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== Illness and death == |
== Illness and death == |
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As of 2009, Ware was recovering from treatment for [[prostate cancer]], and credited his friend and fellow songwriter [[Adrienne Anderson]] with directing him to appropriate medical care.<ref>[http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news.asp?pNum=35 Interview With Leon Ware] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504132824/http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news.asp?pNum=35 |date=2010-05-04 }}: "Still Riding High", published March 6, 2009; www.souljazzandfunk.com.</ref> He died in [[Marina del Rey, California]], on February 23, 2017, from complications of prostate cancer. He was 77.<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news|last= Sandomir|first= Richard |title= Leon Ware, Producer Who Worked With Marvin Gaye, Dies at 77 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/arts/music/leon-ware-dead-soul-singer-and-producer.html |access-date= January 11, 2018|newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date= March 2, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Spice |first=Anton |url=http://thevinylfactory.com/news/soul-legend-leon-ware-dies-aged-77/ |title=Soul legend Leon Ware dies aged 77 |website=Thevinylfactory.com |date=1940-02-16 |access-date=2017-02-25}}</ref> At the time of his death, he was |
As of 2009, Ware was recovering from treatment for [[prostate cancer]], and credited his friend and fellow songwriter [[Adrienne Anderson]] with directing him to appropriate medical care.<ref>[http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news.asp?pNum=35 Interview With Leon Ware] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504132824/http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news.asp?pNum=35 |date=2010-05-04 }}: "Still Riding High", published March 6, 2009; www.souljazzandfunk.com.</ref> He died in [[Marina del Rey, California]], on February 23, 2017, from complications of prostate cancer. He was 77.<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news|last= Sandomir|first= Richard |title= Leon Ware, Producer Who Worked With Marvin Gaye, Dies at 77 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/arts/music/leon-ware-dead-soul-singer-and-producer.html |access-date= January 11, 2018|newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date= March 2, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Spice |first=Anton |url=http://thevinylfactory.com/news/soul-legend-leon-ware-dies-aged-77/ |title=Soul legend Leon Ware dies aged 77 |website=Thevinylfactory.com |date=1940-02-16 |access-date=2017-02-25}}</ref> At the time of his death, he was surrounded by his wife, his sons, his granddaughter, and his brothers.<ref name="nytimes" /> |
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==Discography== |
==Discography== |
Revision as of 10:08, 5 May 2024
Leon Ware | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | February 16, 1940
Died | February 23, 2017 Marina del Rey, California, U.S. | (aged 77)
Genres | R&B, soul, disco, funk, jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, record producer |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, piano, keyboards |
Years active | 1967–2017 |
Labels | Gordy, United Artists, Fabulous, Elektra, Expansion, Stax, P-Vine |
Website | http://www.leonware.com |
Leon Ware (February 16, 1940 – February 23, 2017)[1] was an American songwriter, producer, composer, and singer. Besides a solo career as a performer, Ware was best known for producing hits for other artists including Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Maxwell, Minnie Riperton and Marvin Gaye, co-producing the latter's album, I Want You.
Early life
Ware was born and raised in
Career
Early career
Ware worked at ABC Records as an arranger and songwriter before he joined Motown as a songwriter in 1967.[4] He had co-written songs for the Isley Brothers, Martha & the Vandellas, and the Jackson 5 during his early years at Motown.[5]
Early major songwriting success: 1971–1973
In 1971, Ware collaborated with
Subsequent success: 1974–1976
In 1974, Quincy Jones booked Ware as songwriter and performer for two songs on Jones' Body Heat album.[11] The song "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" hit the R&B chart in September of that year[12] and was covered by the Average White Band.[11] Ware had worked with Minnie Riperton on Jones' album, and they collaborated again on Riperton's album, Adventures in Paradise,[11] composing Riperton's R&B hit, "Inside My Love," and the two collaborated yet again on Ware's second album, Musical Massage.[13] Ware and Ross worked on demos for Ware's second album, this one to be issued on Motown and also for Ross to win a deal.[7] One of the demo recordings, "I Want You," was heard by Berry Gordy, who decided the song would be a good fit for Marvin Gaye.[7] Gaye heard the other demos and decided to record much of it on what would be his next album, I Want You.[7] Buoyed by the number-one title track, the album peaked at number-one on the R&B chart and it reached the Top Ten of the Billboard 200 and sold over a million copies.[14]
Recording, songwriting, producing, and later career: 1976–2010s
Having given away the material for his album, Ware began again on a solo effort for Motown's
Some of the artists that Ware had written and produced for in between and after those periods include Shadow,[19] Teena Marie, Jeffrey Osborne, Loose Ends, James Ingram, Melissa Manchester, Krystol, Bobby Womack, and Lulu, co-writing the latter's European hit, "Independence."[11]
In the 1990s, his earlier work became a source of samples in
Throughout the 2000s, Ware continued to release several albums, which are Candlelight (2001), Love's Drippin' (2003), Deeper (2004), A Kiss in the Sand (2004), and Moon Ride (2008).
In the 2010s, Ware was featured in several projects by current artists, such as
Personal life
Ware was married four times.[22] His second wife was Susaye Greene,[22] whom he married in 1974 and would later divorce in the same year.[2][22] He was married to Carol Ware from 1980 until his death.[1] Their wedding took place on September 5, 1980 in Malibu, California.[23]
Illness and death
As of 2009, Ware was recovering from treatment for prostate cancer, and credited his friend and fellow songwriter Adrienne Anderson with directing him to appropriate medical care.[24] He died in Marina del Rey, California, on February 23, 2017, from complications of prostate cancer. He was 77.[1][25] At the time of his death, he was surrounded by his wife, his sons, his granddaughter, and his brothers.[1]
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Album | Chart positions[26] | Record label | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | |||||
1972 | Leon Ware (1972)
|
— | — | United Artists | ||
1976 | Musical Massage | — | — | Gordy
| ||
1979 | Inside Is Love | — | 62 | Fabulous | ||
1981 | Rockin' You Eternally | — | — | Elektra | ||
1982 | Leon Ware (1982)
|
— | — | |||
1987 | Undercover | — | — | Sling Shot Records | ||
1995 | Taste the Love | — | — | Expansion | ||
2001 | Candlelight | — | — | |||
2003 | Love's Drippin | — | — | P-Vine | ||
2004 | A Kiss in the Sand | — | — | Kitchen Records | ||
2008 | Moon Ride | — | — | Stax | ||
2014 | Sigh | — | — | P-Vine | ||
2019 | Rainbow Deux | — | — | Be With Records | ||
"—" denotes the album failed to chart |
Charted singles
Date | Title | US R&B [27] |
---|---|---|
1979 | What's Your Name | 42 |
1981 | Baby Don't Stop Me | 66 |
Rockin' You Eternally | 74 |
Songwriting credits
Ware wrote and co-wrote dozens of songs for various artists, some of his credits include:
- 1966: "Tell Me I'll Never Be Alone" – Martha & The Vandellas
- 1967: Souled Out – The Righteous Brothers
- 1967: "Land of Tomorrow" – Kim Weston
- 1967: "Got To Have You Back" – The Isley Brothers
- 1971: 'Nuff Said – Ike & Tina Turner
- 1972: "I Wanna Be Where You Are" – Michael Jackson
- 1972: "Up In Heah" – Ike & Tina Turner
- 1972: "I Know How It Feels To Be Lonely" – Delaney & Bonnie
- 1972: "Don't Tell Me I'm Crazy" – Edwin Starr
- 1973: "Give Me Just Another Day" – The Miracles
- 1973: "Stay Away" – Valentinos
- 1973: "Able, Qualified, And Ready" – Bonnie Bramlett
- 1973: "Rolling Down A Mountainside" – Isaac Hayes
- 1973: "Euphoria" – Michael Jackson
- 1973: "It's Too Late To Change The Time" – The Jackson 5
- 1973: "Don't Say Goodbye Again" – The Jackson 5
- 1973: "I Know It's You" – Donny Hathaway
- 1974: "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" – Quincy Jones
- 1975: Adventures In Paradise – Minnie Riperton
- 1975: "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" – Nancy Wilson
- 1975: "If I Don't Love You This Way" – The Temptations
- 1975: "Git It" – Bobby Womack
- 1976: I Want You – Marvin Gaye
- 1977: "Fantasy Is Reality" – Parliament
- 1980: "Everywhere Inside Of Me" – Norman Connors
- 1980: "No Tricks" – Chuck Jackson
- 1984: "Show Me Your Magic" – Bobby King
- 1984: "My Dear Mr. Gaye" – Teena Marie
- 1986: "Love's Been Here And Gone" – James Ingram
- 1986: "You Make Me Want To (Love Again)" – Vesta Williams
- 1996: "Sumthin' Sumthin'" – Maxwell
References
- ^ a b c d e Sandomir, Richard (March 2, 2017). "Leon Ware, Producer Who Worked With Marvin Gaye, Dies at 77". The New York Times. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Leon Ware Page". www.soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Myers, Marc. "Interview: Leon Ware (Part 1) - JazzWax". www.jazzwax.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ a b "Not Forgotten", Record Collector, No. 466, May 2017, p. 142
- ^ Beta, Andy (February 24, 2017). "9 Songs Showcasing Leon Ware's Incomparable Soul Touch". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ Rys, Dan (February 24, 2017). "Renowned Soul Singer and Songwriter Leon Ware Dies at 77". Billboard.
- ^ a b c d e Leon Ware (1976). Musical Massage (Motown Classic Albums re-issue). (CD liner notes). Motown Records. B0000789-02
- ^ "Michael Jackson". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ Donny Hathaway (1973). Extension of a Man. Album credits. Atco Records. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
- Motown Records. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Ruhlmann, William. "Leon Ware Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ "Quincy Jones US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ Leon Ware (1976). Musical Massage. Album credits. Motown Records.
- ^ David Ritz (2003). I Want You. Deluxe edition liner notes, pp. 8–10. UMG Recordings, Inc. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
- ^ Sutliff, Amileah (February 21, 2021). "Leon Ware's Sensual Masterpiece". Vinyl Me, Please. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ISBN 978-1-311-44154-6.
- ^ Leon Ware (1981). Rockin' You Eternally. Elektra Records. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
- ^ Leon Ware (1982). Leon Ware. Elektra Records. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
- ^ Billboard September 12, 1981 Page 79 Billboards Recommended LPs Continued from page 74
- ^ a b Tsioulcas, Anastasia (February 24, 2017). "Leon Ware, Songwriter Behind Several R&B Powerhouses, Dies". NPR.
- ^ "Leon Ware | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ a b c Michael J. Edwards (2004). Leon Ware: Love's Endless Servant. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
- ^ "Billboard". September 27, 1980. Retrieved January 15, 2024 – via Google Books.
- ^ Interview With Leon Ware Archived 2010-05-04 at the Wayback Machine: "Still Riding High", published March 6, 2009; www.souljazzandfunk.com.
- ^ Spice, Anton (February 16, 1940). "Soul legend Leon Ware dies aged 77". Thevinylfactory.com. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
- ^ "Leon Ware US albums chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
- ^ "Leon Ware Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
External links
- At AllMusic
- Leon Ware discography at Discogs
- Artist page at Soul Walking
- Leon Ware at IMDb
- Leon Ware 75 minute audio mix with dialogue
- Leon Ware 2012 Interview at Soulinterviews.com Archived February 25, 2017, at the Wayback Machine