To an earlier generation, if you mentioned the name "Teddy Bear", everyone who is an R&B fan would automatically know you were talking about Philadelphia's own Teddy Pendergrass, the powerhouse lead vocalist behind the huge hits of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes in the `70s, and later on, a successful solo artist, and R&B sex symbol. But to my generation, if you're talking about the "Teddy Bear", then you're unquestionably referring to another powerhouse singer - the late son of the legendary O'Jays vocalist, Eddie Levert - Gerald Edward Levert. After his days as a New Jack Swing artist in Levert, the group he formed with his brother Sean (also deceased, March 2008), Gerald went on to become a sex symbol in his own right, which led to we female fans calling him OUR "Teddy Bear". 　　We lost this extraordinary icon of R&B on November 10, 2006, way, way too soon. Only 40 years young at the time of his passing, Gerald - or G. as so many called him - amassed millions of fans in his 20+ year career. I can recall the sadness and hurt I felt when I first heard that he was gone - I remember it because I still feel it today. I actually cried when he passed. He bridged the gap between the old school soul and R&B that his father's group became famous for with the R&B of today, and was successful at it. The fact is, real vocal talent like G's could never really go unnoticed by ANY generation. However, as contemporary as he might have tried to be, at heart, G was an old soul. He was truly his father's son, never hesitated to pay tribute to those who came before him, and it came through in his music. Oh, he might have followed a trend or two now and then or played around with multiple styles on some of his material - to broaden his appeal to a younger crowd, I would guess - but he would never venture too far away from his roots. 　　Gerald was an underrated R&B talent who was not as commercial as his contemporary R. Kelly, but no less talented. In spite of that, he was always a huge favorite of the ladies. G was also respected by men who felt a connection with him, because he sang about situations that they could relate to. He spun stories of love, heartbreak, romance and seduction in a way only he could do. And in those lyrics, you cannot convince me that the Bear didn't live them at some point in his life, because the emotion in his vocals was genuine...the stories maybe a little TOO real...but hey, I'm not complaining. It didn't matter to me or anyone else that G was a little on the stocky side. After all, he was a teddy bear, so what do you expect? He had a sexy and rugged charm about him, that confident swagger, a wonderful smile, and he had that VOICE...God, that voice. When he displayed his sensuality on slow grind love ballads like "Baby I'm Ready", "School Me" and "U Got That Love", we not only heard, but FELT powerful and passionate vocals by a real man, one who would do whatever it took to keep his woman satisfied in and out of the bedroom, and you believed it. Make no mistake, this man knew EXACTLY how it felt to be in love and he knew what women wanted to hear. He also had no issue about going into intimate detail about what he wanted to do to and for you. Hearing G's voice, we imagined that he was speaking to us individually. I know I did! There just aren't many singers these days that possess that ability anymore. Along with Luther Vandross, G was without a doubt one of the greatest vocalists, composers and producers of headboard banging music to come along in the past 25 years. And ironically, now both of them are gone. :(( 　　It's been four years since G left us, and believe me, this brother is MISSED. I tend to get a bit emotional when it comes to G. It's hard to even imagine him being gone...I still can hear his voice, crooning "I was made, made to love ya" in my ear, sounding as alive as he ever was. I am glad that there is finally a decent collection of his music out for those of us who loved Gerald (if you're a G fan you probably have all his stuff anyway)...but this is really for those who have none of his material, so if you don't, then I highly recommend getting this. I love all the songs featured here, but I thought that this should have at least been a two CD set because G had soooo many good songs, both as a Levert group member and as a soloist. I know it's impossible to get them all on just one CD - like "ABC-123", "Can't Help Myself", "Mr. Too Damn Good" (the Amazon mp3 download version includes this song), "Nothin' To Somethin'", the remix of "Taking Everything" (an amazing song), the jaw-dropping intimacy of "The G Spot" and others. The only thing I didn't like was the single version of "Private Line" included here (personally I prefer the album version). But overall this is a good compilation and I am loving the previously unreleased song included here, the titillating "Can It Stay" (reminds me of "Is This the Way To Heaven?" from In My Songs, but "Can It Stay" is better, IMO), which is currently getting airplay on radio. It's worth the price of the CD alone. I hope there is more material of G's that is in the vaults and will be released. As long as we have his music here with us, Gerald Levert will NEVER DIE! I was, and will forever be, a fan of his. I love and miss you, my precious Teddy Bear.