Leon Sylvers III
| Leon Sylvers III | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Leon Frank Sylvers III |
| Born |
March 7, 1953 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, dance, soul, disco, funk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, producer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, bass guitar |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Labels |
MGM, Capitol (with The Sylvers) SOLAR (with Dynasty) Motown (solo) |
| Associated acts | The Sylvers, Dynasty, The Whispers, Shalamar, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Teddy Riley |
| Notable instruments | |
| Blue Rickenbacker 4001 Bass Guitar | |
Leon Frank Sylvers III (born March 7, 1953, Memphis, Tennessee) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist. He was a member of the family group The Sylvers and became one of the most successful producers in black music in the late 1970s to the mid-1980s through his association with Dick Griffey's SOLAR Records.
Leon Sylvers first rose to prominence in the early 1960s as a member of The Little Angels harmony vocal group featuring his siblings (Olympia, Charmaine, and James). During this time they appeared on variety shows such as Make Room for Daddy, You Bet Your Life, and The Spike Jones Show. Following their parents' divorce, Leon and his older siblings went to live with various relatives before reuniting with their mother Shirley and their four younger siblings in Los Angeles, California. In 1970, Leon entered the family act, which now included younger brothers Edmund and Ricky, into a local talent contest. They won that talent contest hands down due to their versatility, choreography, and harmonies. The impresario Mike Curb signed them to MGM Records in 1971 and marketed them as The Sylvers.
Leon wrote his first hit single "Wish That I Could Talk to You", which was on the family's debut album called The Sylvers. He also penned his brother Foster Sylvers' Top 10 US R&B chart single "Misdemeanor" which was a hit during summer of 1973. For the next several albums, Leon would continue writing songs on his family's albums which included 1977's Top 10 US R&B chart single "High School Dance".
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