The Sylvers
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The Sylvers were a popular R&B/soul and disco family group in the 1970s. The group hailed from Memphis, Tennessee.
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[edit] Members
The Sylvers consisted of nine siblings:
- Olympia-Ann "Olan" Sylvers (b. October 13, 1951)
- Edmund Theodore Sylvers (b. January 25, 1957, d. March 11, 2004)
- Joseph Richard "Ricky" Sylvers (b. October 13, 1958)
- Angela Marie "Angie" Sylvers (b. April 11, 1960)
- Foster Emerson Sylvers (b. February 25, 1962).
[edit] 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 Life," and opening for such acts as Johnny Mathis and Ray Charles.
[edit] Commercial Success
In 1972 the act was joined by brothers Edmund and Ricky. 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." These LPs were comprised of solid soulful numbers written by Leon and produced by R&B legend Jerry Butler (of the Impressions). Four singles from these self-titled albums hit the Billboard charts, starting a long run of hits for the siblings.
"Fool's Paradise" was a thought-provoking classic that reached number 14 in the autumn of 1972. The single featured Charmaine, Edmund, and Ricky as lead singers, backed by the sumptuous harmonies of Olympia, Leon, and James.
"Wish That I Could Talk To You" (# 10) was the follow up single and in early 1973 became the siblings' first top 10 hit. The track, featuring Leon and Edmund 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) would follow; 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 penned a smash hit for little brother Foster. "Misdemeanor” received saturated radio airplay and reached # 7 on the Billboard charts that summer.
In 1975 Foster, along with sisters Angela 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. Perren, along with co-writer Keni St. Lewis, catapulted the Sylvers to the top of the charts with the two-million seller "Boogie Fever" (# 1). The song remains a classic in discos to this day. The B-side of the single, the funky "Free Style" (featuring Charmaine and Angie on lead), received about as much airplay on R&B radio as "Boogie Fever."
The first Capitol album with Perren was titled "Showcase" and featured rotating lead singers, as well as songs written by both Perren & St. Lewis as well as Leon Sylvers. Capitol followed up “Boogie Fever” with the bubble-gum confection “Cotton Candy” (# 19).
By the end of 1976 Charmaine, one of the original Little Angels, left the group and the remaining eight Sylvers had recorded a new album (again with Perren producing) and released another smash million-seller, “Hot Line” (# 3).
The resulting album, “Something Special,” would be the family’s biggest selling LP, reaching # 13 on the Billboard charts. The LP featured yet another top ten smash, “High School Dance” (# 6), firmly entrenching the siblings in the bubble-gum, teeny-bopper demographic.
In an effort to reach a wider 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 instead took on writing and producing duties themselves. Despite positive reviews, the resulting album, “New Horizons,” was a commercial disappointment, peaking at # 43 on the Billboard album charts and spawning two relatively short-lived singles: “Any Way You Want Me” (# 12) and the title track (# 45).
The family went right back into the studio and, with Leon taking on producing duties himself, recorded what would become the most critically acclaimed album of their career. Unfortunately, Capitol Records rejected the album. The Sylvers shopped the material elsewhere and by mid-1978 had signed with Casablanca Records. At the same time Leon was approached by record executive Dick Griffey to become the in-house producer for a new label he had started with Soul Train impresario Don Cornelius.
Leon Sylvers III jumped at the chance. With the family’s new album already in the can — and his brothers and sisters now signed with Casablanca — Leon left the group he had essentially founded to write and produce for such Solar Records artists as Shalamar, The Whispers, Lakeside, Carrie Lucas and Dynasty (for which he played bass guitar).
In the mean time Casablanca released the album Capitol had rejected. “Forever Yours” included the family’s final top 40 hit, “Don’t Stop, Get Off” (# 15), in which – ironically – Leon shared lead with Edmund (James would perform Leon’s part on the TV and concert circuit). The album’s title track and a cover of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ “Swept For You Baby” would get significant radio airplay in late 1978; however, due to management shake-ups at the Casablanca label, were never released as singles.
With Leon under contract at Solar, and the remaining six Sylvers still under contract to Casablanca, the label teamed the group up with the Oscar-winning disco composer Giorgio Moroder (Donna Summer). The result, released in the summer of 1979, was the aptly titled album “Disco Fever.” The first single, “Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)", was a dance club 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 chart single from the effort. “Have You Heard the News” and “Time” were released as follow-up singles but didn’t score the Billboard singles charts.
As the world’s appetite for dance music waned in the early 80’s, so did the career of the Sylvers. In 1981, five members of the group (now without Edmund), recorded a new album (“Concept”) for Solar Records, with brother Leon producing but not performing. The first single from that effort, “Come Back Lover, Come Back” (featuring a now grown-up Foster on lead) was a minor hit for the siblings, reaching # 63 in Billboard. “Take It to the Top” would bomb; but both singles appear on the Solar Records retrospective box set.
After a three year hiatus the siblings (now six strong, with Charmaine coming back on board) regrouped in 1984 with new management (Weisner-DeMann) and a new label (Geffen Records). The result was a much anticipated, but ultimately unsuccessful album.
“Bizarre” wasn’t promoted all that heavily by the Geffen label, but despite that lack of enthusiasm spawned two minor hit singles: “In One Love and Out the Other” (# 42) and “Falling For Your Love” (# 76).
Following the disappointing performance of the Geffen set, the six performing brothers and sisters officially disbanded in 1985. They would continue to do studio work for a few more years, playing instruments and doing background vocals for other artists.
Foster started his own group, Hy-Tech, in 1989 but two CDs would go unnoticed.
Sources: Liner notes from "Classic Masters" and "Boogie Fever: The Best of the Sylvers" [1] [2] [3] [4]
[edit] Other Successes
Leon also wrote and produced tracks for such non-Solar Records artists as The S.O.S Band, Tavares and Evelyn "Champagne" King.
Eldest sister Olympia had a non-speaking extra role in the cult B-movie "Deathmaster."
The Sylvers also appeared in the movie "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh."
Foster's son , Jeremy Sylvers (J-Syl) can be seen in the movie Child's Play 3.
[edit] In Memoriam
The Sylvers' youngest sibling, Christopher (b. August 10, 1966), was just 18 when he died on June 18, 1985. He was never part of the performing family.
Lead singer Edmund — who played Marlon Jackson's voice on the 1971-1973 ABC-TV Saturday morning cartoon series The Jackson 5ive — died of lung cancer on March 11, 2004 at age 47.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
| Title | Label | Year of Release | Peak Billboard Chart Position* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fool's Paradise | MGM/Pride | 1972 | 14 |
| Wish I Could Talk To You | MGM/Pride | 1972 | 10 |
| I'll Never Be Ashamed | MGM/Pride | 1973 | |
| Stay Away From Me | MGM/Pride | 1973 | 33 |
| Through the Love In My Heart | MGM/Pride | 1974 | 50 |
| Boogie Fever | Capitol | 1975 | 1 |
| Cotton Candy | Capitol | 1976 | 19 |
| Hot Line | Capitol | 1976 | 3 |
| High School Dance | Capitol | 1977 | 6 |
| Any Way You Want Me | Capitol | 1977 | 12 |
| New Horizon | Capitol | 1978 | 45 |
| Don't Stop, Get Off | Casablanca | 1978 | 15 |
| Forever Yours | Casablanca | 1978 | Non-commercial (to radio only) |
| Mahogany (Do You Know) | Casablanca | 1979 | 10 |
| Dance Right Now | Casablanca | 1979 | |
| Hoochie Coochie Dancin' | Casablanca | 1979 | |
| Come Back Lover, Come Back | Solar | 1981 | 63 |
| Take It to the Top | Solar | 1981 | |
| In One Love and Out the Other | Geffen | 1984 | 42 |
| Falling For Your Love | Geffen | 1985 | 76 |
*Based on Billboard's Hot 100, R&B, and Disco/Dance singles charts. [Source: Billboard Top Pop Hits and Billboard Top R&B Hits by Joel Whitburn; and liner notes from the Razor & Tie release "Boogie Fever: The Best of the Sylvers."
[edit] Albums
- 1972: The Sylvers (Pride)
- 1973: The Sylvers 2 (Pride)
- 1974: The Sylvers 3 (MGM)
- 1975: Showcase (Capitol)
- 1976: Something Special (Capitol)
- 1977: New Horizons (Capitol)
- 1978: Best of the Sylvers (Capitol)
- 1978: Forever Yours (Casablanca)
- 1979: Disco Fever (Casablanca)
- 1981: Concept (Solar)
- 1984: Bizarre (Geffen)
- 1994: Boogie Fever: The Very Best of the Sylvers (Razor & Tie)
- 2002: Classic Masters (Capitol)
