Product Code Database
Otha Leon Haywood (February 11, 1942 – April 5, 2016) was an American funk and soul singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his 1975 hit single "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You", which has been frequently sampled by musicians such as Dr. Dre (for his 1992 hit "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang") among others.
Haywood was also part of two session musician bands organized by Los Angeles disc jockey Magnificent Montague which issued the instrumental hits "Hole in the Wall" (R&B, No. 5/Pop, No. 50, 1965) under the name of the Packers, and "Precious Memories" (R&B, No. 31, 1967) billed as the Romeos. In 1967, Haywood secured his first solo hit with "It's Got to Be Mellow" (R&B, No. 21 and Pop, No. 63) on Decca Records. He played on further recording sessions with the Packers and Dyke & the Blazers, then returned to recording under his own name. He also established in 1967 a production company, Evejim, named after his parents.
Haywood recorded, without too much success for the Fat Fish (Hollywood, Ca.) label in 1966 and 1967. Two singles from that source were given a UK release at the time on the Decca distributed Vocalion label but gathered few sales – "Skate a While" and "Ain't No Use".
He found only sporadic success as a singer, including with "It's Got to Be Mellow" and "Keep It in the Family". After recording for Columbia Records, he moved over to MCA Records. He emerged as a celebrity in the 1970s by modifying his style to incorporate the emerging funk and disco idioms. Haywood joined 20th Century Records in 1974 and was immediately successful, notably with "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You" (R&B, No. 7 and Pop No. 15, 1975), "Strokin' (Pt. II)" (R&B, No. 13, 1976) and "Party" (R&B, No. 24, 1978). In 1980, Haywood revived the Swung note of 1950s rock and roll with "Don't Push It Don't Force It" (R&B, No. 2 and Pop, No. 49). This single also reached No. 12 in the UK Singles Chart, where he is considered a one-hit wonder.
Haywood is credited with writing the 1981 hit "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)" by Carl Carlton, which he produced in his own studio. In 1983, he released the album It's Me Again, which featured a couple minor R&B hits. His last R&B chart record was "Tenderoni" (No. 22) in 1984, but the accompanying album, Now and Then went unreleased (although the single was featured on a similarly-titled compilation album, Then & Now, which surfaced five years later). After a few more chart singles, for Casablanca Records and Modern Records, Haywood's output failed to excite the public's taste.
He died in his sleep on April 5, 2016, aged 74.
(1993). 9780851127330, Guinness Publishing. ISBN 9780851127330 In the late 1980s, he became associated in an executive/production capacity with the Los Angeles-based Edge Records. From the 1980s, he produced blues albums by Jimmy McCracklin, Clay Hammond, Ronnie Lovejoy, Buddy Ace and others on his own Evejim Records label.
Discography
Albums
Singles
1965 "She's With Her Other Love"
Leon Hayward92 13 — Imperial Records 1967 "It's Got to Be Mellow" 63 21 — Decca Records 1968 "Mellow Moonlight" 92 35 — 1974 "Keep It in the Family" 50 11 — 20th Century "Long As There's You (I Got Love)" — 63 — "Sugar Lump" 108 35 — "Believe Half of What You See
(And None of What You Hear)"94 21 — 1975 "Come an' Get Yourself Some" 83 19 — "I Want'a Do Something Freaky to You" 15 7 — 1976 "Just Your Fool" 102 26 — "Strokin' (Pt. II)" 101 13 — "The Streets Will Love You to Death - Part 1" 107 63 — Columbia Records 1977 "Super Sexy" — 54 — MCA Records 1978 "Double My Pleasure" — 91 — "Fine and Healthy Thing" — 84 — "Party" — 24 — 1980 "Don't Push It Don't Force It" 49 2 12 20th Century "If You're Lookin' for a Night of Fun
(Look Past Me, I'm Not the One)"— 67 — 1983 "I'm Out to Catch"
Leon Haywood featuring Karen Roberts— 27 — Casablanca "T. V. Mama" — 83 — 1984 "Tenderoni" — 22 — Modern Records "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
External links
Categories: 1942 Births, 2016 Deaths, 20th-century African-american Male Singers, 20th-century American Male Singers, 20th-century American Singers, African-american Songwriters, American Funk Singers, American Soul Singers, Singers From Houston, Singers From Los Angeles, Songwriters From California, Songwriters From Texas, 21st-century African-american Musicians, American Male Songwriters
|
|
