Born: February 8, 1937, Dewey Rose, Georgia Died: July 17, 2002, Chicago

Otis Leavill began his musical journey with the release of his first record, "Ride Sally Ride," on Mercury's Limelight subsidiary. Although he states that he recorded it for St. Lawrence Records, the master was ultimately leased out. His subsequent release, "Gotta Right to Cry," a song by Curtis Mayfield, appeared on Lucky Records, following Major Lance's earlier rendition in 1963 for Okeh Records. In 1966, Leavill achieved a significant milestone with "Let Her Love Me," which reached number 31 on Billboard's R&B chart. This Mayfield ballad, featuring the Impressions on backing vocals, marked Blue Rock Records' first national hit. His participation in Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars offered him an early touring opportunity, initially as an accompanist for Major Lance. However, as "Let Her Love Me" gained traction on the airwaves, Clark provided Leavill with a paid slot to perform two songs.

Before this breakthrough, Leavill developed a close relationship with record producer Carl Davis at Okeh Records, where he served as Davis' right-hand man. His responsibilities included scheduling artists and coordinating studio sessions with musicians and backing singers. Leavill had a keen eye for talent, discovering groups such as the Chi-lites, Tyrone Davis, Bohannon, and Manchild, which featured Kenneth "Baby Face" Edmonds. In a notable decision, Leavill and Davis chose not to pursue Yvette Stevens, a spirited 16-year-old singer, due to concerns about her potential to distract from their work; she would later become known as Chaka Khan, with her sister Yvonne adopting the name Taka Boom. Leavill admired the Vibrations for their ability to perform the "money songs," the standards that often led to lucrative gigs in Las Vegas, though their Okeh recordings, including "Pick Me," "Misty," and "Love in Them There Hills," garnered only modest success.

Leavill's next venture was with Blue Rock Records, where he produced notable tracks, including Billy Butler's "To Be or Not to Be" and "Let Me Live." When Carl Davis established the Dakar label, he appointed Leavill as Vice-President and offered him shares in the company. During his time at Dakar, Leavill recorded one of his biggest hits, Eugene Record's "I Love You," which peaked at number 10 on the R&B chart and reached number 64 on the Pop chart. Another Record composition, "Love Uprising," came close to replicating this success, reaching number 19 on R&B and number 72 on Pop. Another single, "There's Nothing Better Than Loving You," barely made it onto the lower tiers of the R&B chart. Despite these successes, Dakar did not release an album featuring Leavill. His recordings at Dakar, produced by Willie Henderson, featured backing vocals from Record and Barbara Acklin.

Following the closure of Dakar, Leavill moved to Brunswick Records with Davis, where he released tracks such as "Can't Stop Loving You," a collector's item valued at $40. However, he did not achieve the same level of success he had experienced at Dakar. His subsequent releases were infrequent, including "Right Back in Love" on Columbia Records, marking the decline of his recording career. As a songwriter, Leavill is credited with 41 songs by BMI, including "There's Goes the Lover" for Gene Chandler and "Sweet Music" for Major Lance. He also produced tracks for Tyrone Davis and oversaw Major Lance's Motown album, Now Arriving. More active behind the scenes than in the spotlight, Leavill retained fond memories of his musical career.

Leavill was divorced from Minnie Cobb and had a daughter, Misti, who graduated from Millikin University in Decatur, IL. In 1999, he toured European clubs with the Dells. Unbeknownst to many, he and Carl Davis spent seven years coaching football at Hyde Park High School. Never one to be idle, Leavill owned the '76 Car Wash and Gas Station at Washington and Pulaski, and also worked as a police officer in a suburban area of Chicago. In 2000, he established OK Records after a lengthy hiatus from the music industry. Tragically, Otis Leavill passed away from a heart attack on July 17, 2002, at the age of 65, retaining the drive and energy that once earned him respect as an amateur boxer at St. Albees.