"He who touches a father touches a son." Ethiopian Proverb
Such a thought encompasses brilliantly the loving relationship between Eddie and Gerald Levert. Legendary Eddie Levert (of the O'Jays) and his son Gerald (who's been thrilling audiences since his 1985 debut with Levert) have long been a shining example of the power of family. Theirs is a legacy that was lovingly built on embracing each other's dreams. The magic of this special connection has been enjoyed by audiences all over the world, but somehow still remains indefinable. The Levert family's newest project is a loving balm for times like these, where the subtlety of the knot that binds a Father And Son has largely been forgotten. At the urging of family, friends, and countless fans who see Eddie and Gerald's unique relationship as truly inspirational, the two have finally captured an entire album's worth of this magic in a recording studio, and have aptly titled their emotional union, Father And Son. The album is a virtual passion play of the kind of moments and songs that only these two pop legends could deliver. But what Father And Son really captures, is the historic loves, laughs, tears and struggles, as seen through the eyes of a dad and a son who've been there for each other at every turn.
Eddie points out they couldn't have chosen a better moment to come together for such a groundbreaking LP. "It kind of fits the need for the times,"the ebullient elder Levert says. "After we did the duet for "Baby Hold On To Me,"(from Gerald's 1991 platinum, Private Line solo debut) the public response was just tremendous. More and more people were suggesting we do something like this. It got to be everytime we performed together people would go crazy for it." Eddie recalls that some mothers in the audience would bring their sons to thank the two singers for displaying such family unity. "It made us proud. It started opening our eyes that this thing could be taken even further. When people would see the love and respect - and yes there are hard times too - but when they saw how much we cared for each other, they would urge us to do more together.
Gerald echoes his dad's sentiments. He recalls coming back on a flight one evening and having ex-football great and community activist Jim Brown stress to him just how important the symbolic nature of Gerald's relationship with his Father was to young people. "I was somewhat aware of how it affected people when we performed. Jim Brown urged me to keep taking it to another level," he says. "He was saying how he didn't think we realized what an effect something like this will have on kids....on families. The fact that my dad has passed his values on to me....it really hit home what he was saying.
This baton of love and respect goes back and forth on Father And Son, including the mesmerizing R&B balladry that both singers are known for. Several touching songs grace the LP, like the smoldering "Already Missing You,"the warm centerpiece of the LP that strikes at the core of human longing, and the magnificent interpretation of the Oscar winning ballad "Wind Beneath My Wings,"which the duo performed on the recent Essence Awards, to a standing ovation. "That song is so special for us. It goes to the heart of what we are trying to say about doing an album like this. We all have to lift each other up. Fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, brothers and sisters too."says Eddie, his voice building with enthusiasm. The album holds such a powerful place in his heart, he's eager to get into the nuts and bolts of it. "We decided we wanted to take a pop approach on "Already Missing You,"he says. "Pop that verges on soulful. Gerald wrote it. I love the message and I told him it kind of reminds of a Lionel Richie-type song. I told Gerald to go for that with the vocal. We'd trade advice back and forth like that throughout the recording." Eddie laughs.
The fact that his kids are accomplished enough and experienced enough to talk musical chops with him still thrills him. "I didn't want him going into the music business at first," he recalls. "You want your offspring to be successful at what they do, but I was hard on him. I wanted him to be better than his dad." His throat catches with emotion, so obviously touched by his son's accomplishments.
Gerald's aim was true. The musical history of this father-and- son team now spans over thirty years, with some 10 million albums sold. Eddie set the standard himself for the Levert name by simply forming one of the greatest R&B groups of all time. The genesis of the O'Jays can be traced back to his native Ohio. Eddie would sing gospel tunes on a local radio show with partner Walter Williams. They eventually snagged more members, forming the group in 1961 with King Records in Cincinnati. It was here he developed his reverence for the glorious R&B traditions that have been the touchstone of his career. Several hit singles followed, but it wasn't until the group became a trio in 1972 that the O'Jay floodgate of hits seemed to really gush forth. The release of the breakthrough album Backstabbers generated a decade of gold and platinum albums for the O'Jays. The group lined up seven #1 singles, continuing the O'Jay legacy throughout the 80's and 90's, with member changes and the occasional musical alterations, but always with Eddie as the driving force. With millions of albums sold and over 50 hit singles to their credit, Eddie still feels his greatest contribution was fostering such a talented family to carry on the musical legacy. Gerald and his younger brother Sean formed the legendary Levert in 1985, with their childhood friend Marc Gordon. That was the start of an unbroken string of 8 gold albums for Gerald, (either with Levert or solo efforts) including Levert's smash debut album Bloodline, and his most recent platinum solo effort, Groove On. His first solo project, Private Line spawned the hit singles "School Me,""Can You Handle It,"and of course the aforementioned "Baby Hold On To Me,"which spurred the musical union between he and his dad. Gerald has also been a part of the production and songwriting team that has brought forth hits for superstar artists like Anita Baker, Barry White, Subway and even the O'Jays themselves. Levert's very own Trevel Productions has been responsible for discovering new artists like Men At Large and The Rude Boys.
With history-making track records like the above, it's a wonder the two ever found time to finally get Father And Son underway. "It took about 7 or 8 months from start to finish,"says Gerald. "But as far as actually recording, we'd try to do only 3 takes for each song." When asked if the generational difference ever caused a rift in style considerations, Eddie jumps in. "We would practice the songs at our homes. A lot of our phrasing and vocal style complements each other. We tried to make the differences distinct. If he was strong on a part I'd tone it down a bit." Eddie points out that many friends noticed the different shading he was putting on these songs. "It was such a labor of love, such an important record to make. I loved every minute of it," he proclaims. Eddie says choosing and writing the material was the most fun. "A song like 'Apple Don't Fall Far From The Tree,' fits great because it's an adage that has held true forever," he says teasingly. "You have to be a father to know that.
Gerald remembers that friends and family members would often leave the recording sessions in tears because of the sentimental aspect of some of the songs. The studio was filled with emotion, christened with the kind of magic an artist is lucky enough to cultivate maybe once or twice in a career. But here it was, all this love flowing from two meteoric talents - from father to son and son to father - that seemed to impact every single moment during the sessions. "My sister would come and start to cry just watching us record," he says. "Wind Beneath My Wings,"for example, was especially important to the Levert family. "We first did it on the Arsenio Hall Show," remembers Gerald. "The response was so great we did it again for the Essence Awards. Sometimes I get a mushy feeling in my stomach just hearing the song.
Eddie recalls many sessions where if the two even looked at each other, they'd break into tears. He says he would sometimes pause and think back to those earlier days when he wasn't sure he wanted his kids to go into show business. To think he may have missed the kind of wonderful moments that envelop Father And Son. "I remember when Gerald was just 12 years old, or so. He'd sit in the basement with me and jam," says Eddie. "He'd write songs and want me to critique them. I always told him that when he did something that was at a level where he could compete with what was out there, I'd do what I could for him," Eddie smiles. He knows there is no reason to finish the story, it's all there, in every single groove of Father And Son. And even more importantly, he knows the rippling effect from that kind of devotion will now be influencing a generation of fathers and sons, yet to come.
