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On the occasion of the 2nd volume of the re -issues series ? Southern Sounds ?, paying tribute to the southern?s ? forgotten heroes ? of the Rythm & Blues and Soul Music from north-america, E.A.I.Z has selected one of the best ? underestimated ? singer of the African-American musics from Nashville, Tennessee: A ? Roaring Tenor ? named Levert Allisson, Ted Jarett?s secret weapon, unfortunately he has been so unfairly unknown!
Levert Allison, apparently born and christened Leevert, was likely to be born in 1938 I Pegram, Tennessee. He is Gene Allison?s brother, the unforgettable figure of the Nashville R&B, better known for the legendary and internationally acclaimed hymn ? you can make it if you try ?, ranking 3rd on the top ten R&B hit list of 1958 and 36th on the Pop billboard, that same year.
Gene was at the best of the hall of fame in the early 60?s , being praised, making the front pages and enjoying, this days, a second release of his music, however, Levert , on the contrary didn?t attract many fan, he only recorded one or two handfuls of singles during his solo career. If only one knew! Levert Allison started his career , sometimes covering for his brother Gene (famous for being pretty unreliable ) indeed, Levert used to take over during shows or at concerts when his brother off, unable to make it on stage or have a go at a song! The public could never tell the difference between the two siblings, was it pure chance or Levert?s genuine gift?
Personally we?ll go for pure talent of course! Gifted with a voice full of energy, with a such an expressive texture and a swell flow, Levert was energized by faking Gene on stage, he then started hanging out with the promoter of his brother?s career and success, a big boss of Nashville R&B, meaning the producer Ted Jarett. When talking about the latter, Allison (levert) once said: ?They talk about James Brown being hard to work with ,? Allison says, ?but he just wanted things right. These guys who are geniuses, they want things right. That?s how it was with him. He was the man who could get you where you wanted to be. Get on my nerves all you want, just get me a hit record out there.? That was the deal indeed! Since Jarett produced the first singles under the name of his own labels Poncello and Spar Records. Unfortunately neither the producer?s professionalism nor the known qualities of the artist succeeded in pushing any of the would be hits on top of the chart list of that time.
Another entrepreneur named Robert Riley took over and recorded the master under the labels Elbejay/Eleven House or Tupedo Sound, they were tiny records companies which have become as mythical today as they were ephemeral yesterday. So did Levert Allison whose half the career went with the wind! His music, forgotten by many but still sought after by few records collectionors (always keen on spending sometimes big money on some rare pieces of our man)!
Thus, Levert?s career never left the borders of Tennessee, But you lost souls, longing for extras to this volume, the only one never dedicated to this forgotten southern hero by the way, will console yourselves with some more masterpieces when this ?roaring tenor? master exhales as lead singer among the Dynamic Dixie Travellers, a band out in town in 1957, well-known in the past and present world of Gospel music, and whose recordings were produced by no one else but a man called: Ted Jarett! Isn?t it the ? buckle buckled ? as goes the French saying! |
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