July 13th in African American History – Gerald Edward Levert

July 13, 1966 Gerald Edward Levert, singer, songwriter, and producer, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but raised in Cleveland, Ohio.

While in high school, Levert formed the group LeVert in 1984. Four of the group’s seven albums, “I Get Her” (1985), “Bloodline” (1986), “The Big Throwdown” (1987), and “Just Coolin’” (1988), went platinum. In 1991, Levert released his first solo album, “Private Line,” which went to number one on the R&B charts. Other solo albums by Levert include “Groove On” (1994), “Gerald’s World” (2001), and “Voices” (2005).

Levert died November 10, 2006 and the album “In My Songs” was released the following year. Also in 2007, Levert’s book “I Got Your Back: A Father and Son Keep It Real About Love, Fatherhood, Family, and Friendship” was published. Levert was nominated for four Grammy Awards and in 2008 won for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “In My Songs.”