Biography
Tragedy cut short what might have been a lengthy run for the funky soul group Leo's Sunshipp. At its core stood vocalists Kenny Stover, Johnny Simone, and Alvin Few, each born under the sign of Leo. Kenny's sibling Elgie contributed to several Marvin Gaye compositions as well as the Originals' "The Bells," and the brothers counted Harvey Fuqua—formerly of the Moonglows and later Motown's A&R director—among their cousins. Raised in Cleveland's Hough neighborhood at the corner of 66th and Belvedere, Kenny relocated to Detroit alongside Elgie, where the pair performed assorted tasks for Fuqua and the Motown organization. When the label shifted operations to Los Angeles, the Stovers made the same move, securing staff songwriting positions for both Kenny and Elgie. There Kenny crossed paths with Johnny Simone, and together with Barbara Thompson and Doria Glass the quartet served as backing vocalists on Marvin Gaye's concert tours; their voices appear on the album Here, My Dear.
Simone had journeyed from Atlanta to Los Angeles specifically to work with Stevie Wonder. While still in high school he had belonged to the Wallace Brothers, whose early singles for Sims Records and additional imprints displayed a raw yet appealing charm. Following the Wallace Brothers' dissolution, Simone performed with the Naturals on releases issued by Quadran, Calla, and Shout Records. He eventually settled in Los Angeles, where he connected with Stover and again provided support for Marvin Gaye on the road. An animated performer whose range extended from falsetto to a gritty, Gaye-like tenor, Simone craved the spotlight and welcomed the chance to join a fresh ensemble. The pair soon encountered Few, about whom scant details survive, and together they launched Leo's Sunshipp.
In 1977 the trio laid down four tracks intended for an album, yet Simone fell gravely ill and succumbed to cancer while still in his early thirties. Lyons Records later completed and issued the eight-song collection We Need Each Other, though four of its selections consisted merely of alternate mixes of "Give Me the Sunshine," "I'm Back for More," "Get Down People," and "Madam Butterfly," leaving "Leo's Sunshipp" as the sole track without a counterpart. The minor hit "Give Me the Sunshine" could not sustain the group once its central figure was gone, and Leo's Sunshipp disbanded. Stover moved on to Finished Touch in 1978.
Simone had journeyed from Atlanta to Los Angeles specifically to work with Stevie Wonder. While still in high school he had belonged to the Wallace Brothers, whose early singles for Sims Records and additional imprints displayed a raw yet appealing charm. Following the Wallace Brothers' dissolution, Simone performed with the Naturals on releases issued by Quadran, Calla, and Shout Records. He eventually settled in Los Angeles, where he connected with Stover and again provided support for Marvin Gaye on the road. An animated performer whose range extended from falsetto to a gritty, Gaye-like tenor, Simone craved the spotlight and welcomed the chance to join a fresh ensemble. The pair soon encountered Few, about whom scant details survive, and together they launched Leo's Sunshipp.
In 1977 the trio laid down four tracks intended for an album, yet Simone fell gravely ill and succumbed to cancer while still in his early thirties. Lyons Records later completed and issued the eight-song collection We Need Each Other, though four of its selections consisted merely of alternate mixes of "Give Me the Sunshine," "I'm Back for More," "Get Down People," and "Madam Butterfly," leaving "Leo's Sunshipp" as the sole track without a counterpart. The minor hit "Give Me the Sunshine" could not sustain the group once its central figure was gone, and Leo's Sunshipp disbanded. Stover moved on to Finished Touch in 1978.
Albums