Gerald Edward Levert (July 13, 1966 – November 10, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter and producer. The son of singer Eddie Levert, he formed the R&B vocal group LeVert alongside his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon. He was also a member of the supergroup LSG, along with Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill. Levert is often credited with the discovery of R&B groups The Rude Boys, Men at Large, and 1 of the Girls. He released nine solo albums, and posthumously won a Grammy Award. In 2013, he was apart of the inaugural National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame inductees.
Early life and education
Levert was born on July 13, 1966, in Canton, Ohio, to the frontman of the O'Jays, Eddie Levert, The trio released the album Levert.Sweat.Gill the same year, selling over two million copies; Initial reports stated that Levert had died of an apparent heart attack, but the autopsy report conducted by the Cuyahoga County coroner's office concluded that Levert's death was caused by a fatal combination of prescription narcotics and over-the-counter drugs. The drugs in his bloodstream included the narcotic pain relievers Vicodin, Percocet, and Darvocet, the anxiety medication Xanax, and two over-the-counter antihistamines. The autopsy also revealed that Levert had pneumonia. The official cause of death was acute intoxication, and the death was ruled accidental. Following disclosure of Levert's cause of death, a family spokesman stated that all the drugs found in Levert's bloodstream were prescribed to the singer. Levert was taking the pain medication because of chronic pain from a lingering shoulder problem and surgery in 2005 to repair a severed Achilles tendon. Levert had three children: LeMicah, Camryn, and Carlysia.
Carlysia, an aspiring singer, appeared on the MTV series My Super Sweet 16, with her father in 2005. His father is the third cousin of Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player Caris LeVert.
Shortly before his death, Levert completed work on what would be his final album, In My Songs. The album was released on February 13, 2007. In June 2007, a book Gerald was working to complete, titled I Got Your Back: A Father and Son Keep it Real About Love, Fatherhood, Family, and Friendship, was released. The book was initially planned as a tie-in for a Levert album of the same name. I Got Your Back explores Gerald and Eddie's father/son relationship, the necessity of male bonding, and the importance of repairing fractured families. Levert was also working on a reality show in which he was losing weight along with 12 of his female fans, who were training with him at his palatial home.
Awards and nominations
On December 7, 2006, it was announced that Levert, along with Chaka Khan, Yolanda Adams and Carl Thomas were nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B Performance by a Duo Or Group With Vocals for their collaboration on "Everyday (Family Reunion)", a song from the soundtrack of Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion. He was nominated again for the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for his single, "In My Songs". At the 50th annual Grammy Awards, it was announced that Levert had won the award for "In My Songs". Levert's brother and former founding LeVert member Sean Levert accepted on his late brother's behalf.
On August 17, 2013, in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, Gerald Levert was inducted into the 2013 class of the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame along with the O'Jays.
- American Music Award
- 1999, Favorite R&B/Soul Band, Duo or Group (Nominated) with <small>LSG</small>
- 1993, Favorite Male R&B/Soul Artist (Nominated)
- 1988, Favorite R&B/Soul Single: "Casanova" (Nominated) with <small>Levert</small>
- BET Awards
- 2007, Favorite Male R&B Artist: (Nominated)
- 2007, BET Just Cool Like Dat: (Winner)
- Grammy Awards
- 2008, Best Traditional R&B Performance: "In My Songs" (Winner)
- 2007, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Everyday (Family Reunion)" (Nominated) with <small>Chaka Khan, Carl Thomas & Yolanda Adams</small>
- 1998, Best R&B Album By A Duo or Group: "Levert Sweat Gill" (Nominated) with <small>LSG</small>
- 1988, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Casanova" (Nominated) with <small>Levert</small>
- Image Awards
- 2004, Outstanding Male Artist (Nominated)
- 2008, Best Duo or Group (Winner) as <small>Gerald Levert & Eddie Levert</small>
- Soul Train Awards
- 2003, Favorite Male Soul/R&B Album: The G Spot (Nominated)
- 1999, Favorite Band, Duo or Group Album: Levert.Sweat.Gill (Nominated)
- 1995, Favorite Male Soul/R&B Album: Groove On (Nominated)
- 1988, Favorite Band, Duo or Group Single: "Casanova" (Winner) with <small>Levert</small>
- 1988, Favorite Band, Duo or Group Album: The Big Throwdown (Winner) with <small>Levert</small>
Discography
Studio albums
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Album details
! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak positions
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Certifications
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US<br>
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US<br>R&B<br>
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1988
| "That's What Love Is" <br><small>(with Miki Howard)</small>
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 4
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1990
| "Just One of Them Things" <br><small>(with Keith Sweat)</small>
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1991
| "Private Line"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 1
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1992
| "Baby Hold On to Me" <br><small>(with Eddie Levert)</small>
| align=center | 37
| align=center | 1
| align=center | ―
|-
| "School Me"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 3
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Can You Handle It"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 9
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1994
| "I'd Give Anything"
| align=center | 28
| align=center | 4
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1995
| "Already Missing You" <br><small>(with Eddie Levert)</small>
| align=center | 75
| align=center | 7
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Answering Service"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 12
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Can't Help Myself"
| align=center | 98
| align=center | 15
| align=center | ―
|-
| "How Many Times"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 55
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="1"| 1996
| "Wind Beneath My Wings" <br><small>(with Eddie Levert)</small>
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 30
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1998
| "Thinkin' Bout It"
| align=center | 12
| align=center | 2
| align=center | 77
|-
| "Taking Everything"
| align=center | 11
| align=center | 3
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1999
| "Breakin' My Heart" <br><small>(featuring Sean Levert)</small>
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 5
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Nothin' to Somethin"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 55
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2000
| "Baby U Are"
| align=center | 89
| align=center | 31
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Mr. Too Damn Good"
| align=center | 76
| align=center | 20
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Dream With No Love"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 84
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2001
| "Made to Love Ya"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 37
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Make My Day" <br><small>(featuring Joe Little III & Sean Levert)</small>
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 89
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2002
| "What Makes It Good to You (No Premature Lovin')"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 66
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Too Much Room" (featuring Mystikal)
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 67
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Funny"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 37
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2003
| "Closure"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 57
| align=center | ―
|-
| "Wear It Out"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 58
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2004
| "A Rose by Any Other Name" <br><small>(with Teena Marie)</small>
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 53
| align=center | ―
|-
| "U Got That Love (Call It a Night)"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 30
| align=center | ―
|-
| "One Million Times"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 56
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="1"| 2005
| "So What (If You Got a Baby)"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 49
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2007
| "In My Songs"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 52
| align=center | ―
|-
| "DJ Don't"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 31
| align=center | ―
|-
| rowspan="1"| 2010
| "Can It Stay"
| align=center | ―
| align=center | 25
| align=center | ―
|-
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
|}
References
External links
- Atlantic Records site for Gerald Levert
- Gerald Levert - Cleveland Plain Dealer special section
- Gerald Levert's Last Interview