Leroy Hutson

Infobox musical artist


Name = Leroy Hutson
Img_size = 220
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = Birth date and age|1945|6|4|mf=y
Origin = Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Instrument = Vocals, piano, keyboards, clavinet, saxophone
Genre = Funk, R&B, Soul, Chicago soul, Smooth soul, Jazz
Occupation = Songwriter, Singer, Arranger, Producer, Instrumentalist
Years_active = '70s, '80s, '90s
Label = Curtom
Warner Bros.
Elektra
Triumph
Associated_acts = The Impressions
URL = http://www.leehutson.com/
Current_members =
Past_members =

Leroy Hutson is an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, arranger, producer and instrumentalist, best known as former lead singer of the legendary R&B vocal group, The Impressions.

He has been characterized as the best-kept secret of Seventies Soul, most recently noted in the June 29, 2006 issue of "Rolling Stone magazine".

Biography

Early years

As a teenager, Lee was a member of "The Nu-Tones," a four man vocal group based in New Jersey. They were the premier local group and won several major talent shows during Lee's grammar school years. The members of the Nu-Tones were: Ronald King, Bernard Ransom, Ed Davis, Irving Jenkins and LeRoy Hutson. In 1968, as part of the duo Sugar & Spice Lee Hutson and Deborah Rollins recorded for Kapp Records. They recorded several singles with some success. Their single “In Love Forever” ranked the “Best New Record Of The Week” in the local newspaper column “Soul Sauce.” Two other singles recorded were “Ah Ha Yeah” and “Dreams.”

College Years

Initially attending renowned Howard University in Washington DC to study dentistry, Hutson switched his major to music, marking the beginning of Leroy’s musical career.

It was during those years on campus Hutson met many great people – Roberta Flack, Herbie Hancock, Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad, and Donny Hathaway.

At Howard University, Hutson shared a room with Donny Hathaway for nearly three years. He also joined The Mayfield Singers, a group (including Hathaway) put together on Howard's campus by music legend Curtis Mayfield that performed at New York's famed Apollo Theater and Philadelphia's Uptown Theater. The group released one single for Mayfield in 1967.

There, developing his creative talents, Hutson collaborated with Hathaway on “The Ghetto”, giving the late recording star his first hit record in early 1970.

Years with the Impressions

In 1971, three months out of college, Hutson was asked to replace Curtis Mayfield as lead singer of The Impressions. He stayed with them for two and a half years, and recorded two albums with the group, before amicably leaving to pursue his own career as a writer, producer, arranger, and musician.

The first Impressions single to feature Hutson as lead vocalist was entitled "Love Me", released on Curtom in America in June 1971.

Solo career

In 1973 Hutson wrote, produced, arranged and recorded his first solo album, “Love Oh Love,” and through 1992 established himself with a successful recording career, recording eight albums and charting with some 13 singles in the U.S.A.

Over a ten year period from 1973, he developed a cult following on the soul scene, which remains loyal and untarnished to this day through solo albums for the Curtom label "Love Oh Love", "The Man", "Hutson", "Feel The Spirit", "Hutson II", "Closer To The Source" and "Unforgettable."The "Hutson" album is regarded by some soul collectors as one of the best, most enduring albums of the 70s musically.

Work with other Artists

Consistently touring through the late 1970s and 1980s, Hutson also devoted time to lending his well-crafted musicality to production work with fellow Curtom artists Linda Clifford, Arnold Blair, and The Natural Four.

As a writer/producer, he has worked for Roberta Flack ("Tryin' Times"/"Gone Away"), The Natural Four ("You Bring Out The Best In Me"/"Can This Be Real"), Linda Clifford, Voices of East Harlem ("Cashing In"), Arnold Blair ("Trying To get Next To You"), and Next Movement ("Let's Work It Out"), while more recently one of his own cult singles "Lucky Fellow" was covered by Snowboy on Acid Jazz records.

Television

Soul Train

"Soul Train" (Episode 32 aired 18 May 1974) – The Spinners / The Independents / Leroy Hutson

"Soul Train" (Episode 37 aired 7 June 1975) – Curtis Mayfield / Leroy Hutson / Natural Four

Discography

Albums

* "Love Oh Love" (1973)
* "The Man!" (Spring 1974) (#36 1974)
* "Hutson" (Spring 1975) (#46 1975)
* "Feel The Spirit" (February 1976) (#21 1976)
* "Hutson II" (November 1976) (#26 1976)
* "Closer To The Source" (February 1978)
* "Unforgettable" (October 1979) (#69 1979)
* "Paradise" (1982)
* "The Best of Leroy Hutson Vol. 1" (May 2006)

Compilations

* "There's More Where This Came From" (1992)
* "The Very Best of Leroy Hutson" (02/25/1997)
* "The Best of Leroy Hutson (UK)" (1997)
* "" (03/10/1998)
* "" (11/14/2000)
* "The Best of Leroy Hutson, Volume 1" (2006)

Chart positions - Leroy Hutson

Billboard Music Charts (North America) - singles

Billboard Music Charts (North America) - album

Chart and singles history – The Natural Four

* "Can This Be Real (the flip, Try Love Again)" (#10 R&B, #31 Pop,late 1973,"
* "Love That Really Counts" (#23 R&B,#98 Pop Spring 1974)
* "You Bring Out The Best In Me" (#20 R&B, Summer 1974)

External links

* [http://www.leehutson.com Lee Hutson Official Web Site]
*myspace|leroyhutsontheman
* [http://soulwalking.co.uk/Leroy%20Hutson.html Leroy Hutson on Soulwalking]
* [http://www.baltic-soul.de Lee Hutson Live in Europe]
* [http://www.sweetchocolatelady.com Sweet Chocolate Lady - a tribute to Leroy Hutson]
* [http://www.discomuseum.com/LeroyHutson.html Leroy Hutson on Discomuseum.com]