Eddie Levert Sr.
Born: June 16, 1942 Bessemer, Alabama
2010 AMHOF Inductee
Edward "Eddie" Levert (born June 16, 1942) is an American singer, and is the lead vocalist of the soul/funk/R&B vocal group, The O'Jays.
Levert was born in Bessemer, Alabama, but was raised in Canton, Ohio. While attending high school, he met buddies Walter Williams, Bill Isles, Bobby Massey, and William Powell. They were motivated to sing after seeing a performance from Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. They formed in 1958.
The O'Jays were originally known as The Triumphs and The Mascots. They were officially known as The O'Jays after they got their name from DJ Eddie O'Jay. Their first big hit was "Lonely Drifter" which was lifted off their debut album Comin Through. The O'Jays are mainly known by their hits "Back Stabbers," "Love Train" and "For the Love of Money." He starred and performed in the movie (The Fighting Temptations) and performed the song He Still Loves Me. In 2009, he and his group won the BET Lifetime Achievement Award.
Levert is the father of R&B singers Gerald Levert, who died on November 10, 2006, Sean Levert, who died on March 30, 2008 and Eddie Levert Jr., CEO of Levert Entertainment Group, a Music label headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. The relationships between Eddie Sr. and Gerald became a subject of a book, I Got Your Back: A Father and Son Keep It Real about Love, Fatherhood, Family, and Friendship issued in 2007.