NEW YORK
- Gerald Levert, the fiery singer of passionate R&B love
songs and the son of O’Jays singer Eddie Levert, died
on Friday. He was 40.
His label, Atlantic
Records, confirmed that Levert died at his home in Cleveland,
Ohio.
“All
of us at Atlantic are shocked and deeply saddened by his untimely
death. He was one of the greatest voices of our time, who
sang with unmatched soulfulness and power, as well as a tremendously
gifted composer and an accomplished producer,” the statement
read.
Levert
first gained fame back in 1986, as a member of the R&B
trio LeVert, which also included his brother, Sean.
They quickly racked up hits like “(Pop, Pop, Pop,
Pop) Goes My Mind,” “Casanova,” and
“Baby I’m Ready.”
But
Gerald Levert’s voice — powerful and soulful,
almost a carbon-copy of his father’s — was
always the focal point, and in 1991, he made his solo
debut with the album “Private Line,” which
included a hit duet with his dad, “Baby Hold on
to Me.”
Levert
became known for his sensual, romantic songs, but unlike
a Luther Vandross, whose voice and songs were more genteel,
Levert’s music was explosive and raw — his
2002 album was titled “The G Spot.”
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