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
Discografia
11 álbum(ns) • Ordenado por Mais vendidos
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Come And Get Yourself Some
R&B - Lançado por Mercury Records em 14/10/1974
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Mellow, Mellow Leon Haywood
World - Lançado por TP4 Music em 06/01/2023
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best Of Leon Haywood
R&B - Lançado por Island Mercury em 01/01/1996
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Keep It In The Family (Expanded Edition)
Soul - Lançado por Mercury Records em 01/01/1974
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Back To Stay
Soul - Lançado por Mercury Records em 01/01/1973
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Soul Cargo (Expanded Edition) (Remastered)
Soul - Lançado por Essential Media Group em 13/01/2014
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Baby Reconsider / Going Back to New Orleans (Digital 45)
Soul - Lançado por Essential Media Group em 08/07/2014
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Legacy
Lounge - Lançado por Evejim Records em 29/07/2005
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ever Since You Were Sweet Sixteen / Skate a While (Digital 45)
Soul - Lançado por Essential Media Group em 03/06/2014
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ain't No Use / Hey Hey Hey (Digital 45)
Soul - Lançado por Essential Media Group em 08/07/2014
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo