UB Celebrates: 40th Anniversary of LeVert
The Group Emerged 40 Years Ago This Month with "I'm Still."
In March of 1985 a new song was serviced to R&B radio, “I’m Still.” A soulful ballad, delivered in a breathless baritone.
LeVert had officially emerged and was bringing something to R&B that had been missing.
After many years of mimicking his father’s group O’Jays, Gerald LeVert and his younger brother Sean LeVert, along with their childhood friend, Marc Gordon formed the group, LeVert.
By his late teens, Gerald had parlayed his child-play into a fledgling career as a songwriter.
He composed song after song for his father’s group, but learned that sometimes it ain’t who you know. The O’Jays passed on the songs, but the cloud of rejection had a platinum lining.
Gerald, his buddy Marc Gordon, and his little brother Sean recorded the material.
Their debut album release “I Get Hot” was released 40 years ago in May of 1985.
Tempre Records was owned by ex-Philadelphia International president Harry Coombs.
The label’s first release was “I’m Still.”
LeVert was introduced at the time as an eight-piece band from Cleveland, fronted by two of O’Jays lead singer Eddie LeVert‘s sons, Gerald, 18, and Sean, 17 at the time.
Gerald was co-producer and co-writer of the single, and sounds remarkably like his father. “There is such a tremendous similarity between Eddie and Gerald that many program directors swear it is Eddie just moonlighting from the O’Jays,” stated Harry Coombs.
Another Philadelphia International veteran, Dexter Wansell, produced the title cut. The group LeVert, which had performed at clubs in the Cleveland area, made its national debut in 1985 on “Soul Train.”
Another O’Jay, Walter Williams, contributed to the production, along with Coombs, Gerald LeVert and Dexter Wansel.
With Gerald out in front, the trio‘s full-bodied vocals poured over sleek beats earned them much fanfare and a bigger platform for the release of their follow-up album release “Bloodline.”
Named in honor of their father‘s living legacy, the set secured LeVert‘s first gold record and #1 single entitled “Pop Pop Pop Goes My Mind.”
It was the first success of many.
LeVert‘s third release “The Big Throwdown” rode the smash single “Casanova” to gold status, while earning the group two Soul Train music awards.
This album upped the ante for LeVert, positioning the group to keep the family tradition alive by leaving a trail of hit albums and singles.
Marc Gordon & Gerald LeVert formed Trevel Productions in 1987 and initially signed on the Rude Boys who gained tremendous success from their #1 hit “Written All Over Your Face” and Men at Large with their hit single “So Alone.”
The duo helped launch the careers of three Cleveland-area R&B groups; The Rude Boys, Men at Large and 1 of the Girls, who had a great, but extremely slept on album. Check out our UB Rare Music Spotlight on that release.
They produced, wrote on or developed other successful recording artists such as TROOP, Mikki Howard, Stephanie Mills, The O’Jays & Anita Baker.
LeVert racked up even more hit singles such as “Baby I’m Ready”, “Addicted To You”, which featured in Eddie Murphy’s hit movie, “Coming To America” and “Just Coolin” the first R&B group & song to feature a rapper, the late Heavy D.
In 1987, LeVert earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance by duo or group with vocal for “Casanova.”
In 1988 LeVert took home two Soul Train Awards for Best R&B album – Group or Band for “The Big Throwdown” & Best Single – Group or Band for “Casanova.”
In 1989, LeVert won NAACP Image Award for “Best Vocal Group” for “Just Coolin” and a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album – Group, Band or Duo – “Just Coolin.”
“Just Coolin”, “Rope a Dope Style”, and “For Real Tho” were all released between 1988-1993.
In pursuit of greater heights in 1995, all the group’s members decided to pursue individual opportunities.
Gerald recorded his solo debut “Private Line” in 1991, when he was still with LeVert. The title-track hit #1 on Billboard’s R&B chart. The other members even contributed to the project.
The result was a soul-drenched exploration of Gerald‘s personal musical agenda that still retained some of the familiar LeVert flavor.
LeVert released a reunion album “The Whole Scenario” in 1997.
By the end of their run, the fun-loving yet heartfelt antics of LeVert had garnered the group six gold albums.
Gerald LeVert went on to conquer the music industry as a successful solo artist, songwriter, producer and actor.
Marc Gordon relocated to Los Angeles and continued producing and writing, with a variety of successful recording artists such as Immature/IMX, Marques Houston and Musiq Soul-Child.
Sean LeVert also pursued a solo career and often performed with both his father and brother.’
With seven songs recorded for a LeVert reunion album in 2006 , tragedy struck.
Gerald LeVert passed in 2006 at age 40.
Sean LeVert passed away March 30th, 2008.
“The loss of Gerald & Sean, has been devastating emotionally,” stated Marc.
He pulled himself together once more, knowing the obstacles but felt this is exactly what Gerald & Sean would have wanted him to do. So he moved forward in a positive direction, and in 2009, through his 9311 Entertainment Group released “Dedication” with Sean‘s final recordings that also featured The O’Jays.
LeVert and Gerald LeVert have sold over 9 million copies in the U.S. Which include 5 Platinum albums and a Double Platinum single “My Body” from LSG.
Celebrate The 40th Anniversary of LeVert!
Stream the UB LeVert 35 Playlist: 35 of LeVert’s Greatest Songs
