I was searching for one of the Mavis PP releases and came across some information on the label that mentioned this young man who was killed in a motorcycle accident.

Can anyone provide more information on him? Was he a Prince "protege" or did he just record at the Park?

Thanks for any info you can give.

He was an artist on Paisley Park Records.His debut album was released in the fall of 1989.I could be wrong,but I think he was related (somehow) to Billy Preston.I have his debut album on cassette.It's mostly funk/R&B.There's a really good slow jam called "Forever More" that got a little airplay.

In the early 90s,he was working on a new album but had a falling out with Prince.The album never materialized.In 1992,Tony died in a motorcycle accident.

SoulAlive said:

Thanks for the 411. I don't know how this guy got past me. I just don't remember him. I saw a video of his on youtube and it is not familiar at all.

bellanoche said:

His album went nowhere,so don't feel bad that you don't know much about him Back then,I bought everything that was released on Paisley Park,but I don't think the mainstream audiences ever heard of these people.No promotion whatsover.These albums came and went.

"Higher Than High" was THE JAM!!!!! RIP Tony.....

woogiebear said:

"COOKIE CRUMBLES" AS WELL!!!!!

OH WOW! YES, Tony Lemans was the man and yet the CD went NO WHERE.....R.I.P.

There was nit that much information on Tony Lemans , I bought the album.The best 2 songs i like was Higher Than High and Forever More. He was also dating Vanity's sister i cannot remember her name.

I hate to say this,but I wasn't too impressed with his album.The music is bland and not very distinctive."Forever More" is as good as it gets and even on that song,his falsetto sounds flat.The uptempo tracks are lite-funk numbers that don't really go anywhere.The potential is there but I think Tony simply needed some direction.

This is the tracklist to his album:

Higher Than High
Itchin To Be
Forever More
Different Kinda Thang
By The Way
Real Thing
Rhythm Rocker
Cookie Crumbles
Bundle Of Joy
Paradise
Good For You

"Higher Than High" is a tribute to Sly Stone.It's somewhat of a remake of an old Sly Stone song called "The Same Thing That Makes You Laugh Makes You Cry".Released as the first single,it received a little attention from R&B radio stations."Rhythm Rocker" and "Cookie Crumbles" feature background vocals from the late Boni Boyer.The latter song was released as the second single from the album but it went nowhere.In my area,the smooth slow jam "Forever More" was played on the radio a few times.It's the only truly GREAT song on the album (IMO) and I wonder why Paisley Park/Warners didn't release it as a single and promote it aggressively.

I have really enjoyed Tony LeMans' album since it was first released. "Real Thing" and "Rhythm Rocker" are my favorite cuts. I've always wondered the extent of Prince's involvement, especially on "Higher than High" with it's Lovesexy chords and "Different Kinda Thang" with Boni Boyer background vocals and a Prince sounding arrangement.

I've been looking for the video for "Higher than High", as Cat said she choreographed it.

Tony had a really cool voice and I think he would have had a successful post-Paisley Park career if the accident hadn't taken him.

Wow, you guys are like an encyclopedia. Much appreciated. Thanks! Sometimes I wish that I had purchased more of the associated artists' stuff back in the day. It would be nice to listen to it now - in a different space and time. All I really bought was Sheila, Vanity 6 and the Time. I have Mavis' first one on cassette as well as a Sheena Easton album with two P songs. That's it.

bellanoche said:

Trust me,you should be glad that you didn't waste your money on everything that was released on Paisley Park Records,lol.I made the mistake of buying Good Question and the Carmen Elektra CD

SoulAlive said:

Carmen Elektra??? You need a for that one. I avoided Carmen's CD like the plague.

Good Question? Was that the terrible rapper who appears on some post-Tony M 90's stuff? I know P couldn't pick rappers to save his life. The irony in it all was that I always thought he was a better rapper than the ones he picked. My brother bought the TC Ellis cassette single because he knew I was a huge fan. I don't have the heart to tell him that I NEVER listened to it. His performance at the end of GB was more than enough for me.

So, you're right. I'm glad I saved my money instead of sending it here

bellanoche said:

Good Question was a duo featuring two males.I think they were brothers? Their album was released in the summer of '88 and contained a minor hit "Got A New Love".Typical late-80s dance/pop

SoulAlive said:

I totally missed that. Sounds like I didn't miss much though.

Well whether you thought they were all great or not it'd still be nice to have them to go back and listen to as a retrospective and see where P's head was at the time.