![]() Levert reveals candidly that he discovered many uncomfortable truths about himself, his parenting skills, and Gerald’s private struggles as the two wrote I Got Your Back together. I also like ‘Tapped,’ ” he says with a chuckle, “because Gerald was so sexual on the song that it was funny … he had both of those sides to him.That’s why I enjoy that one so much.”įans who’ve always envisioned smooth sailing between the two, given their legendary closeness, will learn from the book that there wasn’t always a harmonious relationship between father and son. I also like the song ‘Bad Habit,’ because it reminds us that we all have a tendency to become gluttons for something that we like, and when a man or a woman has become that ‘bad habit,’ you feel like you can’t live without them and don’t want to try. “One of my favorite songs is ‘A Simple Life,’ because it talks about the really important things like air, water, food, the necessities. Something blends Eddie’s old-school approach and Gerald’s modern musicality, and expectedly, some tracks stand out with heavier emotional resonance to the elder Levert these days. We had already recorded the Something CD before he passed away, but I just went back and did my vocals again because the songs took on a more gospel meaning for me.” We were actually doing about three to four albums at the same time: his CD, my CD, our collaboration and so on. “Whenever he found a break in the time from writing and recording, he was in the studio with me. It was in between studio sessions for In My Songs that they created Something to Talk About, a project that was a long-overdue follow-up to their first hit album of duets, 1995’s Father and Son. Levert has experienced more of those heartfelt expressions since the February release of Gerald’s solo CD, In My Songs, which according to Nielsen SoundScan has sold 387,000 copies. Martha came to me and said, ‘I’m fine until I see a picture of him,’ and that probably sums it up for me as best as I can ever say it.” ![]() “At last night’s book signing, for example, his mother, his sister, his cousin and friends were there. It’s all very surreal, and I’m more numb to the fact than other people. “I’m still very much in the trenches with him on a day-to-day basis with the book and the album, the interviews … it feels like he and I are still trying to make it happen. “I’m fine until I realize that I won’t be able to talk to him, see him, or hug him ever again,” says the 64-year-old by phone from Las Vegas. Levert is still learning to wrap his mind around. That unexpected demise rocked fans, peers and family to the core and, understandably, it’s something that Mr. The legendary member of the O’Jays is touring the country promoting a newly released book ( I Got Your Back: A Father and Son Keep It Real About Love, Fatherhood, Family and Friendship) and CD ( Something to Talk About) this summer, but it’s without his main collaborator, friend and second-born son, Gerald Levert, who passed away from accidental acute intoxication (a lethal mixture of prescription and over-the-counter drugs) last November at age 40. So, after chasing the man down for days, I was able to get in my chat with him hours before deadline: it was an honor that I treasure to this day and remain proud of: we love the Leverts and miss both Sean and Gerald, so I hope you enjoy the (2007) chat.*įather’s Day will be a bittersweet event for seasoned soul man Eddie Levert Sr. ![]() ![]() “I don’t know about a book review, but if you can talk to him directly, we’ll take it.” When I pitched the idea to my editor, she was cool-to a point. *As a Cleveland native and soul music fan, I was crushed when we lost our teddy bear, Gerald Levert, and I wanted to spotlight the book he had written with his father, the legendary Eddie Levert Sr., when it was released months later.
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