Leon Ware -

Leon Ware (1940–2017) was an American R&B singer, songwriter, and producer who released a 1972 self-titled album on United Artists, followed by the popular 1976 Gordy title Musical Massage.

In 1979, Ware reemerged with Inside Is Love, followed by the 1981/82 Elektra titles Rockin’ You Eternally and Leon Ware. After nineteen quiet years, he released six CDs between 2001 and 2014.

Beginnings

Ware was born on February 16, 1940, in Detroit. As a teenager, he sang in a doo-wop group, The Romeos, with (future Motown staff-writer) Lamont Dozier and (future Originals member) Ty Hunter.

Early Songwriting Credits

In 1966, Ware co-wrote and produced “Warning,” an a-side by singer Pat Lewis on Detroit soul-press Solid Hit. That same year, he wrote songs for the female trios Gigi & The Charmaines (“Girl Crazy,” Columbia) and Martha & The Vandellas (“Tell Me I’ll Never Be Alone,” Gordy).

He notched more than a dozen writing credits during 1967, including sides by The Isley Brothers (“Got to Have You Back“), Kim Weston (“Land of Tomorrow“), Terri Bryant (“When I’m In Your Arms“), and Johnny Nash (“Stormy”). Ware co-wrote four songs on Souled Out, the 1967 Verve release by The Righteous Brothers.

In partnership with saxophonist/arranger Mike Terry, Ware penned the 1967 Debonaires a-side “I’m In Love Again” (b/w “Headache In My Heart,” produced and co-written by George Clinton). On Detroit soul-press Revilot Records, they collaborated on sides by The Holidays (“I Keep Holding On,” “Loves Creeping up on Me”), and the Rose Battiste single “Come Back in a Hurry” (b/w “I Still Wait for You“).

During 1968, Ware co-wrote and produced b-sides for Terrible Tom (“Lovin’ Cup”) and The Major IV (“I Don’t Believe in Losing”). Two Ware co-writes (“I’m Proud to Be,” “Fresh as a Daisy“) appear on the 1968 self-titled album by soul-rockers Southwind, released on Venture Records.

In 1969, Ware notched writing credits on the self-titled ABC Records release by folk-rockers Phoenix (“Julia’s Face“) and the Major Minor collaborative album by Johnny Nash and Kim Weston (“What Could Be Better“).

As Motown Staff-writer

By 1970, Ware was a staff-writing regular at Motown. In partnership with lyricist Pam Saywer, he co-wrote songs recorded by the Jackson 5 (“Christmas Won’t Be the Same This Year,” “2-4-6-8“), the Four Tops (“Just Seven Numbers”), and the Ruffin Brothers (“When My Love Hand Comes Down,” “Your Love Was Worth Waiting For“).

Elsewhere, Ware co-wrote 1970 sides for soulster Frankie Karl (“Don’t Sleep Too Long“) and the pop-psych act Orange Colored Sky (“Press a Rose”). The latter appeared on People Records, temporary home for Kim Weston and the Ware-produced psych-rock trio Truth.

Ware’s writing credits proliferated during 1971, when his name appeared on releases by Jr. Walker and the All Stars (“Take Me Girl, I’m Ready”), The Everyday People (“You Can See the World”), United Image (“Love’s Creeping Up on Me“), Merry Clayton (“Whatever”), The Rhythm Rebellion (“Spellbinder”), and Bobby Womack (“Come L’amore“). The Ware/Sawyer co-write “What do You Have to Do (To Stay on the Right Side of Love)” appears on The Return of the Magnificent Seven, the 1971 collaborative album between The Supremes and the Four Tops.

In collaboration with Ike and Tina Turner, Ware co-wrote six songs on the couple’s 1971 United Artists release ‘Nuff Said: “Sweet Flustrations,” “What You Don’t See (Is Better Yet),” “Tell the Truth,” “Pick Me Up (Take Me Where Your Home Is),” “Moving Into Hip Style – A Trip Child!,” and “Can’t You Hear Me Callin’.” With producer Clay McMurray, the Ware/Sawyer team co-wrote “If I Were Your Woman,” recorded in 1971 by Nancy Wilson, Benny Latimore, and Gladys Knight & The Pips.

Leon Ware (1972)

Leon Ware released his self-titled debut album in 1972 on United Artists.

Ware’s first solo effort presents a tender, piano-driven soul style, blending expressive vocals with understated rhythm arrangements. He co-produced the album with Doug Gilmore and anchored the sessions with a compact ensemble: pianist/organist Gorden De Witty, organist Jeff Brown, guitarist/bassist Jackie Clark, bassist Ernie McDaniel, and drummers Jimmy Brown and Stu Perry. Backing vocals came from Clydie King, Jesse Smith, Julia Tillman, Maxine Willard, and Patrice Holloway.

Ware wrote or co-wrote seven of the nine tracks, including collaborations with Arthur Ross on “The Spirit Never Dies” and “Mr. Evolution,” and Bonnie Bramlett on “Able, Qualified and Ready” and “I Know How It Feels.” Bob Hilliard contributed to “Why Be Alone.”

The album moves between reflective ballads and lightly propulsive soul numbers. “The Spirit Never Dies” opens with piano arpeggios and a smooth, pleading vocal line. “Able, Qualified and Ready” and “I Know How It Feels” emphasize rhythmic drive and layered backing vocals, while “Mr. Evolution” and “Tamed to Be Wild” explore subtle instrumental textures, allowing Ware’s piano and phrasing to lead the songs.

A1. “The Spirit Never Dies” (2:48) — co-written with Arthur Ross, expressing enduring love and resilience.
A2. “Able, Qualified and Ready” (3:15) — co-written with Bonnie Bramlett, upbeat affirmation of personal confidence.
A3. “Why Be Alone” (3:31) — co-written with Bob Hilliard, exploring vulnerability and longing.
A4. “Mr. Evolution” (2:57) — co-written with Arthur Ross, contemplative reflection on personal growth.
A5. “Nothing’s Sweeter Than My Baby’s Love” (2:43) — Ware solo, tender romantic declaration.

B1. “What’s Your World” (4:25) — Ware solo, questioning and seeking connection.
B2. “I Know How It Feels” (3:23) — co-written with Bramlett, empathetic expression of shared experience.
B3. “It’s Just a Natural Thing” (3:26) — Ware solo, celebrating instinctive emotional responses.
B4. “Tamed to Be Wild” (4:01) — Ware solo, balancing restraint and expressive energy.

Sessions occurred at United Artists Recording Studio with Ware and Gilmore producing and Christina Hersch and Jerry Burns engineering.

Leon Ware features artwork by Norman Seeff with photography and art direction, complemented by Dave Bhang’s design.

United Artists promoted the album with the single “The Spirit Never Dies.”

Musical Massage

Leon Ware released his second album, Musical Massage, in September 1976 on Gordy.

The album extends the supple, string-laden soul of Marvin Gaye’s I Want You with lush arrangements, elastic rhythm lines, and sensual vocal interplay. Ware’s airy tenor glides across lightly syncopated rhythms that bridge 1970s soul with the rhythmic foundations of disco. He’s joined by bassist Chuck Rainey, guitarists David T. Walker and Ray Parker Jr., keyboardists Jerry Peters, John Barnes, and Sonny Burke, drummer James Gadson, percussionists Bobbye Hall, Gary Coleman, and Eddie “Bongo” Brown, and a chorus of background singers that includes Minnie Riperton, Marvin Gaye, Bobby Womack, Felicia Griner, Jessie Smith, and Merry Clayton.

Ware wrote eight of the album’s ten songs and co-wrote the remainder with Jacqueline Hilliard, Bruce Fisher, Quincy Jones, Stan Richardson, T-Boy Ross, and Pam Sawyer. Minnie Riperton and Richard Rudolph co-wrote “Turn Out the Light.”

Several tracks build from slow, string-centered settings into rhythmically playful passages, particularly “Learning How to Love You” and “Instant Love,” where Ware trades delicate phrases against light orchestral swells. The reworked “Body Heat,” originally cut with Minnie Riperton for Quincy Jones’ 1974 album of the same name, features Parker’s bright fills over Rainey’s supple bass. “Holiday” and the title track lean into understated funk phrasing with layered harmonies from Gaye and Womack. “French Waltz,” the album’s briefest piece, slips into a jazzy 3/4 reverie, while “Phantom Lover” and “Journey Into You” sustain the intimate, nocturnal tone.

A1. “Learning How to Love You” (3:31) – Written by Leon Ware. The album opens with Ware addressing the patience and vulnerability that real intimacy demands. The song’s rhythm moves with unhurried steadiness, its strings and electric piano interlocking like the gestures of a private exchange.

A2. “Instant Love” (3:27) – Written by Jacqueline Hilliard and Ware; produced by Hal Davis. An airy soul ballad with floating strings and duet vocals between Ware and Minnie Riperton, their dialogue tracing the tension between desire and hesitation. The pacing alternates restraint and release, while orchestral figures rise and fade like fleeting moments of connection.

A3. “Body Heat” (4:50) – Written by Bruce Fisher, Ware, Quincy Jones, and Stan Richardson; originated as a 1974 duet between Jones and Riperton on Jones’s album Body Heat. Ware reinterprets the composition with layered percussion and shifting rhythmic emphasis, transforming its sensuality into ritual motion.

A4. “Share Your Love” (3:30) – Written by Arthur “T-Boy” Ross, Ware, and Pam Sawyer; produced by Davis. The lyric frames affection as mutual offering rather than possession. A supple rhythm underpins call-and-response harmonies that echo the lyric’s theme of balance and reciprocity.

A5. “Holiday” (3:25) – Written by Ware; background vocals by Marvin Gaye and Bobby Womack. The track envisions escape not as distance but as emotional pause—a brief space for reflection. Its rhythm moves in slow cycles, the voices intertwining with understated ease.

B1. “Phantom Lover” (3:52) – Written by Hilliard and Ware. The lyric describes an imagined companion, part memory and part desire. Airy keyboard lines and choral shadows blur the line between solitude and longing, the rhythm pulsing like a heartbeat in half-light.

B2. “Journey Into You” (4:04) – Written by Ware and Terri McFaddin. The song expands spiritual and sensual exploration into a single motion. Layered percussion and fluid bass lines trace inward movement, while Ware’s phrasing conveys discovery more than declaration.

B3. “Musical Massage” (3:47) – Written by Ware; background vocals by Bobby Womack. The title track treats music as tactile experience—a healing exchange between voice and listener. Its structure moves in waves, alternating rhythmic firmness and harmonic suspension to evoke touch rendered in sound.

B4. “French Waltz” (2:02) – Written by Ware. A brief instrumental interlude that reframes romance as reflection. Its circular rhythm and concise phrasing evoke intimacy without language, closing like a thought left unfinished.

B5. “Turn Out the Light” (4:01) – Written by Ware, Minnie Riperton, and Richard Rudolph. The lyric calls for surrender at day’s end, its tone both intimate and unguarded. Riperton’s harmonies shadow Ware’s phrasing as the instrumentation withdraws, the final cadence dissolving into quiet release.

CD bonus tracks:

11. “I Wanna Be Where You Are” (3:34) – Originated as a 1972 single by Michael Jackson, written by Arthur “T-Boy” Ross and Ware. Ware revisits his own composition with more deliberate pacing, turning youthful yearning into mature reflection. The rhythm settles into steady repetition, emphasizing emotional steadiness over urgency.

12. “Comfort (A.K.A. Come Live With Me, Angel)” (6:15) – Written by Hilliard and Ware; first recorded by Marvin Gaye for I Want You (1976). Ware’s earlier version reveals its intent as intimate reassurance rather than seduction, with phrasing that treats tenderness as quiet invitation.

13. “Long Time No See (Demo for ‘Since I Had You’)” (3:46) – Written by Ware and Sawyer; later adapted for Gaye’s I Want You. Ware’s demo presents the lyric as understated reunion, where absence softens into familiarity. The rhythm breathes between each phrase, giving memory audible space.

14. “Don’t You Wanna Come (Demo for ‘After the Dance’)” (3:42) – Written by Ross and Ware; precursor to Gaye’s “After the Dance.” This version exposes the song’s framework—a sequence of subtle harmonic turns and whispered invitation—without the later ornamentation.

15. “You Are the Way You Are” (3:22) – Written by Ross and Ware. The lyric accepts love as recognition rather than transformation. Its rhythm moves with unforced grace, closing the collection on a tone of equilibrium and quiet acceptance.

Sessions occurred at Motown Recording Studios in Hollywood with Ware as primary producer and Hal Davis producing “Instant Love,” “Body Heat,” and “Share Your Love.” Cal Harris engineered the album.

Musical Massage features cover art with model Azizi Johari, whose sensual pose mirrors the album’s romantic themes.

Gordy promoted Musical Massage with “Learning How to Love You” (b/w “Phantom Lover”) in late 1976.

Several tracks from this album were recorded earlier by Marvin Gaye on I Want You, including “Come Live With Me Angel.” Ware’s “I Wanna Be Where You Are,” written with T-Boy Ross and first popularized by Michael Jackson in 1972, appears as a bonus track on later reissues.

Inside Is Love

Leon Ware released his third album, Inside Is Love, in 1979 on Fabulous.

The album sustains Ware’s silk-lined soul sound with light funk textures, orchestrated R&B arrangements, and understated rhythmic drive. It features multiple guitarists (including Wah Wah Watson and David T. Walker), three keyboardists (Criss Hall, Michael King, Sonny Burke), synthesizer player Pete Robinson, bassists Eddie Watkins, Frank McDonah, and Scott Lipsker, drummers Ed Green, Graham Jarvis, and Jeff Holman, percussionists Holden Raphael and Paulinho Da Costa, and a background vocal ensemble with Melissa Manchester, Deborah Thomas, Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, and Oren Waters.

Ware wrote or co-wrote all ten songs. He co-wrote “Inside Your Love” with Minnie Riperton and Richard Rudolph, “Love Is a Simple Thing” with Marcos Valle and Robert Lamm, “Small Café” with Ron Roker, “Club Sashay” with Melissa Manchester, “Try It Out” with Allee Willis, “Love Will Run Away” with Elkie Brooks, and “On the Island” and “Hungry” with Adrienne Anderson (the latter also with David Blumberg). “Inside Your Love” originated as “Inside My Love,” popularized by Riperton on her 1975 album Adventures in Paradise.

The album moves between soft rhythm-driven settings and sophisticated balladry. “What’s Your Name” opens with Ware’s playful vocal phrasing against a softly pulsing rhythm. “Love Is a Simple Thing” pivots on a bright, ascending chorus and orchestral lift. “Club Sashay” leans on a tender, midtempo pulse, while “Hungry” closes the set with a disco-inflected refrain. Ware’s own reading of “Inside Your Love” tempers the original’s sensual ambiguity with a warmer, slower build.

A1. “What’s Your Name” (4:10)
A2. “Inside Your Love” (4:35) — Ware’s version of “Inside My Love,” first recorded in 1975 by Minnie Riperton for Adventures in Paradise, co-written with Riperton and Richard Rudolph.
A3. “Love Is a Simple Thing” (3:03) — co-written with Marcos Valle and Robert Lamm.
A4. “Small Café” (3:43) — co-written with Ron Roker.
A5. “Club Sashay” (3:29) — co-written with Melissa Manchester.

B1. “Try It Out” (3:56) — co-written with Allee Willis.
B2. “Love Will Run Away” (4:36) — co-written with Elkie Brooks.
B3. “On the Island” (4:31) — co-written with Adrienne Anderson.
B4. “Hungry” (3:56) — co-written with Adrienne Anderson and David Blumberg.

Sessions occurred at A&M Studios and Hollywood Sound in Hollywood and Black Orpheus in Los Angeles with Ware producing and Ron Roker producing “Small Café.” Engineering was handled at the same facilities.

Fabulous promoted Inside Is Love with “What’s Your Name” (b/w “Club Sashay”) in 1979, which reached No. 42 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart. “Inside Your Love” (b/w “Hungry”) followed in 1980.

“Inside Your Love” was first recorded by Minnie Riperton in 1975 and has since remained one of Ware’s most enduring compositions.

Rockin’ You Eternally

Leon Ware released his fourth album, Rockin’ You Eternally, in 1981 on Elektra.

The album sustains Ware’s signature satin soul sound with light funk accents, velvety vocal layers, and orchestrated R&B textures. He surrounds himself with a tight session ensemble: Brazilian keyboardist Marcos Valle (electric piano), keyboardist William Beck (electric piano, piano), synthesizer player Michael Boddicker, bassist/guitarist Chet Willis, drummer James “Diamond” Williams (Ohio Players), percussionist Laudir de Oliveira (ex-Chicago), and arranger Gene Page, who scores the string and horn charts.

Ware wrote five of the album’s eight songs outright and co-wrote the remaining three with Valle, Richard Rudolph, de Oliveira, and Peter Cetera.

The set moves between tender midtempo vamps and sensuous ballads, with two rhythm-driven numbers opening the album and two extended, contemplative pieces closing each side. “A Little Boogie (Never Hurt No One)” uses light rhythmic bounce as a playful invitation. “Baby Don’t Stop Me” floats on soft synth tones and layered vocal phrasing. “Sure Do Want You Now” heightens the emotional register with a pleading vocal lead, while the title track unfolds in slow, hypnotic motion. The penultimate “Don’t Stay Away” is instrumental, led by an ascending string figure that swells with Page’s arrangement.

A1. “A Little Boogie (Never Hurt No One)” (4:30) — co-written with Richard Rudolph. Ware delivers an upbeat invitation to the dance floor over rhythmic punctuation and electric piano accents.
A2. “Baby Don’t Stop Me” (4:02) — co-written with Laudir de Oliveira, Marcos Valle, and Peter Cetera. Ware supports his own lead with warm layered background vocals and soft synth lines.
A3. “Sure Do Want You Now” (3:46) — co-written with Richard Rudolph. A midtempo plea anchored in lush harmonic vocal textures.
A4. “Our Time” (3:44) — co-written with Willie Beck, Clarence Willis, James Williams, and Richard Rudolph.

B1. “Rockin’ You Eternally” (4:21) — co-written with Marcos Valle. A languid title track with steady rhythm and romantic imagery.
B2. “Got to Be Loved” (3:49) — co-written with Valle and Rudolph.
B3. “Don’t Stay Away” (4:01) — instrumental with Gene Page’s string and horn arrangements at the forefront.
B4. “In Our Garden” (6:15) — co-written with Adrienne Anderson. Ware delivers an outward-looking lyric that contrasts the album’s romantic core.

Sessions occurred at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles with Leon Ware producing and Gene Page arranging strings and horns.

Elektra promoted Rockin’ You Eternally with “Baby Don’t Stop Me” in 1980, followed by the title track in 1981.

“In Our Garden” marks one of Ware’s rare excursions into social reflection, contrasting with the intimate focus of his preceding solo work. The title track has since been covered by Incognito in 1992.

Leon Ware (1982)

Leon Ware released his self-titled fifth album in 1982 on Elektra.

The album expands on Ware’s polished soul aesthetic with richer studio layering, a larger ensemble, and co-production from veteran arranger Marty Paich. It combines understated funk currents with smooth balladry, featuring multiple guitarists (David T. Walker, Dean Parks, Steve Lukather), three bassists (Nathan East, Chuck Rainey, Abraham Laboriel), four keyboardists (David Foster, Geoffrey Leib, Roland S. Burke, Marty Paich), two synthesizer players (Leib and Gary Chang), two drummers (Jeff Porcaro, James Gadson), two percussionists (Lenny Castro, Laudir de Oliveira), reedists Kurt McGettrick and tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri, and additional percussion and backing vocals by Airto Moreira. The chorus includes Bill Champlin, Tamara Champlin, Bonnie Bramlett, Chris Bennett, Joann Harris, Rita Coolidge, Janis Siegel, and Flora Purim.

Ware wrote or co-wrote eight of the album’s ten songs. He collaborated with David Foster and David Paich on “Slippin’ Away,” Allee Willis on “Shelter,” Janis Siegel on “Why I Came to California,” Marcos Valle on “Deeper Than Love” and “Somewhere,” William Beck, Chet Willis, and James Williams on “Can I Touch You There,” Bill Champlin on “Miracles,” and Laudir de Oliveira and Valle again on “Somewhere.” “Lost in Love With You” and “Where Are They Now” stem from outside writers.

The album shifts between driving midtempo settings and softened R&B reflections. “Slippin’ Away” sets a brisk opener with clipped rhythmic underlay and bright key textures. “Why I Came to California” layers silky harmonies and steady pulse, resulting in one of Ware’s most enduring compositions. “Deeper Than Love” takes shape around Barbieri’s fluid tenor sax phrasing. “Somewhere,” a duet with Purim, drifts in spacious textures. “Can I Touch You There” leans into pulsing rhythm and layered vocal lines, while “Words of Love” and “Miracles” inhabit Ware’s familiar romantic terrain.

A1. “Slippin’ Away” (4:11) — co-written with David Foster and David Paich.
A2. “Lost in Love With You” (3:52) — written by Geoffrey Leib.
A3. “Shelter” (3:56) — co-written with Allee Willis.
A4. “Why I Came to California” (4:10) — co-written with Janis Siegel.
A5. “Deeper Than Love” (3:23) — co-written with Marcos Valle.

B1. “Can I Touch You There” (4:05) — co-written with William Beck, Chet Willis, and James Williams.
B2. “Words of Love” (4:35) — written by Marti Sharron and Zenobia Conkerite.
B3. “Miracles” (4:06) — co-written with Bill Champlin.
B4. “Somewhere” (4:15) — co-written with Laudir de Oliveira and Valle.
B5. “Where Are They Now” (4:21) — written by John Bettis and Richard Kerr.

Sessions occurred at Ocean Way and The Village in Los Angeles with Leon Ware and Marty Paich producing. Paich arranged the rhythm and string elements, Jerry Hey arranged horns, Sid Sharp served as concertmaster, and Allen Sides engineered with overdubs by John Hanlon.

Elektra promoted Leon Ware with “Why I Came to California” and “Slippin’ Away” in 1982.

“Why I Came to California” became one of Ware’s most covered songs, later recorded by artists including Meshell Ndegeocello and Leon himself in live settings. “Slippin’ Away” also endured as a quiet storm staple.

Discography: