Gerald Levert Net Worth

What was Gerald Levert's Net Worth?

Gerald Levert was an American singer, songwriter, producer, and actor who had a net worth of $5 million at the time of his death. Gerald Levert was best known as the lead singer of the R&B group LeVert and as a successful solo artist whose passionate, gospel-influenced voice made him one of the defining male R&B singers of the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.

Gerald Levert first rose to fame alongside his younger brother Sean Levert and childhood friend Marc Gordon in the group LeVert, which scored major hits with songs including "(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind," "Casanova," "My Forever Love," and "Baby I'm Ready." He later launched a solo career with the album "Private Line" and built a catalog of romantic R&B hits, including "Baby Hold On to Me," "I'd Give Anything," "Thinkin' Bout It," "Taking Everything," "Mr. Too Damn Good," and "U Got That Love." In 1997, he joined Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill in the supergroup LSG, whose debut album sold more than two million copies. Levert died in 2006 at the age of 40.

Early Life

Gerald Edward Levert was born on July 13, 1966, in Canton, Ohio, and was raised in the Cleveland area. He was the son of Eddie Levert, the lead singer of the legendary soul group The O'Jays, and Martha Levert. Music was part of his life from childhood, and he grew up watching his father perform, record, tour, and build a career as one of the great voices of Philadelphia soul.

Rather than trying to escape the family legacy, Gerald embraced it. He began writing songs as a teenager and formed a group with his brother Sean and their friend Marc Gordon. The group took the name LeVert, using the family name that already carried enormous weight in R&B.

LeVert

LeVert began recording in the mid-1980s and released its debut album, "I Get Hot," in 1985. The group broke through the following year with "Bloodline," which included "(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind." Their biggest crossover success came with the 1987 album "The Big Throwdown," which featured "Casanova." The song topped the R&B chart, reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, and became the group's signature hit.

LeVert followed with albums including "Just Coolin'," "Rope a Dope Style," "For Real Tho'," and "The Whole Scenario." Gerald's powerful baritone and emotional delivery became the group's calling card. While LeVert was often grouped with the new jack swing and late-1980s R&B scene, Gerald's voice also carried the grit and churchy soul of an older generation.

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Solo Career

Gerald Levert launched his solo career in 1991 with "Private Line." The album was a major success on the R&B charts and included the hit title track as well as "Baby Hold On to Me," a duet with his father Eddie Levert. The father-son pairing became one of the most beloved moments of his career and later led to more collaborations between the two.

He continued with solo albums including "Groove On," "Father and Son," "Love & Consequences," "G," "The G Spot," "Stroke of Genius," "Do I Speak for the World," and "Voices." His music was known for direct, emotional, and often sensual songwriting. He could sing tender ballads, dramatic breakup songs, and grown-man R&B with the same intensity.

Levert was also a prolific writer and producer. He worked on music for artists including The O'Jays, Barry White, Patti LaBelle, Stephanie Mills, Anita Baker, Teddy Pendergrass, James Ingram, Freddie Jackson, New Edition, and Men at Large. His behind-the-scenes work helped extend his influence well beyond his own records.

LSG

In 1997, Levert joined Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill to form LSG. The group's name came from the first letter of each singer's last name. Their debut album, "Levert.Sweat.Gill," was a major commercial success and featured the hit single "My Body." The album sold more than two million copies and gave all three singers one of the biggest R&B moments of the late 1990s.

LSG returned in 2003 with "LSG2." Although the second album did not match the massive impact of the first, the group remained a fan-favorite example of 1990s R&B star power and vocal chemistry.

Awards and Posthumous Grammy

Levert received multiple award nominations during his career, including Grammy nominations with LeVert and LSG. After his death, his album "In My Songs" was released in 2007. The title track won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance in 2008, giving Levert the first Grammy win of his career posthumously.

"In My Songs" also became one of his highest-charting albums, proving that his audience remained deeply connected to him after his death. In 2013, Levert was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Acting and Other Work

Levert occasionally appeared as an actor and television personality. He made appearances in projects including "New Jack City," "The Jamie Foxx Show," and "The Parkers." He also performed in the 2002 documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," singing "Shotgun" and "Reach Out I'll Be There" in tribute to the Funk Brothers and the Motown era that helped shape him.

Personal Life and Death

Gerald Levert had four children. He was known by fans and collaborators as an intense, generous, and deeply emotional performer who brought the same force to the studio that he brought to the stage.

Levert died on November 10, 2006, at his home in Cleveland, Ohio. Initial reports described his death as an apparent heart attack, but the Cuyahoga County coroner later ruled that he died from accidental acute intoxication caused by a combination of prescription and over-the-counter medications. He was 40 years old.

His death was followed by another tragedy for the Levert family when his brother and LeVert bandmate Sean Levert died in 2008. Gerald Levert's legacy rests on his voice, his songwriting, his devotion to classic soul, and his role in carrying the Levert family name from The O'Jays era into modern R&B.

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