REPRODUCED FROM CD COVER:

There's More Where This Came From - 1992

"Gentle Genius" Curtis Mayfield's ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Chicago based Curtom Records was one of the leading lights in the development of Soul Music throughout the seventies. However, for Curtis to concentrate fully on his company, a sacrifice had to be made and in 1969 the decision was made - he would leave The Impressions, the group he had led throughout the decade, to pursue business activities with his record label and a solo career. In August 1970, Curtis was replaced as lead singer of the group by a young man named Leroy Hutson...:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Leroy, it turned out, had been a room-mate of Donny Hathaway in college and had actually co-written (with Donny himself) Hathaway's own 1970 hit "The Ghetto."

The first impressions single to feature Hutson as lead vocalist was entitled "Love Me", released on Curtom in America in June 1971. It raised several eyebrows as it was so different in sound from their previous material with Mayfield, with Hutson singing a key higher. The group appeared in the UK in mid '72 and Leroy stunned the British Soul audiences by his amazing ability to duplicate live the legendary vocal sound of his predecessor on their hits of the sixties.

It was in 1973 that Hutson decided to leave the group and pursue a solo career, still with the Curtom label. Of his time with The Impressions he has said We had a lot of fun together but I just reached the point where I felt there were things to do for myself and I was lucky to be with Curtom because they allowed me the freedom to do these things. In order to accomplish what I wanted without having to go out on the road when I wasn't really ready, I had to have enough capital to stay at home and being signed to Curtom as a writer and producer gave me that opportunity."

Indeed Hutson went on to prove himself an extremely talented and creative musician during his solo stint at Curtom - not only as a fine near-falsetto vocalist but also as an expert on the keyboards and gifted writer and producer. He scored a string of Soul hits and many of his album cuts from that period are in great demand on today's British Rare Soul scene, all of which prompted his 1989 visit to the UK and in turn the release of this album.

For his songwriting Leroy has said "I get my inspiration from all kinds of places and people. Like my sister - she was watching us on stage one night and came up with the title for a song -'We Be Doin' It'. I find I get ideas all the time - there are certain situations which you can imagine. I wrote a song called Cant Stay Away" which is about two people who each want to pursue their own careers but the guy finds he really misses his lady. There are a whole lot of situations which you can put yourself into without having to experience them yourself."

What drives Leroy Hutson the songwriter, performer and producer more than anything else to deliver the quality of music found here is surely his own positive philosophy and outlook on life. As the man himself once told me "Your character is really determined by your childhood. My mother always encouraged me to be my own person, to work to get whatever I wanted and throughout my years at college, I really had to make it on my own. I always felt that it was my destiny to be out there ahead but I feel it is very important to continually strive to reach your goals - never get complacent! My mother has been a strong, spiritual force and a guide for me and I feel that my music really comes through me rather than from me. It's divine power working in me and the most important thing I feel is for me to stay humble, to stay myself whatever happens. That way, I can deal with whatever situation presents itself."

His contract with Curtom Records ended in December 1979

You've read about the man - now listen to the music of a Soul Legend

Peter Lewis - Voices From The Shadows, Soul Underground.