occasions Eddie and Gerald collaborated and together they recorded “Father and Son”. With Marc Gordon and his brother Sean, he sang in the R&B Trio known as LeVert.
This magnificent singer was born in Cleveland. He was also a part of LSG, the famous R & B super group that included the two platinum selling stars, namely Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill. Some of the most popular ballads of Gerald Levert include “You Got That Love” and “I’d Give Anything to Fall in Love”.
His untimely death has shocked all his fans and everyone else. No one had expected that he would die so suddenly in his sleep. After his death, his label Atlantic Records had issued a statement, which said that they were “deeply saddened”. He was a great singer with a fabulous voice and he sang with matchless power and soulfulness.
This contemporary soul singer brought a great deal of emotion and energy to even the most serious recordings with his smooth and robust vocals. This singer grew up and learned such a lot in the shadows of Eddie LeVert. His father’s established status in the music industry paved the path for him and nurtured him.
His first single, “I’m Still,” under the Tempre label, remained on the Billboard R&B charts for eight weeks. That was a long duration. It surely proved that he was not to be ignored. After he associated with Atlantic Records, he kept growing and maturing. “Casanova” is a great single that I love.
When I heard he died, that was one of the saddest days of my life. Memories such as those I had while listening to his music aren’t forgotten easily. He was soulful and romantic.
A composer, producer, and singer — he’s what I’ve always wanted to be as a kid. I ended up an accountant but who knows, I might just get there one of these days. I never stop swaying to Levert’s songs though.
“I’d Give Anything to Fall in Love” and “You Got That Love” — two of the greatest ballads ever. I remember the day he died. It was on the news that they wouldn’t speculate at the cause of death. I figured out then that it could only be drug-related. And I was right.
He won the Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “In My Songs” last February. That was like the highlight of the entire awards event.
Dying at 40? And due to drug use? It’s such a waste that a talent as big as Levert’s went down for that reason.
I read from wikipedia that he died because of a fatal combination of prescription narcotics and over-the-counter drugs. That was not intentional. Please stop with the hating.
I’d have to say that his last collaboration with Jim Brickman on the song “My Angel” was what solidified his name as one of the foremost balladeers and songwriters.
Among the artists that Gerald Levert made songs for are my other personal favorites: James Ingram, Barry White, and the O’jays. He also collaborated with Keith Sweat and there was another guy with them for the group LSG.
I still have his hits ‘Casanova’ and ‘Funny’ on my ipod. His tunes are invigorating and inspiring at the same time.
I’d like to pay tribute to this gentleman who has built such a generous legacy. He truly deserves the outpouring of love that came about due to his demise.
Isn’t it weird how an artist can touch your heart through his songs? Whether he knew it or not Levert did this. Even his songs from the 80s that had those hard beats and throw away lyrics, there was his warm voice at the heart of it.
I read all these comments and go check out the music. My friends are amazed about the bands I know because of this. I love this old soul stuff because it reminds me of songs from movies I watched as a kid.
Before he passed away in the year 2006, he completed working on his album “In My Songs”. It was sad that he died when he was just 40. It is needless to say that he could give us a lot more and we find that evidence in this album, “In My Songs”.
Do I Speak for the World is certainly one of his very best albums. Oh yes “In My Songs” was is so great and so special for his fans. It has songs for every mood. The midtempo club cuts in it are like surprises for us. It is sad that he could not carry on.
Even though he lived in his fathers shadow to a degree, Gerald Levert was one of the great singers of our time. He was a tremendously gifted composer, an accomplished producer, and he sang with unmatched soulfulness and power.
One of the worst things that has happened in the music industry is the immense loss of Gerald Levert. It is really very unfortunate not only for the music industry but also for all his fans across the world. He was a versatile artist and really gave us so many hits like “Funny”, “Taking Everything”, and others.
Gerald Levert had a great voice but never really found the best songs to show it off. For instance, the track with the Rude Boys “Written all over your Face” had a slick video and yet the musical accompaniment is limited, and the voices never really hang together to give the weak lyrics anything. He would have had greater success if he could have teamed with a really strong writing partner, I think.