User:Chloesylvers/sandbox/Ricky Sylvers

Chloesylvers/sandbox/Ricky Sylvers.

Ricky Sylvers

Ricky SylversBold text (Birth: October 13, 1958 as Joseph Richard Sylvers) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, guitarist, keyboard, player and dancer, The sixth child of the Sylvers family, Ricky made his professional debut in 1972 with his elder siblings Olympia, Leon III, Charmaine, Johnathan, and Edmund as a member of the Sylvers. In the early 80's he became a writer and producer for Solar He wrote and produced songs for S.O. S. Band and the Whispers. You can hear him playing instruments on such groups as Shalimar, Whispers and other groups on the Solar label.

Ricky Sylvers was born October 13, 1958 in Los Angeles, CA. He was the sixth of ten children of Leon F. Sylvers, Jr of Tennessee and Shirley Mae Wyble Sylvers of Opelousas, LA. His parents met at Xavier University where Leon Jr. majored in Engineering and Shirley Mae majored in Classical Music. The family moved to California in the late 1950s because Leon III secured work there.

Ricky's mother Shirley use to play music around the house and one day she heard the elder children ( Olympia, Leon Jr., Charmaine, and Johnathan) singing along to the music. She realized that they had great harmony. When Leon Jr. returned home she had the children sing for him and he was so convinced of their talent that he named them the "The Little Angels" and soon they were booked and recorded as The Little Angels, appearing on shows such as Make Room for Daddy and You Bet Your Life, and opening for such acts as Johnny Mathis and Ray Charles. During this time, two singles were released: "Santa Claus Parade" b/w "I'll Be a Little Angel" on Warwick Records (United States) and "Says You" b/w "Olympia" on Capitol Records. They also had a featured article written in the February 1961 Ebony magazine.

While all of this was going on the two younger kids Edmund and Ricky were there watching and learning while their Father taught the Little Angels how to harmonize the songs that he had written for them. The family enjoyed some success but soon after Leon Jr. and Shirley Sylvers divorced. Although Leon Jr was no longer in the household the children didn't forget what he had taught them and soon they were practicing on their own and the Little Angels with the addition of Edmund and Ricky became the "Sylvers."

They released three albums on the MGM/Pride label, titled simply The Sylvers, The Sylvers 2, and The Sylvers 3. Released between 1972 and 1974, these LPs offered soulful numbers written by Leon III and produced by R&B legends Jerry Butler (of The Impressions) and Keg Johnson. Four singles from these self-titled albums charted on the Billboard R&B charts. "Fool's Paradise" was a thought-provoking song that reached 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" was the next single and during early 1973 became the siblings' first top 10 song. The track, featuring Leon, Edmund and Ricky 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) followed; 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 wrote "Misdemeanor" for Foster, which featured Angie and Pat and received major airplay on many R&B radio stations. (Though the song originally featured Edmund on lead, it was passed to Foster due to Edmund's voice change.)

The Sylvers performed in Las Vegas as an opening act for Ann Margaret, Sammy Davis Jr, and Bill Cosby. They also toured with Pearl Bailey and Tom Jones. They appeared on all of the major television shows, performed at Nixon's inauguration, and was the second teenaged heart throbs next to the Jackson 5.

Foster, Angie, and Pat joined their older brothers and sisters and signed an exclusive contract with Capitol Records, the same label they recorded for as The Little Angels. Now nine members strong, the label teamed the family with legendary R&B producer Freddie Perren (The Jackson 5). The marriage paid off immediately, as Perren, with co-writer Kenny St. Lewis, produced the two-million seller "Boogie Fever" which topped the R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts, along with the RPM national singles chart.

Those two tracks were included on the first Capitol album with Perren. It was titled Showcase and featured rotating lead singers on songs written by both Perren and St. Lewis, as well as Leon Sylvers. Capitol followed up "Boogie Fever" with the bubble-gum confection "Cotton Candy". The group began playing their own instruments for certain live performances, with Ricky on guitar, James on piano, Edmund on drums, and Leon on bass guitar. In 1976, following the recording of their next album, Something Special, Something Special was the family's biggest selling LP, reaching 13 on the Billboard album charts. Produced by Perren, the LP spawned another smash million-seller, "Hot Line" (#5 on Billboard Hot 100), as well as "High School Dance" (#17 on Billboard Hot 100). These two singles firmly entrenched the siblings in the bubble-gum, teeny-bopper demographic.

Ricky began writing while with the Sylvers and some of the songs are High School Dance, Star Fire and Got To have You For My Own.

In 1978 about the same time Leon III left the group and was recruited by record executive Dick Griffey to become the in-house producer for a new label he had started with Soul Train impresario Don Cornelius. With the family's new album already complete and his brothers and sisters now signed with Casablanca, Leon Jr. left the group and had asked Ricky to come with him to Play music, write and produce for such Solar Records artists as Shalimar, The Whispers, Lakeside, Carrie Lucas and Dynasty.

Ricky and The Sylvers appeared in the 1979 film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh.

Ricky played the guitar on Shalimar, Whispers and other groups on the Solar label. While at solar he wrote the songs, In The Raw, Groovin, There it is and others which was credited as if Charmaine Sylvers had written them.

During the summer of 2011, the Sylvers were featured on the TV One hit series, Unsung.

Ricky is now living in Central California with his wife Chloe and their daughter MyChael. He still writes music and play the guitar and keyboard.