Leon Haywood
Soul/funk journeyman Leon Haywood periodically dented the charts in the 1970s with hits that tapped into the grooves and musical hooks of the day's trends. An accomplished songwriter and arranger, Haywood never pretended to be an innovator, and his hits are cheerful derivations of '70s midtempo funk and romantic ballads, usually embellished by smooth string charts. His best material recalled the late-'60s/early-'70s Motown sound; on the slower material in particular, his vocals bore a resemblance to those of Marvin Gaye.
Haywood's roots extend way further back than the '70s; he toured and recorded with R&B saxophonist Big Jay McNeely's band (which also backed Sam Cooke on the road) in the early '60s. In the mid-'60s, he had his first chart entry with "She's with Her Other Love" on Imperial. In 1967, he had a solid R&B hit (and small pop one) with "It's Got to Be Mellow," whose commercial soul sound betrayed his Motown influence.
He didn't come into his own as a solo artist until the mid-'70s, when he had big R&B hits with "Strokin'," "Come and Get Yourself Some," and "Keep It in the Family." His biggest single, "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You" (with orgasmic female gasps and moans that made it pretty clear what "freaky" really meant), crossed over to the Top 20 pop listings. The disco-ish "Don't Push It Don't Force It" was his biggest splash, making number two R&B in 1980. After the mid-'80s, he eased out of the record business into business ventures; in the 1990s, he produced blues albums by Jimmy McCracklin and others on his own EveJim label.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
Discography
14 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Come And Get Yourself Some
R&B - Released by Mercury Records on Oct. 14, 1974
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Mellow, Mellow Leon Haywood
World - Released by TP4 Music on Jan. 6, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best Of Leon Haywood
R&B - Released by Island Mercury on Jan. 1, 1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Keep It In The Family (Expanded Edition)
Soul - Released by Mercury Records on Jan. 1, 1974
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Soul Cargo (Expanded Edition) (Remastered)
Soul - Released by Essential Media Group on Jan. 13, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Soul Cargo (Remastered)
Soul - Released by Essential Media Group on Dec. 20, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Baby Reconsider / Going Back to New Orleans (Digital 45)
Soul - Released by Essential Media Group on Jul. 8, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (There Ain't Enough Hate Around)
Soul - Released by Evejim Records on Jul. 29, 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Legacy
Soul - Released by Rise Entertainment on Aug. 15, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ever Since You Were Sweet Sixteen / Skate a While (Digital 45)
Soul - Released by Essential Media Group on Jun. 3, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ain't No Use / Hey Hey Hey (Digital 45)
Soul - Released by Essential Media Group on Jul. 8, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo