Gerald Levert - Private Line (1991)

A contemporary soul singer whose smooth yet robust vocals brought
energy and emotion to even his most serene recordings, Gerald LeVert
grew up in the shadows of his father, Eddie LeVert, Sr., of the
O'Jays. As a child, his father's status in the music industry
nurtured and helped prepare Gerald for his prosperous music career
as a writer, arranger, producer, and performer.

As Gerald was entering his adulthood, he, good friend Marc Gordon,
and his brother Sean formed the trio LeVert. They recorded their
first single, entitled "I'm Still," on the independent Tempre label.
Even though Gerald was still maturing as a vocalist, his powerful,
stirring delivery on the single is worthy of praise. Peaking on the
Billboard R&B charts at number 70, it survived for eight weeks.

The debut solo release from the Ohio native, "Private Line" features
a nice mixture of songs and spawned four chart singles. The vocal
energy LeVert brings to his songs is revealed in each lyric. With a
locomotive rhythm track and a churnin' horn arrangement, "Private
Line" is complemented with a catchy hook. It became a favorite among
many, claiming the number one spot on the Billboard R&B charts. The
second single release was the pop-oriented single "Baby Hold On To
Me."

This duet, with his father Eddie LeVert, Sr., is a splendidly
arranged ballad in which father and son immerse themselves in the
lyrics. Like its predecessor, it claimed the number one spot and
number 37 on the R&B and pop charts, respectively. The third single
was "School Me". With its teacher-student lyrics, the gifted
vocalist stays near the top of the charts with this single as well;
it peaked at number three after 19 weeks. LeVert's knack for laying
down lead and background vocals is demonstrated on this number.

As explosive as his baritone is, he is able to inject a smoothness
to his delivery; this trait is admirable. The fourth single, "Can
You Handle It," has LeVert combining wholesome vocals with
contemporary rhythms. It too seized a Top Ten spot at number nine.
Every track on this album is as appealing as the next, finding
LeVert's vocals are in superb form.

In memory of Gerald Levert! Rest in power!