Gerald Levert and the Black Pop Nobody Knows, but Should

Thanks for this great article.  I was surprised that Gerald Levert’s passing got the press that it did, especially considering that Jack Palance died the same day.  I was afraid that his passing would be totally overlooked, as it was when John Lee Hooker and Carroll O’Connor died on the same day - it was shameful how little coverage Hooker got, and white people know more about Hooker!

Comment by Jason Stone from Marietta, GA — December 5, 2006 @ 11:19 am

I was shocked when I returned home to Des Moines Iowa for the holidays only to find out that Mr Levert had passed away. Jeez, only 40 years old, what a raw deal. I was first to exposed to his music when I moved out to Washington DC in 1991 for college. Thankfully, they still keep the “Quite Storm” alive out there. And his music open the door (for me at least) to so much more as time went on: Keith Sweat, Troop, Christopher Williams, Howard Hewitt, Keith Washington, etc. Growing up a white kid in Iowa kind of limited my exposure to that stuff. But it was the greatest music ever made, IMO.

As I travel around the world, its hard to keep up with that scene. All we see coming out of the US is pop and hip-hop. But everyone reading this will be happy to know this little aside: The week Gerald died (unbeknownst to me at the time), I was in Tokyo. I and a few friends of mine had discovered a small bar in the Roppongi district called “Motown 2”, small, but with a big heart. They had the biggest R&B;CD collection I had ever seen. And all they did was take requests. You name it, they had it. We drank a few nights away coming up with all sorts of goodies for the DJ. I can promise you that I requested more than a couple of Gerald’s songs. I wonder if he knew that his memory was being kept alive even if the most obscure corners of the world...RIP, Mr. Levert, and thanks for the education.

Comment by Jason Moran from Indonesia — December 8, 2006 @ 12:49 am

Thank you for a well written article. I often read that Gerald didn’t think that he got the attention that most other artist got. I can truly agree to that comment now.

Since his death, I’m deeply shocked at the lack of attention that our own black media outlets have displayed. I am very disappointed about Jet, Essence, Ebony and the likes.  Thank God for WZAK 93.1 FM in Cleveland, The Tom Joyner Morning Show and the various other sister stations across the country that have paid homage to a True R & B legend.

Rapper’s, gang-banger’s and other sensless stories get front page all week long. I am proud that The Plain Dealer did an extensive article. They should have. Gerald was Cleveland’s own. He could have left Ohio for warmer weather and the Hollywood trappings like most artist do, but he chose to stay wher his roots were. He was true to himself, his roots, and his fans.

There aren’t too many other male R& B artist that can put it down like Gerald did. We will miss him dearly. Much love to his parents for raising a good black man. We will be holding on for the O’Jays, because with them, there would not have been G-Bear.

Comment by Sheila Sheppard from Cleveland, OH — December 15, 2006 @ 12:44 pm