*Stunned, speechless and heartbroken: the minute news of Gerald’s passing hit the internet, I called my editor as the tears rolled down my cheeks and told her that not only did Gerald deserve a tribute, I as another Ohio native needed to be the one to do it and that I owed him that much. She agreed and this is what ran in the paper the following day: Godspeed and God bless you, Levert Family, we will always listen and we will never forget…..*

Levert Brought His Heart To Modern Soul

“Can You Handle It.” “Lay You Down.” “Casanova.” “Mr. Too Damn Good.”

Few contemporary R&B artists personified the super-suave loverman better than Gerald Levert. The 40-year-old artist, who died unexpectedly in his Cleveland home, won a legion of loyal fans over the years with his rich, hearty baritone, smooth-as-silk lyrics and fiery concert performances worthy of a pulpit and collection plate.

He seemed destined from the beginning for stardom; the eldest son of the mighty O’Jays lead singer, Eddie Levert, Gerald first made an impact fresh out of high school with younger brother Sean and childhood friend Marc Gordon as part of the trio LeVert, later regaling audiences with the irresistible “(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind,” followed by their signature smash, “Casanova.” Nine solo albums and multiple Top 10 hits later, few would deny that his vocals carried the influence of Eddie, but Gerald still maintained his unique edge, unafraid to mix hip-hop flavor with his old-school, multi-layered approach to music.

Mr. Levert represented the grown and sexy aspect of modern soul. He wasn’t exactly built like Usher or LL Cool J, but with his good looks and dreamboat, tender ballads, he could work female fans into a fevered frenzy during his sexually charged concert performances. Anyone lucky enough to see his last concert appearance with Maze two years ago at Dallas’ Smirnoff Music Centre watched a true pro at work, tossing teddy bears damp with his sweat to delirious fans before he walked through the aisles, singing “Baby U Are” in perfect pitch as ladies screamed, salivated and reached around his bodyguards for a handful of his suit.

A prolific songwriter, producer and collaborator, Mr. Levert will be deeply missed. One of his most ardent fans – the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin – explained why she adored him in June 2005’s edition of Essence magazine:

“Gerald’s got that stomp-down, hip-shaking earth soul. … He pours his heart into it.”

He may have denied being a ‘Casanova,’ but Gerald Levert definitely stole hearts; the son preceded his father in death, but not before creating his own legacy in the process.