b. Lowrell Simon Jnr. a.k.a. Lowrell (b. 18th March 1943, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.)
d. 19th June 2018, Bedford Care Center, Newton, Mississippi, U.S.A.
Lowrell Simon was an original member of Chicago soul group the Lost Generation.
Lowrell had an '80's hit with 'Mellow Mellow Right On,' which has been the source for numerous raps and samples, most notably Massive Attack's 'Lately,' Markie Dee, and Chicago rapper Common.
Produced by The Chi-Lites producer Carl Davis, for the New York-based Brunswick Records, the Lost Generation's biggest hit was 'The Sly, Slick and the Wicked,' a number 14 R & B hit in the summer of 1970.
Co-written by group member Larry Brownlee (who died in 1978), Brunswick promotion man Gus Redmond, and Simon.
The track was engineered by Bruce Swedien at Chicago's Brunswick branch studio.
The group also included Lowrell's brother, Fred and Jesse Dean.
lowrell simon in the lost generation (above)
the sly, slick & the wicked - 1970 / young, tough and terrible - 1972
Though the group never had a hit as big as The Sly, Slick and the Wicked,' The Lost Generation charted with 'Wait a Minute' (number 25 R & B, late 1970), 'Someday,' and 'Talking the Teenage Language.'
After their last chart hit, 'Your Mission (If You Decide to Accept It) Part 1' (on Innovation Records), which hit number 65 R & B in the autumn of 1974, the group disbanded.
three the hard way - 1974
Lowrell contributed to the movie soundtrack to the 1974 Gordon Parks Jr. film 'Three the Hard Way' starring Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, and Jim Kelly.
The soundtrack LP featured the Impressions.
In the early '80's, he began recording for Liberace's AVI Records as Lowrell.
His solo debut 'Lowrell' (released in the autumn of 1979) included production chores from the Chi-Lites' Eugene Record, Bruce Hawes, arranger, Thomas 'Tom Tom 84' Washington.
The single, 'Mellow Mellow Right On,' went to number 32 R & B in the autumn of 1979.
Lowrell Simon's additional writing credits include 'Keep on Playing the Music' by Mystique featuring Ralph Johnson from their 1976 Curtom / Warner Bros. debut, the LP track 'All About the Paper' by Loleatta Holloway / The Dells and 'Dance Master' (part one and two), a hit single by Chicago resident Willie Henderson in 1974.
Lowrell passed away at the Bedford Care Center in Newton, Mississippi in June 2018.
Albums:
Lowrell (AVI Records 1979)
