The Sylvers
Encyclopedia
The Sylvers were a popular R&B/soul
and disco family group during the 1970s. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee
, the family would later relocate to Watts, California.
, and opening for such acts as Johnny Mathis
and Ray Charles
. During this time, 2 singles were released:— on Warwick—"Santa Claus Parade b/w I'll Be A Little Angel" and on Capitol Records—"Says You b/w Olympia."
The Sylvers consisted of nine siblings:
(of the Impressions) and Keg Johnson
. Four singles from these self-titled albums charted on the Billboard R&B charts.
"Fool's Paradise" was a thought-provoking song that reached 14 in the autumn of 1972. The single featured Charmaine, Edmund, and Ricky as lead singers, backed by the sumptuous harmonies of Olympia, Leon, & James.
"Wish That I Could Talk To You" was the next single and during early 1973 became the siblings' first top 10 song. The track, featuring Leon and Ricky on lead, is considered a classic by old-school R&B fans. "Stay Away From Me" (# 33) and "Through the Love In My Heart" (# 50) followed; and album tracks such as "I'll Never Be Ashamed" and "Cry of a Dreamer" received significant airplay at R&B radio outlets.
In early 1973 Leon wrote "Misdemeanor" for Foster, which featured Angie and Pat and received major airplay on many R&B radio stations. (Though the song originally featured Edmund on lead, it was passed to Foster due to Edmund's voice change.) This song later regained popularity in the late 1980's and 90's after it was sampled by rapper/producer Dr. Dre
for a song by the D.O.C. entitled "It's Funky Enough."
In 1975 Foster, Angie, and Pat joined their older brothers and sisters and signed an exclusive contract with Capitol Records. Now nine members strong, the label teamed the family with legendary R&B producer Freddie Perren
(the Jackson 5
). The marriage paid off immediately, as Perren, with co-writer Keni St. Lewis produced the two-million seller "Boogie Fever
" which topped the R&B and Billboard Hot 100
charts, along with the RPM
national singles chart.
Those two tracks were included on the first Capitol album with Perren. It was titled Showcase
and featured rotating lead singers on songs written by both Perren & St. Lewis, as well as Leon Sylvers. Capitol followed up “Boogie Fever” with the bubble-gum confection “Cotton Candy”. The group began playing their own instruments for certain live performances, with Ricky on guitar
, James on piano
, Edmund on drum
s, and Leon on bass guitar
.
In 1976, following the recording of their next album, Something Special
, Charmaine, one of the original Little Angels, left the group. “Something Special,” was the family’s biggest selling LP, reaching 13 on the Billboard album charts. Produced by Perren, the LP spawned another smash million-seller, "Hot Line" (#5 on Billboard Hot 100) as well as “High School Dance” (#17 on Billboard Hot 100). These two singles firmly entrenched the siblings in the bubble-gum, teeny-bopper demographic.
In an effort to reach a wider, more mature R&B audience, the Sylvers (now seven in number following Olympia’s retirement to have children) opted not to re-team with Freddie Perren in the summer of 1977 and began writing and producing for themselves. Despite positive reviews, the resulting album, New Horizons
, was a commercial disappointment, peaking at 43 on the Billboard album charts and spawning two short-lived singles: “Any Way You Want Me” and the title track.
The family went right back into the studio and, with Leon producing, recorded what would become their most critically acclaimed album. Capitol did not like the new sound and rejected the album. The Sylvers shopped the material elsewhere and by mid-1978 had signed with Casablanca Records. At the same time Leon was recruited by record executive Dick Griffey
to become the in-house producer for a new label he had started with Soul Train impresario Don Cornelius
.
With the family’s new album already complete and his brothers and sisters now signed with Casablanca—Leon left the group to write and produce for such Solar Records
artists as Shalamar
, The Whispers
, Lakeside
, Carrie Lucas
and Dynasty
(for which he was a group member).
In the mean time Casablanca released the album Capitol had rejected. Forever Yours
included a song on which Leon shared lead with Edmund. James performed Leon’s parts in performances, while Foster replaced Leon as the bassist. The album’s title track and a cover of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ “Swept For You Baby” got significant airplay in late 1978. However, due to management shake-ups at Casablanca, these two songs were never released as singles (although "Forever Yours" was sent to pop and R&B radio stations).
With Leon under contract at Solar, and the remaining six Sylvers still under contract to Casablanca, the label teamed the group with the Oscar-winning disco composer Giorgio Moroder
(Midnight Express
, Donna Summer
). The result, released in the summer of 1979, was the aptly titled album Disco Fever
. The first single, “Mahogany (Do You Know)", was a dance club smash and disco radio favorite, but the two follow-up singles, “Dance Right Now” and “Hoochie Coochie Dancin’,” fizzled.
“Have You Heard
,” a solo effort from Edmund, who had sung lead on many of the family’s bigger hits, was released on Casablanca in the summer of 1980. “That Burning Love” (38) was the sole single to chart from the effort. “Have You Heard the News” and “Time” were also released, but did not chart. Also that year, Charmaine recorded a solo single of sorts, doing the vocal work on Gene Page
's disco classic "Love Starts After Dark."
The Sylvers appeared in the 1979 film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
.
" for Solar Records, with Leon producing and playing bass but not performing vocally. The first single from that effort, “Come Back Lover, Come Back” (featuring a now grown-up Foster on lead) was a minor hit, reaching 63 in Billboard. “Take It to the Top” failed to chart; but both singles appear on the Solar Records retrospective box set.
In 1984, after a three year hiatus, the siblings (now six strong, with Charmaine returning) regrouped with new management (Weisner-DeMann) and a new label (Geffen Records
). The result was an unsuccessful album entitled “Bizarre.” The disc was not heavily promoted, but spawned two minor hits: “In One Love and Out the Other” (42) and “Falling For Your Love” (#6).
The Sylvers' youngest sibling, Christopher, died of hepatitis
on June 18, 1985 at age 17. He was never part of the performing family.
Following the disappointing performance of the Geffen LP, the brothers and sisters officially disbanded in 1985. They would continue to do studio work, playing and singing background vocals for artists including Janet Jackson.
Edmund recorded a solo album for Arista in 1985, but it was never released in the United States, although a single from the set, "I Love the Streets," was a minor hit in Japan.
Foster started his own group, Hy-Tech, in 1989, but two CDs went relatively unnoticed, as did a solo MP3 CD in 1998 called "Foster Vs. Foster."
In 2007, Pat shared lead on the Larry O. Williams gospel duet, "Thank You."
In the December 10, 2007 issue of Jet (magazine)
the Sylvers were featured in the "Where Are They Now?" segment.
In early 2008, a few siblings did an interview with Damien Maurice on his show Just Chillin with KPOO-FM in San Francisco. Both a Jet article and the radio interview hinted at the possibility of new Sylvers music in the near future.
Lead singer Edmund played Marlon Jackson
's voice on the 1971-1973 ABC-TV
Saturday morning cartoon series The Jackson 5ive
, but died of lung cancer
in Richmond, Virginia on March 11, 2004 at age 47.
During the summer of 2011, the Sylvers were featured on the TV One
hit series, "Unsung." Leon, James, Charmaine, Angie and Pat - along with their mother Shirley - all appeared on the show to discuss their career successes and aftermath. It was mentioned that both Foster and Ricky are currently incarcerated for parole violations, and that Leon is in the process of producing new material with a newer generation of the Sylvers' family. Olympia, who had hurdled major obstacles in her life, was shown briefly, and her daughter Tyava was also featured in the program.
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and disco family group during the 1970s. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, the family would later relocate to Watts, California.
Beginnings
Prior to becoming "The Sylvers", the four eldest members (Olympia, Leon, Charmaine, and James) recorded as the Little Angels, appearing on variety shows such as Make Room For Daddy and You Bet Your LifeYou Bet Your Life
You Bet Your Life is an American quiz show that aired on both radio and television. The original and best-known version was hosted by Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers, with announcer and assistant George Fenneman. The show debuted on ABC Radio in October 1947, then moved to CBS Radio in September...
, and opening for such acts as Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
and Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
. During this time, 2 singles were released:— on Warwick—"Santa Claus Parade b/w I'll Be A Little Angel" and on Capitol Records—"Says You b/w Olympia."
The Sylvers consisted of nine siblings:
- Olympia-Ann "Olan" Sylvers (b. October 13, 1951)—Vocals
- Leon Frank Sylvers IIILeon Sylvers IIILeon Frank Sylvers III is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist. He was a member of the family group The Sylvers and became one of the most successful producers in black music in the late 1970s to the mid 1980s through his association with Dick Griffey's SOLAR...
(b. March 7, 1953)—Bass, Vocals - Charmaine Elaine Sylvers (b. March 9, 1954)—Vocals
- James Jonathan Sylvers (b. June 8, 1955)—Keyboards, Vocals
- Edmund Theodore SylversEdmund SylversEdmund Theodore Sylvers was the lead singer of the 1970s family disco/soul music group The Sylvers. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Sylvers was 15 years old when he started singing with the family-based musical group, and was 18 when he sang lead on the group's biggest hit, "Boogie Fever" .Sylvers...
(b. January 25, 1957, d. March 11, 2004)—Vocals, Percussion - Joseph Richard "Ricky" Sylvers (b. October 13, 1958)—Guitar, Vocals
- Angelia Marie "Angie" Sylvers (b. April 11, 1960)—Vocals
- Patricia Lynn "Pat" Sylvers (b. March 25, 1961)—Additional Keyboards, Vocals
- Foster Emerson SylversFoster SylversFoster Emerson Sylvers is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist...
(b. February 25, 1962)—Additional Bass, Vocals
Success
During 1972 Edmund and Ricky joined the act. The sextet changed their name from the Little Angels to the Sylvers and released three albums on the MGM/Pride label, titled simply "The Sylvers," "The Sylvers 2," and "The Sylvers 3."— Released between 1972 and 1974, these LPs offered soulful numbers written by Leon and produced by R&B legends Jerry ButlerJerry Butler
Jerry Butler is the name of:*Jerry Butler , American soul singer and Chicago politician*Jerry Butler , former NFL wide receiver*Jerry Butler , professional ice hockey player...
(of the Impressions) and Keg Johnson
Keg Johnson
Frederic Homer Johnson was a jazz trombonist.He was born in Dallas, Texas 19 November 1908. His father was a choir director there and also worked at a local Studebaker plant where Keg also worked for a while....
. Four singles from these self-titled albums charted on the Billboard R&B charts.
"Fool's Paradise" was a thought-provoking song that reached 14 in the autumn of 1972. The single featured Charmaine, Edmund, and Ricky as lead singers, backed by the sumptuous harmonies of Olympia, Leon, & James.
"Wish That I Could Talk To You" was the next single and during early 1973 became the siblings' first top 10 song. The track, featuring Leon and Ricky on lead, is considered a classic by old-school R&B fans. "Stay Away From Me" (# 33) and "Through the Love In My Heart" (# 50) followed; and album tracks such as "I'll Never Be Ashamed" and "Cry of a Dreamer" received significant airplay at R&B radio outlets.
In early 1973 Leon wrote "Misdemeanor" for Foster, which featured Angie and Pat and received major airplay on many R&B radio stations. (Though the song originally featured Edmund on lead, it was passed to Foster due to Edmund's voice change.) This song later regained popularity in the late 1980's and 90's after it was sampled by rapper/producer Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
for a song by the D.O.C. entitled "It's Funky Enough."
In 1975 Foster, Angie, and Pat joined their older brothers and sisters and signed an exclusive contract with Capitol Records. Now nine members strong, the label teamed the family with legendary R&B producer Freddie Perren
Freddie Perren
Frederick "Freddie" Perren was an American songwriter, record producer, arranger, and orchestra conductor best known for as a co-songwriter and co-producer of such mega-hits as "Boogie Fever" by the Sylvers, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, and "Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches &...
(the Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
). The marriage paid off immediately, as Perren, with co-writer Keni St. Lewis produced the two-million seller "Boogie Fever
Boogie Fever
"Boogie Fever" is the title of a song recorded by Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers, from their 1975 album Showcase. Their most lucrative single, it reached number one in the U.S...
" which topped the R&B and Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
charts, along with the RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
national singles chart.
Those two tracks were included on the first Capitol album with Perren. It was titled Showcase
Showcase (album)
Showcase is the fourth album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1975, This would be their first of three albums for Capital Records. Produced by Freddie Perren....
and featured rotating lead singers on songs written by both Perren & St. Lewis, as well as Leon Sylvers. Capitol followed up “Boogie Fever” with the bubble-gum confection “Cotton Candy”. The group began playing their own instruments for certain live performances, with Ricky on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, James on piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, Edmund on drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, and Leon on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
.
In 1976, following the recording of their next album, Something Special
Something Special (The Sylvers album)
Something Special is the fifth album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1976, This would be their second of three albums for Capitol Records. Produced by Freddie Perren This would be the last album Perren would produced for The Sylvers.The album...
, Charmaine, one of the original Little Angels, left the group. “Something Special,” was the family’s biggest selling LP, reaching 13 on the Billboard album charts. Produced by Perren, the LP spawned another smash million-seller, "Hot Line" (#5 on Billboard Hot 100) as well as “High School Dance” (#17 on Billboard Hot 100). These two singles firmly entrenched the siblings in the bubble-gum, teeny-bopper demographic.
In an effort to reach a wider, more mature R&B audience, the Sylvers (now seven in number following Olympia’s retirement to have children) opted not to re-team with Freddie Perren in the summer of 1977 and began writing and producing for themselves. Despite positive reviews, the resulting album, New Horizons
New Horizons (The Sylvers Album)
New Horizon is the sixth album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1977, This would be their third and final album for Capitol Records....
, was a commercial disappointment, peaking at 43 on the Billboard album charts and spawning two short-lived singles: “Any Way You Want Me” and the title track.
The family went right back into the studio and, with Leon producing, recorded what would become their most critically acclaimed album. Capitol did not like the new sound and rejected the album. The Sylvers shopped the material elsewhere and by mid-1978 had signed with Casablanca Records. At the same time Leon was recruited by record executive Dick Griffey
Dick Griffey
Richard Gilbert "Dick" Griffey was an American record producer and promoter who founded SOLAR Records, an acronym for "Sound of Los Angeles Records", which played a major role in developing a funk-oriented blend of disco, R&B and soul music during the 1970s and 1980s...
to become the in-house producer for a new label he had started with Soul Train impresario Don Cornelius
Don Cornelius
Donald Cortez "Don" Cornelius is an American television show host and producer who is best known as the creator of the nationally syndicated dance/music franchise Soul Train, which he hosted from 1971-1993...
.
With the family’s new album already complete and his brothers and sisters now signed with Casablanca—Leon left the group to write and produce for such Solar Records
SOLAR Records
S.O.L.A.R. Records was an American record label founded in 1977 by Dick Griffey, reconstituted out of Soul Train Records only two years after it was founded with Soul Train television show host and creator Don Cornelius.-Company history:In 1975, Soul Train Records was founded by Dick Griffey and...
artists as Shalamar
Shalamar
Shalamar was an American music group, primarily of the 1970s and 1980s, that was originally a disco-driven vehicle created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey and show creator Don Cornelius. They went on to be an influential dance trio, masterminded by Soul Train producer Don Cornelius...
, The Whispers
The Whispers
The Whispers are a long-established R&B-dance vocal group from Los Angeles, California, with a consistent track record of hit records dating back to the late 1960s.-Career:...
, Lakeside
Lakeside
-Australia:*Lakeside Joondalup Shopping City, Joondalup, Western Australia*Lakeside, near Reservoir, Victoria*Lakeside International Raceway, Pine Rivers, Queensland*Lakeside Mental Hospital, formerly known as Ballarat Lunatic Asylum, Ballarat, Victoria...
, Carrie Lucas
Carrie Lucas
Carrie Lucas, is an American female R&B musician, born in Carmel, California. In 1976 she was signed to Soul Train Records. Lucas made six albums over seven years with Soul Train and Solar Records.-Career:...
and Dynasty
Dynasty (band)
Dynasty was an American R&B band, based in Los Angeles, California, created by producer and SOLAR Records label head Dick Griffey and Leon Sylvers III. The band was known for their dance/pop numbers during the late 1970s and 1980s...
(for which he was a group member).
In the mean time Casablanca released the album Capitol had rejected. Forever Yours
Forever Yours (The Sylvers album)
Originally recorded when The Sylvers were still signed to Capitol Records, big brother Leon took over on production. Capitol did not like the new sound and rejected the album & dropped them. The Sylvers shopped the material elsewhere and by mid-1978 had signed with Casablanca Records...
included a song on which Leon shared lead with Edmund. James performed Leon’s parts in performances, while Foster replaced Leon as the bassist. The album’s title track and a cover of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ “Swept For You Baby” got significant airplay in late 1978. However, due to management shake-ups at Casablanca, these two songs were never released as singles (although "Forever Yours" was sent to pop and R&B radio stations).
With Leon under contract at Solar, and the remaining six Sylvers still under contract to Casablanca, the label teamed the group with the Oscar-winning disco composer Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder
Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
(Midnight Express
Midnight Express (film)
Released on October 6, 1978, the soundtrack to Midnight Express was composed by Italian synth-pioneer Giorgio Moroder. The score won the Academy Award for Best Original Score of 1978.Side A:#Chase – Giorgio Moroder...
, Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
). The result, released in the summer of 1979, was the aptly titled album Disco Fever
Disco Fever (album)
Disco Fever is the eighth album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.Released in 1979, This would be their second and last album for Casablanca Records.-Track listing:#"Mahogany" 5:10...
. The first single, “Mahogany (Do You Know)", was a dance club smash and disco radio favorite, but the two follow-up singles, “Dance Right Now” and “Hoochie Coochie Dancin’,” fizzled.
“Have You Heard
Have You Heard (Edmund Sylvers album)
Have You Heard is the only solo album by Edmund Sylvers of the family R&B group The Sylvers. Released in 1980, Produced by Benjamin Wright.-Track listing:#"I Choose You" 3:57 #"You Can Talk About Leaving" 3:57 #"Have You Heard The News" 4:56...
,” a solo effort from Edmund, who had sung lead on many of the family’s bigger hits, was released on Casablanca in the summer of 1980. “That Burning Love” (38) was the sole single to chart from the effort. “Have You Heard the News” and “Time” were also released, but did not chart. Also that year, Charmaine recorded a solo single of sorts, doing the vocal work on Gene Page
Gene Page
Eugene Edgar "Gene" Page, Jr. was an influential conductor, composer, arranger and record producer most active from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s....
's disco classic "Love Starts After Dark."
The Sylvers appeared in the 1979 film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is an American sports/fantasy comedy film that was released in 1979. The movie was directed by Gilbert Moses and co-produced by David Dashev and Gary Stromberg. It was produced by Lorimar and distributed by United Artists. The rights to the film are currently owned by...
.
1980s and on
As the world’s appetite for dance music waned in the early '80s, so did the Sylvers' popularity. In 1981, five members of the group (now without Edmund), recorded a new album “ConceptConcept (album)
Concept is the ninth album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1981, This would be their only album for SOLAR Records label.-Track listing:#"Reach Out" 6:14...
" for Solar Records, with Leon producing and playing bass but not performing vocally. The first single from that effort, “Come Back Lover, Come Back” (featuring a now grown-up Foster on lead) was a minor hit, reaching 63 in Billboard. “Take It to the Top” failed to chart; but both singles appear on the Solar Records retrospective box set.
In 1984, after a three year hiatus, the siblings (now six strong, with Charmaine returning) regrouped with new management (Weisner-DeMann) and a new label (Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
). The result was an unsuccessful album entitled “Bizarre.” The disc was not heavily promoted, but spawned two minor hits: “In One Love and Out the Other” (42) and “Falling For Your Love” (#6).
The Sylvers' youngest sibling, Christopher, died of hepatitis
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
on June 18, 1985 at age 17. He was never part of the performing family.
Following the disappointing performance of the Geffen LP, the brothers and sisters officially disbanded in 1985. They would continue to do studio work, playing and singing background vocals for artists including Janet Jackson.
Edmund recorded a solo album for Arista in 1985, but it was never released in the United States, although a single from the set, "I Love the Streets," was a minor hit in Japan.
Foster started his own group, Hy-Tech, in 1989, but two CDs went relatively unnoticed, as did a solo MP3 CD in 1998 called "Foster Vs. Foster."
In 2007, Pat shared lead on the Larry O. Williams gospel duet, "Thank You."
In the December 10, 2007 issue of Jet (magazine)
Jet (magazine)
Jet is an American weekly marketed toward African-American readers, founded in 1951 by John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago, Illinois...
the Sylvers were featured in the "Where Are They Now?" segment.
In early 2008, a few siblings did an interview with Damien Maurice on his show Just Chillin with KPOO-FM in San Francisco. Both a Jet article and the radio interview hinted at the possibility of new Sylvers music in the near future.
Lead singer Edmund played Marlon Jackson
Marlon Jackson
Marlon David Jackson is an American entertainer singer, dancer, former member of The Jackson 5, and elder brother of American pop stars Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.-Personal life:...
's voice on the 1971-1973 ABC-TV
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
Saturday morning cartoon series The Jackson 5ive
The Jackson 5ive (TV series)
The Jackson 5ive was a Saturday morning cartoon series produced by Rankin/Bass and Motown Productions on ABC from September 11, 1971 until 14 October 1972; a fictionalized portrayal of the careers of Motown recording group The Jackson 5...
, but died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in Richmond, Virginia on March 11, 2004 at age 47.
During the summer of 2011, the Sylvers were featured on the TV One
TV ONE
TV One is the flagship network of New Zealand state broadcaster Television New Zealand . It was the first major television network in New Zealand, starting out from 1960 onwards as individual stations in major centres and eventually networking to become NZBC TV in 1969...
hit series, "Unsung." Leon, James, Charmaine, Angie and Pat - along with their mother Shirley - all appeared on the show to discuss their career successes and aftermath. It was mentioned that both Foster and Ricky are currently incarcerated for parole violations, and that Leon is in the process of producing new material with a newer generation of the Sylvers' family. Olympia, who had hurdled major obstacles in her life, was shown briefly, and her daughter Tyava was also featured in the program.
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
|||||
| 1972 | The Sylvers The Sylvers (album) The Sylvers is the debut album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1972, Produced by R&B legends Jerry Butler and Keg Johnson.... |
180 | 15 | Pride | ||
| 1973 | The Sylvers II The Sylvers II The Sylvers II is the second album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1973, Produced by Keg Johnson and Jerry Peters.-Track listing:#"We Can Make It If We Try" - 2:40... |
164 | 37 | |||
| 1974 | The Sylvers III The Sylvers III The Sylvers III is the third album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1974, Produced by Perry Botkin, Jr. and Michael Viner. This was their last album on MGM before they went to Capital Records.... |
— | — | MGM MGM Records MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s... |
||
| 1975 | Showcase Showcase (album) Showcase is the fourth album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1975, This would be their first of three albums for Capital Records. Produced by Freddie Perren.... |
58 | 23 | Capitol Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... |
||
| 1976 | Something Special Something Special (The Sylvers album) Something Special is the fifth album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1976, This would be their second of three albums for Capitol Records. Produced by Freddie Perren This would be the last album Perren would produced for The Sylvers.The album... |
80 | 13 | |||
| 1977 | New Horizons New Horizons (The Sylvers Album) New Horizon is the sixth album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1977, This would be their third and final album for Capitol Records.... |
134 | 43 | |||
| 1978 | Forever Yours Forever Yours (The Sylvers album) Originally recorded when The Sylvers were still signed to Capitol Records, big brother Leon took over on production. Capitol did not like the new sound and rejected the album & dropped them. The Sylvers shopped the material elsewhere and by mid-1978 had signed with Casablanca Records... |
132 | 40 | Casablanca Casablanca Records Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture... |
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| 1979 | Disco Fever Disco Fever (album) Disco Fever is the eighth album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.Released in 1979, This would be their second and last album for Casablanca Records.-Track listing:#"Mahogany" 5:10... |
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| 1981 | Concept Concept (album) Concept is the ninth album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1981, This would be their only album for SOLAR Records label.-Track listing:#"Reach Out" 6:14... |
— | — | SOLAR SOLAR Records S.O.L.A.R. Records was an American record label founded in 1977 by Dick Griffey, reconstituted out of Soul Train Records only two years after it was founded with Soul Train television show host and creator Don Cornelius.-Company history:In 1975, Soul Train Records was founded by Dick Griffey and... |
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| 1984 | Bizarre Bizarre (The Sylvers album) Bizarre is the tenth and final album by the Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers.-Reception:Released in 1984, Primally produced by Leon Sylvers III along with Foster Sylvers and James Sylvers... |
— | — | Geffen Geffen Records Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:... |
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| "—" denotes the album failed to chart | ||||||
Compilation albums
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
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| 1978 | Best of the Sylvers | — | — | Capitol Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... |
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| 1994 | Greatest Hits | — | — | Curb Curb Records Curb Records is a record label started by Mike Curb originally as Sidewalk Records in 1963... |
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| 1995 | Boogie Fever: The Best of the Sylvers | — | — | Razor & Tie Razor & Tie Razor & Tie is a New York-based corporation founded in 1990 by Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam. The company encompasses a record label with major label distribution , a home video company, a media buying company, a music publishing business, a marketing, promotion and sales team, and a direct... |
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| 2002 | Classic Masters | — | — | Capitol | ||
| 2003 | The Best of the Sylvers | — | — | EMI-Capitol EMI-Capitol Special Markets EMI-Capitol Special Markets is an EMI subsidiary. It bought 3C Records in the early nineties.It now operates as EMI Music Marketing in North America.... |
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| "—" denotes the album failed to chart | ||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
US Dance |
CAN RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
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| 1971 | "I'm Just a Lonely Soul" | — | — | — | — | — | Singles only |
| 1972 | "Time to Ride" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Fool's Paradise" | 94 | 14 | — | — | — | The Sylvers | |
| "Wish I Could Talk to You" | 77 | 10 | — | — | — | ||
| 1973 | "Stay Away from Me" | 89 | 33 | — | — | — | The Sylvers II |
| 1974 | "Through the Love in My Heart" | — | 50 | — | — | — | |
| "I Aim to Please" | — | — | — | — | — | The Sylvers III | |
| 1976 | "Boogie Fever Boogie Fever "Boogie Fever" is the title of a song recorded by Los Angeles, California-based R&B group The Sylvers, from their 1975 album Showcase. Their most lucrative single, it reached number one in the U.S... " |
1 | 1 | — | 1 | 4 | Showcase |
| "Cotton Candy" | 59 | 19 | — | 77 | — | ||
| "Hot Line" | 5 | 3 | — | 1 | 10 | Something Special | |
| 1977 | "High School Dance High School Dance (song) "High School Dance" is the title of a song recorded by American family group The Sylvers from their 1976 album Something Special. Written by members of The Sylvers it charted in 1977 at number 17 on the Pop charts and number 6 on the R&B charts.-Charts:... " |
17 | 6 | — | 8 | 18 | |
| "Any Way You Want Me" | 72 | 12 | — | 66 | — | New Horizons | |
| 1978 | "New Horizons" | — | 45 | — | — | — | |
| "Don't Stop, Get Off" | — | 15 | — | — | — | Forever Yours | |
| 1979 | "Forever Yours" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Mahogany Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) "Theme from Mahogany " is a song written by Michael Masser and Gerald Goffin, and recorded by American singer Diana Ross as the theme to the 1975 Motown/Paramount film Mahogany... " |
— | — | 10 | — | — | Disco Fever | |
| "Dance Right Now" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Hoochie Coochie Dancin'" | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981 | "Come Back Lover, Come Back" | — | — | 63 | — | — | Concept |
| 1982 | "Take It to the Top" | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1984 | "In One Love and Out the Other" | — | 42 | — | — | — | Bizarre |
| 1985 | "Falling for Your Love" | — | 76 | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes the single failed to chart | |||||||
External links
- The Sylvers at Soulwalking.co.uk
- The Sylvers at Yahoo! MusicYahoo! MusicYahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
- Jet Magazine
- Larry O. Williams' MySpace page