LeVert

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LeVert was an American R&B vocal group from Cleveland, Ohio, United States.<ref name="Larkin80">Template:Cite book</ref> Formed in 1983, LeVert was composed of Sean and Gerald Levert (sons of Eddie Levert, founder and lead singer of R&B/Soul vocal group O'Jays) and Marc Gordon.<ref name="Wells">Wells, Chris (1986) "It's in the Blood", Echoes, 8 November 1986, p. 5</ref><ref name="Allmusic">Template:Cite web</ref>

Biography

The group released their first single, "I'm Still", for Harry Coombes's Tempre label.<ref name="Wells" /> In 1985, they released their debut album, I Get Hot, which included tracks whose vocals drew strong comparisons to Sean and Gerald Levert's father Eddie.<ref name="Larkin80"/> Bloodline followed in 1986, and this album included the band's first big R&B hit "(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind".<ref name="Larkin80"/> However, the band's next album, 1987's The Big Throwdown became an even bigger success, on the strength of the Number One R&B hit "Casanova", which gave them a crossover hit on the pop chart (number 5) and also a UK Top 10.<ref name="UK">Template:Cite web</ref>

A pair of additional R&B Top Five singles were also released from this album: "My Forever Love" and "Sweet Sensation". The band's success continued with their 1988 follow-up album Just Coolin', which was nominated for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album for the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards. Both The Big Throwdown and Just Coolin' received gold certification.<ref name="Larkin80"/> Beginning in the 1990s, Gerald began dividing his time between LeVert, and his solo career,<ref name="Larkin80"/> but the band went on to release three more albums, and Rhino Records released a greatest hits album in 2001.

Gerald Levert died of a prescription and over the counter drug overdose in November 2006.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Sean Levert died in March 2008 from a combination of sarcoidosis and xanax withdrawal while in the Cuyahoga County jail.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Discography

Studio albums

• I Get Hot (1985)
• Bloodline (1986)
• The Big Throwdown (1987)
• Just Coolin' (1988)
• Rope a Dope Style (1990)
• For Real Tho' (1993)
• The Whole Scenario (1997)

External links

• Template:AllMusic
• LeVert II 2011 Audio Interview at Soulinterviews.com