OTIS LEAVILL

A very underrated soul great with a splendid output over a lengthy career, on record and behind the scenes. His high tenor suited the soul sound of the sixties that was coming out of Chicago, stylistically indebted to one Curtis Mayfield. Otis Leavill was a firm favourite on the Northern soul scene, 'Boomerang' Blue Rock Records, was a huge dance floor hit. Born Otis Leavill Cobb 8th February 1941 in Dewey Rose, Atlanta, Georgia. As a small child he moved to Chicago's west side where he was brought up. His father was a preacher, who formed the Cobb Quartet and, naturally, Otis was a member. In the early sixties, while still in high school, Leavill formed the short-lived Floats with friends Major Lance and Barbara Tyson. Dee Clark recorded one of his compositions 'I'm A Soldier Boy’ for Vee Jay records, which in 1963 leads to his own debut on record with an early Curtis Mayfield song, a kind of dance thing called, 'Rise Sally Rise' / 'I Gotta Right To Cry' Lucky Logo Records.

He continued to record for several companies, Limelight, Columbia, Vee-Jay and particularly Blue Rock where he released some classy soul. By 1965 he was on the R&B 31 charts, with a slow Impression styled killer, 'Let Her Love Me' Blue Rock Records. In 1969 he signs for Dakar Records where he enjoyed his biggest R&B hits. In 1969 top ten R&B with 'I Love You' and in 1970 'Love Uprising', 19 R&B. Apart from his recording career most of his work was done in the studio. He was assistant to Carl Davis at OKeh Records in the mid sixties and later at Brunswick, from around 1966 to 1975, where he was responsible for signing the Chi-Lites and others. He helped Carl Davis to form the Dakar record label. In 1976 the pair then went on to form Chi-Sound Records where they were involved with Chi-Lites, Dells, Walter Jackson, Gene Chandler, amongst others. In 2000 he finally achieved a lifetime ambition by forming his own label OK Records. He died July 17th of a heart attack.

 

 

 

 

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