Leon Sylvers III facts for kids

Leon Frank Sylvers III (born March 7, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, disc-jockey, record producer, and musician who plays many instruments. He was a member of the family music group The Sylvers. Leon became one of the most successful music producers in Black music from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. This was thanks to his work with Dick Griffey's SOLAR Records. Famous artists like J Dilla, Dr. Dre, and Madlib have used parts of songs he wrote and produced in their own music.

Leon Sylvers III: Early Life and Music

Growing Up and Finding Music

Leon Sylvers was born in South Bend, Indiana. A few days later, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. When Leon was about two or three years old, in 1956, they moved to Los Angeles. His father found work there. Leon discovered Motown music when he was around seven. He especially loved the bass player James Jamerson and drummer Benny Benjamin. They were his first and main musical inspirations. At the same time, his father taught Leon and his brothers and sisters how to sing in four and five parts. His mother also sang opera, so music was in the family!

The Little Angels and The Sylvers

Leon first became known in the early 1960s. He was part of a singing group called The Little Angels with his older siblings. After they performed in Las Vegas in 1959, TV host Ed Sullivan said they would become famous. They appeared on TV shows like Make Room for Daddy and toured with Ray Charles.

Later, Leon and his older siblings reunited with their mother and younger siblings in Los Angeles, California. In 1970, Leon joined the family act. They entered a local talent contest and won because of their amazing singing, dancing, and harmonies. A music manager named Mike Curb signed them to MGM Records in 1971. They became known as The Sylvers.

First Hits and Family Albums

Leon wrote his first hit song, "Wish That I Could Talk to You." This song was on The Sylvers' first album in 1972. He also wrote other songs for that album. The next year, he wrote "Misdemeanor" for his brother Foster Sylvers. This song became a Top 10 R&B hit in 1973. The Sylvers released their second album, The Sylvers II, the same year. Leon wrote nine of the 11 songs on it. People praised the album for showing a strong family feeling.

The Sylvers released one more album on MGM in 1974 before moving to Capitol Records. Leon continued to write songs for his family's albums. This included the 1977 Top 10 R&B hit "High School Dance." In 1978, Leon produced The Sylvers' album Forever Yours. By mid-1978, Leon left the group. He became a producer for Dick Griffey's SOLAR Records. He also helped find new artists for the label. The Los Angeles Times later called him "the creative genius behind the SOLAR sound."

Leon Sylvers III: Producing Success

Starting His Production Career

Leon started his big production career with the band Lakeside. He worked on their album Shot of Love, which reached the Top 10 on the R&B albums chart. This was also when Leon began working with Shalamar. He started with their Disco Gardens album, which had the classic disco song "Take That to the Bank."

The year 1979 was even bigger. Shalamar's next album, Big Fun, was a huge success. It reached number 4 on the R&B albums chart and sold enough copies to be certified gold. The first song from it, "The Second Time Around", was a number one R&B hit. Leon also helped produce Lakeside's Rough Riders album. That same year, Leon created the group Dynasty with Dick Griffey.

Big Hits in the 1980s

The 1980s started very well for Leon. In 1980, he produced albums for many SOLAR Records artists. These included Shalamar, The Whispers, Dynasty, Carrie Lucas, and the first album by Midnight Star. One song he wrote and produced for The Whispers was "And the Beat Goes On." This song was a number one R&B and Dance hit in the U.S. and was one of Leon's biggest achievements.

Leon also worked on projects outside of SOLAR Records. Shalamar's Three for Love album reached number eight on the R&B albums chart and sold over a million copies (Platinum). The Whispers' "It's a Love Thing" was another big R&B hit. This helped their album Imagination reach number three on the R&B albums chart. Because of his success, Billboard magazine called him "the man of the hour in R & B."

In 1981, Leon explained his production style. He said he wanted the whole song to "sing," meaning the music should be as expressive as the vocals. He also liked to make short, energetic songs. Around this time, Leon joined the group Dynasty and married Nidra Beard, who was also a member. He also produced albums for his old family group, The Sylvers, who had signed with SOLAR.

In 1982, Leon produced Shalamar's album Friends. This album topped the R&B albums chart. The song "A Night to Remember" helped make it a huge hit, reaching number eight on the R&B charts. The album also sold over a million copies (Platinum). Leon continued to produce hit songs for artists like The Whispers, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and Tavares. He also mentored the famous production team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Dick Griffey said Leon was one of the best producers around, second only to Quincy Jones.

Later Work and Collaborations

By 1984, Leon met Tina Scott and Roberta Stiger, who were members of the group Krystol. He produced songs on their albums Gettin' Ready (1984) and Talk Of The Town (1985). He continued to have success with artists like Glenn Jones and The Whispers. Between 1984 and 1988, Leon worked with groups like Five Star and singers like Evelyn "Champagne" King and Stacy Lattisaw. In 1985, Leon became the vice president of music for Conceited Records. In 1989, he released his own solo album, Leon Sylvers III, but it did not become a hit.

In the 1990s, Leon worked with R&B producer Teddy Riley. He helped co-write the Top 10 hit "Before I Let You Go" for Riley's group Blackstreet. Leon also helped write songs for New Kids on the Block and Guy. Teddy Riley praised Leon for his amazing ability to make lyrics fit perfectly with a melody.

In 2009, Sylvers produced an album for N'dambi called Pink Elephant. This album included songs written by Leon and his son, Leon Sylvers IV. In December 2010, Leon Sylvers III received a Grammy nomination for Pink Elephant for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. In 2011, he remixed a song for Gladys Knight.

In 2015, Sylvers worked with Dâm-Funk on his album Invite The Light. Leon had been a mentor to Dâm-Funk in the early 1990s. In 2019, Leon Sylvers started producing and writing with Pop/R&B singer/songwriter Nikkole for her fifth album.

Discography