Gerald Alston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gerald Alston
Gerald Alston in Atlantic City June 22, 2019 Photo by Julius "Juice" Freeman
Background information
Born	(1951-11-08) November 8, 1951 (age 73)
Origin	Henderson, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1970–present
Labels	Motown Records, RCA
Associated acts	The Manhattans, The Manhattans Featuring Gerald Alston & Blue Lovett, The Manhattans Featuring Gerald Alston

Gerald Alston (born November 8, 1951) is a famous American singer. He is best known as the lead singer of the popular R&B group, the Manhattans. From the late 1970s to 1988, the group had many hit songs.

Gerald Alston sang lead on their biggest hit, "Kiss and Say Goodbye". This song was released in 1976 and became a huge success. It reached number one on the music charts in the U.S. and several other countries. In 1988, Alston started his own solo career. He released five albums and many singles. Some of his well-known solo songs include "Take Me Where You Want To" and "Slow Motion".

Gerald Alston's Music Journey

Early Life and Musical Roots

Gerald Alston was born on November 8, 1951. His hometown is Henderson, North Carolina. His parents were Rev. J.B. Alston and Geraldine Harrelson. Gerald grew up singing in church. This is where he learned to use his amazing voice.

He is also related to other famous singers. His uncle is Johnny Fields from The Blind Boys of Alabama. His aunt is Shirley Alston Reeves, who was the lead singer of the Shirelles. When he was a teenager, Gerald started his own group called the New Imperials. They sang both gospel and other types of music.

Joining The Manhattans

Gerald Alston (second from left) as part of The Manhattans in 1972.

In 1970, Gerald Alston joined The Manhattans. This happened after their first lead singer, George Smith, passed away. The group's members at that time were Edward "Sonny" Bivins Jr., Winfred "Blue" Lovett, Kenny "Wally" Kelly, and Richard "Ricky" Taylor.

With Gerald as the lead singer, The Manhattans became even more popular. They had many songs that sold millions of copies. These included "Kiss and Say Goodbye" and "There's No Me Without You". They also won a Grammy Award for their song "Shining Star".

Throughout the 1980s, The Manhattans continued to have hit songs. Some of these were "I'll Never Find Another (Find Another Like You)" and "Crazy". In 1986, Gerald Alston sang a duet with Regina Belle. The song was called "Where Did We Go Wrong?". Gerald left The Manhattans in 1988 to start his solo career.

Gerald Alston's Solo Career

After leaving the group, Gerald Alston released his first solo album in 1988. It was simply called "Gerald Alston". This album was very successful. It stayed on the R&B charts for many weeks. His first single from the album, "Take Me Where You Want To", became a top 10 hit.

Gerald also appeared on the TV show Soul Train in 1989 and 1991. He performed his hit songs there. In 1990, he released his most successful solo album, "Open Invitation". This album featured his highest-charting solo song, "Slow Motion". Another popular song from this album was "Getting Back into Love". Between 1992 and 1995, Gerald released three more albums and several singles.

The Manhattans with Gerald Alston and Blue Lovett

In 1995, Gerald Alston teamed up with original Manhattans member Blue Lovett. They formed a new version of the group called The Manhattans Featuring Gerald Alston and Blue Lovett. They added new singers, David Tyson and Troy Mays.

In 2014, Gerald and Blue were featured on the TV show Unsung. This episode told the story of The Manhattans. Blue Lovett passed away in December 2014. After that, Gerald's cousin, Dwight Fields, joined the group. Dwight also passed away in 2016.

Recent Performances

By 2015, Gerald Alston was the only surviving member from The Manhattans' most famous lineup. He continues to perform as The Manhattans featuring Gerald Alston. He tours with David Tyson and Troy Mays. They have performed on the Soul Train Cruises in 2013, 2018, and 2020. As of 2025, Gerald Alston still tours both as a solo artist and with The Manhattans.

Personal Life

Gerald Alston lives in New Jersey with his wife, Edna, and their son.

Discography

This section lists the albums and singles Gerald Alston released as a solo artist.

Albums

Solo albums

Singles