Was there a connection between Prince and Tony Lemans? Lemans had the song Higher Than High...which had a hook that sounded like it was lifted from the song Lovesexy (the horns). How did Tony Lemans die anyway?

Anyone? Anyone?

S3V3N said:

Produced by "Paisley Park" which usually means Prince involvement. Tony died in a motorcycle accident.

I could have sworn I read he died in a motorcycle accident.

Tony LeMans died on June 24, 1992, at the age of 29. I am not sure where exactly (have to scrounge up my old Controversy mags) but it might have been in Minnesota.

http://www.thisdaythatyea...eath24.htm
http://www.dailyalmanacs..../0624.html
http://www.inthe90s.com/g...1992.shtml
http://www.thedawn.freeuk...pgmc07.htm


Hope this helps ---

Tim // thedetroitcrawl.org

Anybody know where I can get an MP3 of Higher Than High? The CD is out of print, and I think it's too obscure to find online.

If you can help, give a shout!

S3V3N said:

It shows up on e-bay all the time. Cheap.

B4 seeing this about "Higher Than High" I had just spoke with someone about the night I met Tony. I worked 4 some clubs in Oakland Cali, and I remember this like yesterday. I was working at one doing my promotions biz at a club called Cleo's (long gone now) on second & Broadway Just B4 U get 2 Jack London Square.
It was a Wednesday (oldies night) in "89". Now mind U this was a adult joint in the city & I was just a music & club loving under age young-buck trying 2 hang out with all the older people back then. I was standing close 2 the DJ when this super cool cat slipped in with a fine woman who I did l know...She swore she was the sister of Vanity, and I was told this by other club goers that knew her she was the sister. All I knew was she was fine & yes, she really looked like Vanity or someone who could have been a sister. I can't recall her name.
Anyways she came 2 where the DJ & I were and this cat who looked like a singer, cause he had a black leather outfit on that did look stylin & his hair had a nice perm/curl that made me want 2 go get mines redone..lol. And he was about my skin tone...he looked like a mixed brotha. I Think he had some glasses on that were like the circle kind Prince wore in Purple Rain. So this cat was in the spotlight 4 a second cause nobody in the joint had on anything like what he was wearing.
The lady he was with introduced him 2 us as Tony Lemans, a new artist signed with Prince's then Paisley Park label. Being in2 Prince like I was it all made sense 2 me and I got that buzz of wow..he knows Prince etc etc... She was doing most of the talking as Tony just stood cool holding his first single Higher Then High~ Then got in on the talking explaining the single 2 us all in hopes the DJ that night would try it out on the crowd. But damn..the DJ who was nice was trying 2 tell Tony that it was "Oldies Night" and the crowd is only expecting 2 hear that...nothing else. Well Tony and that fine woman was very let down maybe even shocked 2 B turned down after talking about who his boss was. And that pretty much was it...we shared a friendly hand shake & talked about afew things that I can't remember now and they were gone... Just as fast as they entered. Later on of course I would hear of his death not that long after meeting him...It was pretty odd. I recall the thoughts wondering what if he had lived...what type of impact would his music have had or if I would even like it. More important I was left with the thought of knowing that life can end at any moment without warning.
In his words on Prince from a book: "Prince played a big part initially and taught me alot. He really believed in me, which is why he stepped back after that, 2 let me find my own way as a artist. Prince and everyone associated with him, were taking a big risk. They didn't really know what I could do. I didn't know what I could do. But they gave me the freedom 2 find out"
What a trip that I would B getting a double dose of Tony Lemans tonight....RIP~

Tony Leman's song "Higher Than High" is actually a remake of an old Sly Stone song called "The Same Thing That Makes You Laugh,Makes You Cry" (I think Tony changed a few lyrics).Tony's album features no Prince involvement,although Boni Boyer sings bcakground vocals on a few tracks.I wasn't too impressed with his album.He wasn't that great a singer,and the songs weren't really that outstanding....just a bunch of "lite-funk" tracks that never really ignite.The one great song was the Prince-inspired ballad "Forever More",which features Tony singing in a Princely falsetto.This song even received a little radio airplay,can't see why it was not released as an official single.
[This message was edited Mon Apr 22 3:39:59 PDT 2002 by DavidEye]

I understood that Tony was a member of Romeo Blue - that band Lenny Kravitz was in before he went solo. Is that right?

DavidEye said:

Geez thanks, I could have sworn that was a SLy Stone song, and it was! Great track, I got the 12".

Hey!

The last track on the album "a different kinda thing" is fantastic! same drums machine sound as Good Love!!!!

Best song on the album - very Prince meets David z fonk!