Spokesman Dan Bomeli at Geauga Community Hospital in suburban Cleveland confirms that Gerald Levert was bought to the hospital Friday, and pronounced dead at 1:50 p.m.
The Cuyahoga County coroner will perform an autopsy and will not speculate at this time on a cause of death.
Gerald was the son of Eddie Levert, a founder and lead singer of the O'Jays. The family has a street named after them in their native Canton.
Gerald and Eddie collaborated many times, recording an album called "Father and Son" together. He also sang with his brother Sean and Marc Gordon in the R&B Trio, LeVert.
Levert was born in Cleveland and was also a part LSG, the R & B supergroup which included platinum selling stars Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill.
Some of Gerald Levert's most popular ballads include "I'd Give Anything to Fall in Love", and "You Got That Love."
His label, Atlantic Records, issued this statement: "All of us at Atlantic are shocked and deeply saddened by his untimely death. He was one of the greatest voices of our time, who sang with unmatched soulfulness and power, as well as a tremendously gifted composer and an accomplished producer."
*Stevie Wonder, Usher, Jermaine Dupri and Angela Winbush were among the thousands of celebrities, fans and family members at Cleveland’s Public Hall facility Friday to attend a musical tribute to R&B singer Gerald Levert, who died Nov. 10.
Standing in front of a huge framed picture of the late artist, Wonder joined Levert's father, Eddie Levert of the O'Jays, and Levert's brother, Sean, to lead the audience in a spirited, energy-filled mixture of memories, music and good ol’ fashioned church fervor.
"You all really don't know how big his heart was," said Eddie Levert, who joined Sean to sing a touching rendition of Luther Vandross’ "Dance With My Father." Both father and brother personalized the words for Gerald.
Sean joined Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill, his brother Gerald's partners in the group LSG, to perform Levert's biggest hit "Casanova." Eddie Levert kissed his son’s framed picture at the end of the performance.
Elder Levert said performing was Gerald's great love. "That came from his heart, his soul, his whole body," the father said.
Wonder, who clasped Eddie Levert’s hand, said he was thankful for Gerald’s gifts.
"I'm here for you, Gerald, because I love you," said Wonder. “I'm here to celebrate my love."
Usher told the audience: "When I came here, I expected to mourn.” Instead, he said: "I actually cried tears of joy."
Speaking with reporters before the service, Usher said Levert was always willing to encourage up-and-coming talent. "He was like an uncle or a brother." (See video footage of Usher’s interview below.)
Journalist Ed Gordon also attended the service, which lasted about three hours and featured Judge Greg Mathis as the main eulogist.
"I'm for it so we can put Nuclear power plants up there, and then beam the power back to earth on a laser beam." ~ Whidden
11-13-2006 01:57 AM
