Leroy Hutson facts for kids

Leroy Hutson, born on June 4, 1945, is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He is famous for his soulful R&B music, especially from the 1970s. Many people know him as the former lead singer of the popular R&B group, The Impressions. He is also the father of music producer JR Hutson.

Biography

Early Life

When Leroy Hutson was a teenager, he started a four-person singing group called the Nu-Tones. They were from New Jersey. The group won many talent shows while he was in high school.

In 1968, Leroy also formed a duo called Sugar & Spice with Deborah Rollins. They recorded several songs for Kapp Records. One of their songs, "In Love Forever," was even called the "Best New Record Of The Week" in a local newspaper.

College Days

Leroy Hutson first went to Howard University in Washington D.C. He planned to study dentistry. But his roommate was Donny Hathaway, who later became a famous musician. Donny left college early to work with Curtis Mayfield.

Because of this, Leroy decided to change his major to music. He studied music theory and composition instead. Through Donny Hathaway, Leroy later got the chance to join The Impressions.

While at Howard University, Leroy also joined a group called The Mayfield Singers. This group was put together by musician Curtis Mayfield. They performed at famous theaters like the Apollo Theater in New York. In 1967, the group released one song. Leroy also worked with Donny Hathaway on the song "The Ghetto." This song became a big hit for Donny in 1970.

Joining The Impressions

In 1971, soon after finishing college, Leroy Hutson was asked to join The Impressions. He became the new lead singer, taking over from Curtis Mayfield. He sang with the group for about two and a half years. During that time, they recorded two albums together.

Leroy then decided to leave the group to start his own career. He wanted to write, produce, arrange, and play music on his own. The first song by The Impressions that featured Leroy as the lead singer was "Love Me." It came out in June 1971.

Solo Career

In 1973, Leroy Hutson started his solo career. He wrote, produced, arranged, and recorded his first album, Love Oh Love. The album included the popular song "So In Love With You." It was released by Curtom Records.

From 1973 to 1992, Leroy released eight albums. He also had thirteen songs that made it onto the music charts in the U.S. Because of his unique sound, he gained many dedicated fans. After Love Oh Love, he released other albums like The Man!, Hutson, and Feel the Spirit.

In 2008, Leroy Hutson returned to making music under the name Lee Hutson. He released an album called Soothe You Groove You. Two years later, in August 2010, he performed in Europe again. He played at festivals in Croatia and England.

Since 2017, Leroy Hutson's music has been managed by Acid Jazz Records. They released a collection of his greatest hits. This collection included popular songs like "I Think I'm Falling In Love" and "Lucky Fellow." It also featured a new song called "Positive Forces." In 2018, they re-released two of his albums, Hutson and Hutson II.

Acid Jazz Records is also making a four-part online documentary about Leroy. It's called Leroy Hutson: The Man!. The documentary includes interviews with fans like actor Craig Charles. Eddie Piller, the founder of Acid Jazz, also talks about how Leroy's music inspired him.

Working with Other Artists

Leroy Hutson toured a lot in the 1970s and 1980s. He also helped other artists with their music. He produced songs for musicians like Linda Clifford, Arnold Blair, and The Natural Four.

As a writer and producer, he worked on songs for many artists. These include Roberta Flack ("Tryin' Times"), The Natural Four ("You Bring Out the Best in Me"), and Voices of East Harlem ("Giving Love"). More recently, his song "Lucky Fellow" was covered by the artist Snowboy.

Television

Leroy Hutson appeared on several TV shows:

• The Midnight Special (June 8, 1973) – Leroy performed "Love Oh Love."
• Soul Train (May 18, 1974) – Leroy was a guest on this popular music show.
• Soul Train (June 7, 1975) – He appeared on Soul Train again with Curtis Mayfield.

Discography

Albums

• Love Oh Love (1973)
• The Man! (1974)
• Hutson (1975)
• Feel the Spirit (1976)
• Hutson II (1976)
• Closer to the Source (1978)
• Unforgettable (1979)
• Paradise (1982)
• Soothe You Groove You (2009)

Compilations

• There's More Where This Came From (1992)
• The Very Best of LeRoy Hutson (1997)
• The Best of LeRoy Hutson (UK) (1997)
• More Where That Came From: The Best of LeRoy Hutson, Vol. 2 (1998)
• Lucky Fellow: The Curtom Anthology 1972-79 (2000)
• The Best of LeRoy Hutson, Volume 1 (2006)
• Anthology 1972 - 1984 (2017)

Chart History

Leroy Hutson's songs and albums appeared on the Billboard Music Charts in North America. These charts show how popular music is.

Singles Chart Positions

Album Chart Positions

Chart History – The Natural Four

Leroy Hutson also helped produce songs for The Natural Four that appeared on the charts:

• "Can This Be Real" (1973) – Reached #10 on R&B charts and #31 on Pop charts.
• "Love That Really Counts" (1974) – Reached #23 on R&B charts and #98 on Pop charts.
• "You Bring Out the Best in Me" (1974) – Reached #20 on R&B charts.