Gerald Levert was part of a soul music dynasty, the son of O’Jays lead singer Eddie Levert. Gerald and his brother Sean built on their father’s musical legacy when they formed LeVert with friend Marc Gordon, scoring No. 1 hits on the R&B chart with “(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind” and “Casanova.” Levert later went solo, with hit singles including “Thinkin’ About It” and “Take Everything.” He was also a songwriter and record producer, working with other artists including Barry White and Teddy Pendergrass. Later in his career, he formed the supergroup LSG along with Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill. We remember Levert’s life today as well as the lives of other notable people who were born this day in history.

Click to discover notable people who died this day in history including “Glee” actor Cory Monteith.

1966: Gerald Levert, U.S. R&B singer who was a founding member of LeVert, who had a hit single with “Casanova,” is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

It all started in 1984, when Levert – the son of O’Jays singer Eddie Levert – along with his brother Sean Levert and friend Marc Gordon, formed the band LeVert. A couple of solid albums followed and received attention on the R&B charts – but in 1987, they exploded out of the gate with “The Big Throwdown” and its crossover hit, “Casanova.” Read more

1946: Bob Kauffman, U.S. NBA forward who was a three-time All-Star with the Buffalo Braves, is born in Brooklyn, New York.

1940: Paul Prudhomme, U.S. celebrity chef known for his cajun and creole cuisine, is born in Opelousas, Louisiana.

Prudhomme became prominent in the early 1980s, soon after opening K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, a French Quarter diner that served the meals of his childhood. He had no formal training but sparked a nationwide interest in Cajun food by serving dishes – gumbo, étouffée, and jambalaya – that were virtually unknown outside Louisiana. Read more

1936: Albert Ayler, U.S. jazz saxophonist known for his avant-garde free jazz, is born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

1935: Jack Kemp, U.S. professional football player and politician who played for the San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York, is born in Los Angeles, California.

Through his political life, Kemp’s positions spanned the social spectrum: He opposed abortion and supported school prayer, yet appealed to liberals with his outreach toward minorities and compassion for the poor. He pushed for immigration reform to include a guest-worker program and status for the illegal immigrants already here. At the Department of Housing and Urban Affairs, he proposed more than 50 programs to combat urban blight and homelessness and was an early and strong advocate of enterprise zones. Read more

1928: Bob Crane, U.S. actor known best for starring on “Hogan’s Heroes,” is born in Waterbury, Connecticut.

1923: Ashley Bryan, children’s author who wrote and illustrated award-winning children’s books including “Beat the Story-Drum, Pum Pum” and Beautiful Blackbird,” is born in New York, New York.

1918: Marcia Brown, U.S. author and illustrator of children’s books including the Caldecott Medal-winning “Shadow,” is born in Rochester, New York.

A native of Rochester, New York, she had dreamed of being an artist since childhood, but decided at first that teaching was a safer choice. She majored in English at the New York State College for Teachers (now the University of Albany) and taught high school English for three years, continuing to paint during the summer. She later studied art at the New School for Social Research and absorbed the narratives of children’s books while working at the New York Public Library. Her first book, “The Little Carousel,” came out in 1946. Read more

1913: Dave Garroway, U.S. television personality who was the first anchor of NBC’s “Today,” is born in Schenectady, New York.

Hosting morning television was a different ballgame when Garroway introduced it in January 1952. Here’s how a New York Times critic described the original “Today” show host: “He does not crash into the home with the false jollity and thunderous witticisms of a backslapper. He is pleasant, serious, scholarly looking, and not obtrusively convivial.” Another called him “tutor, guide, inquisitor, philosopher, maestro, and companion. He was born to television.” Read more

1913: Kay Linaker, U.S. actress and screenwriter who wrote the screenplay for “The Blob,” is born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

1895: Sidney Blackmer, U.S. actor who played Roman Castevet in “Rosemary’s Baby,” is born in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Click to discover notable people who died this day in history including “Glee” actor Cory Monteith.

ncG1vNJzZmhqZGy7psPSmqmorZ6Zwamx1qippZxemLyue86boK2tkafGcK7Oq6VmoqWhxm59kmajnp%2BRmMZur86mZg%3D%3D