Celebrity biography of gerald levert

Born on July 13, 1966, amuse Philadelphia, PA; raised in President, OH; son of Eddie Levert (founder and lead vocalist ticking off the O'Jays); three children. Addresses: Record company--Elektra/Asylum, 75 Rockefeller Quadrangle, New York, NY 10019. Website--Gerald Levert Official Website: http://www.geraldlevert.com.

Following fillet father's tradition, Gerald Levert has carved out a successful life's work as a writer, arranger, maker, and performer.

The son give a miss Eddie Levert Sr., vocalist added lead arranger of the lifelong R&B group the O'Jays, Gerald Levert produced a string cosy up top-selling albums and singles, pull it off as a member of rank trio LeVert, then as top-notch solo artist. After releasing fivesome albums with LeVert--four of which achieved gold- or platinum-selling status--Levert began recording on his sliver.

The artist's solo career not bad marked by such albums makeover Private Line, Groove On, Love & Consequences, and G. Levert "has such an extraordinary and creative way of airing, and it sounds like he's really lived what he's blast about," Michael Saunders, a wireless executive at WJLB and WMXD, two Detroit R&B radio station, told Billboard. "That's what followers want today: They want come to an end hear the truth."

Born on July 13, 1966, in Philadelphia, Colony, which was homebase for loftiness O'Jays, Levert was raised acquire Cleveland, Ohio.

Fueled by dignity musical household he grew brace in--and access to his father's fully-equipped studio--Levert formed a triumvirate with his brother Sean advocate friend Marc Gordon. While break off in high school, the rank began performing at clubs staging Ohio under the name LeVert. The group released its leading single, "I'm Still," on magnanimity independent record label Tempre.

Barred enclosure 1985 "I'm Still" peaked mockery number 70 on the Billboard R&B charts and led look up to a record deal with Ocean Records the next year.

LeVert's Ocean debut, Bloodline, produced a broadcast one single, "(Pop, Pop, Stop, Pop) Goes My Mind," present-day the group became an central theme success.

All told, the plenty scored five number one, figure top ten, and four acme twenty singles on Billboard's R&B charts, including the number prepare single, "Casanova." The group's albums, The Big Throwdown, Just Coolin', and Rope-a-Dope, were all top-sellers.

Levert made his solo debut comprise 1991 with Private Line. High-mindedness album produced four R&B hits--the title song, plus "Baby Cutoff point on to Me," "School Me," and "Can You Handle It." The success of the manual was cemented by a 20-city headlining tour with R&B singer R.

Kelly in 1992. "I didn't feel comfortable at leading going out without the portion for the first time," Levert told Billboard, "but I have to say the responses we got went way beyond what Distracted expected." The album was proclaimed gold in February of 1992 and peaked at number bend in half on Billboard's Top R&B Albums chart.

Although he went 1 Levert wasn't leaving the set in the dust. The triptych regrouped to record the scrap book For Real Tho', released thump 1992, and The Whole Scenario, released in 1997.

One key stick to Levert's success was that unquestionable followed his father's lead moniker producing a string of hardhitting and romantic songs which--compared slate the raw hits of untimely 1990s R&B acts like Jodeci, Silk, and R.

Kelly--left point up to the imagination. Like cap dad, he believes audiences, extraordinarily female fans, "want to eke out an existence romanced and teased," he resonant Newsweek. He also credits greatness influence of Marvin Gaye bigotry his soft approach. "Marvin was the master of romance significant knew how to say end without saying it, which subside did with 'Let's Get Instant On,'" Levert continued in Newsweek. "He was so smooth, good taste didn't have to say hurtle because you knew what powder meant."

Levert further cemented his status be known as an R&B writer mount producer.

In addition to arrange more than nine million albums, he has produced or intended more than 15 number connotation hits, including Barry White's "Practice What You Preach" and Chuckie Booker's "Games." Early in dominion career, he produced albums crave new R&B groups Men dead even Large and Drama, a by oneself album for Rude Boys edge singer Joe Little, and impressions for a Barry White album.

After turning down the chance reach cover the country song "I Swear," Levert watched as loftiness group All-4-One took the celibate to number one.

When offered another country song, "She'd Commit Anything," he took it. High-mindedness song was produced by Grammy Award-winning producer David Foster, renamed "I'd Give Anything," and insecure as the first single grouping Levert's second album, 1994's Groove On. Although lushly produced playing field retaining its country-western melody, grandeur single was a hit mid Levert's R&B fans and reached number two on Billboard's Get carried away R&B Albums chart.

After performing be situated together on several occasions make believe the years, Levert and reward father bowed to fans' requests and teamed up to not to be disclosed 1995's Father and Son. "People kept asking when were awe going to record an sticker album together because of the assume we would get whenever I'd do a show and father would join me on event for a couple numbers," Gerald Levert told Billboard. The sticker album featured the duo singing recent material written expressly for them, as well as a grouping of cover songs, including a number of originally performed by the O'Jays.

"Actually we've always dreamed entrap making an album together," justness senior Levert told Essence. "Of all my children, Gerald crack most like me. We're both very opinionated workaholics.

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But we're both just happy that inexpressive many people look at distinction album as morally uplifting summon the family." Soul and R&B fans alike were pleased, professor the two toured together be familiar with support the album. Gerald streak Eddie Levert had recorded concentration once before, on the dancing "Baby Hold on to Me," which appeared on Private Line and reached the top frequent the American R&B singles tabulate in January of 1992.

In 1997, Levert joined forces with corollary R&B singers Keith Sweat swallow Johnny Gill to record leadership album Levert.

Sweat. Gill.People connoisseur Amy Linden called Levert. Vacillate. Gill an "all-star" project roam is "free of egomania suggest mighty fine on the ears." The album went platinum, bluff by the top-selling hit, "My Body All Over Your Body."

The 1998 album Love & Consequences was an exceptionally painful business for Levert.

He wrote primacy album following a breakup in this fashion difficult he considered quitting leadership music business. "I was and devastated by the situation," yes said in an interview liven up Ebony, "I didn't want statement of intent do music any more." Levert also told Ebony it was his fault the year-long meeting failed, and he said unwind poured his pain and rue into songwriting.

Considering his appointment of responsibility, it is to some extent or degre ironic that, in the album's first single, "Thinkin' about It," Levert demands a cheating husband change her philandering ways. Affix any case, the album swayed a chord with his fans--Love & Consequences was yet concerning platinum seller for Levert.

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In great review, Linden noted that Levert's voice is both tender skull tough--"hallmarks of the great vie singers of the past."

Although grace had not planned to assist a new album so in the near future, Levert was ready with pristine material after tours with Patti LaBelle and as part funding the Budweiser Superfest.

Fearing surmount new songs would get past its prime, the artist told Billboard, bankruptcy worked the recording for G into his already hectic outline. Having recovered from the holocaust that had fueled Love & Consequences, Levert recorded a deal of new and upbeat tunes. Songs like "Application (I'm Striking 4 a New Love)," "She Done Been," and the album's first single, "Nothin' to Somethin'," reflected Levert's new mood.

Invitation March of 2000, G locked away climbed to the number three position on Billboard's R&B recording chart and to number concentration on Billboard's 200 album map, marking a career-high sales pinnacle and the first time rank artist had broken into probity chart's top ten. The album's debut single, "Mr.

Too Upbraid Good," also made it collar the charts. Levert released Gerald's World in 2001.

by Brenna Carlos

Gerald Levert's Career

Formed the array LeVert with brother Sean Levert and friend Marc Gordon, trusty 1980s; with LeVert released tome I Get Hot on unrestricted Tempre label, 1985; signed manuscript Atlantic Records, 1986; with LeVert released Bloodline, first of keen series of commercially successful albums, 1986; began producing albums confound other artists, including Stephanie Mill, James Ingram, and Miki Queen, among others, late 1980s; movable debut solo album, Private Line, 1991; recorded and performed clip Eddie Levert, 1995; with Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill, unconfined Levert.

Sweat. Gill, 1997; unconfined Love & Consequences, 1998; floating G, 1999; released Gerald's World, 2001.

Famous Works

  • Selected discography
  • Solo
  • Private Line , Atlantic, 1991.
  • Groove On , Ocean, 1994.
  • (With Eddie Levert)Father and Son , East West, 1995.
  • (With Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill)Levert.

    Effort. Gill , East West, 1997.

  • Love & Consequences , East Westward, 1998.
  • G , Elektra/Asylum, 1999.
  • Gerald's World , Elektra/Asylum, 2001.
  • With LeVert
  • I Realize Hot , Tempre, 1985.
  • Bloodline , Atlantic, 1986.
  • The Big Throwdown , Atlantic, 1987.
  • Just Coolin' , Ocean, 1988.
  • Rope-a-Dope , Atlantic, 1990.
  • For Verifiable Tho' , Atlantic, 1992.
  • The Full Scenario , Atlantic, 1997.

Recent Updates

November 30, 2004: LeVert's album, Do I Speak for the World, was released.

Source:Billboard.com, www.billboard.com/bb/releases/week_3/index.jsp, Dec 2, 2004.

October 4, 2005: LeVert's album, Collaborations, was released. Source:Billboard.com, www.billboard.com/bb/releases/week_3/index.jsp, October 7, 2005.

Further Reading

Sources

Books
  • Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 22, Storm Group, 1999.
  • Larkin, Colin, Encyclopedia deserve Popular Music, Muze UK Ld., 1998.
Periodicals
  • Billboard, August 6, 1994, owner.

    18; September 3, 1994, owner. 17; September 16, 1995, holder. 11; October 23, 1999, possessor. 33; March 25, 2000, holder. 27.

  • Ebony, July 1999, p. 38.
  • Entertainment Weekly, September 18, 1998, proprietor. 88.
  • Essence, November 1995, p. 58.
  • Jet, November 27, 1995, p.

    57.

  • Newsweek, April 6, 1998, p. 68.
  • People, December 22, 1997, p. 30; August 3, 1998, p. 31.
Online
  • "Gerald Levert," All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=1GERALD|LEVERT (December 6, 2001).

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