Gerald Levert
A powerhouse soul singer who carved a massive R&B legacy both in a family group and as a fiercely passionate solo artist.
1966–2006 (age 40)·American singer-songwriter and producer·Birthday: July 13·Generation X
Biography
Gerald Levert was born with soul music in his blood, the son of O’Jays frontman Eddie Levert, but he forged a sound that was distinctly and powerfully his own. In the 1980s, he formed LeVert with his brother and a friend, scoring a string of smooth, new jack swing-influenced hits. Yet it was as a solo artist in the 90s that Levert truly exploded, his burly, muscular voice—often compared to a bear’s hug—delivering raw, sexually charged and emotionally vulnerable anthems. He became a pillar of the 'quiet storm' radio format, a singer who could convey intense passion without artifice. Beyond performing, Levert was a prolific songwriter and producer for other artists and a savvy talent scout. His collaborations, especially the supergroup LSG and his poignant duets with his father, showcased a artist deeply connected to his roots while relentlessly pushing contemporary R&B forward until his untimely death.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Gerald was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gerald Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Gerald's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
Key Achievements
- Sold over 20 million albums as a solo artist and as a member of the group LeVert.
- Formed the R&B supergroup LSG with Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill, whose debut album went double platinum.
- Wrote and produced hits for numerous artists, including Barry White, Stephanie Mills, and Teddy Pendergrass.
- Discovered and developed the R&B groups The Rude Boys and Men at Large.
Did You Know?
He was a member of the second generation of the famous musical Levert family; his son, Gerald Levert Jr., is also a singer.
He earned the nickname 'The G-Man' from fans and within the music industry.
He and his father, Eddie Levert, won a Grammy Award in 1992 for their duet 'Baby Hold On.'
He was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2014.
“I sing about reality. I sing about things that people go through every day.”
