Artist(s) Focus: Dave Tolliver            week of 01/22/2017-01/28/2017

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DAVE:

BIOGRAPHY

Born in the city of Rock n Roll (Cleveland) David (Dave) Tolliver a.k.a. "Blaq Pavarotti" was destined for music success. Son of a Gospel singer, nephew of a nationally celebrated radio announcer and gold selling BMI award winning writer, and Grandson of a man who once sang for President Roosevelt what else was he to do. His future was preset like a wedding between two royal families. Starting at age 4 he began singing in the church and eventually directed the children's choir.

By the age of 15 Dave was summoned to become a part-time radio announcer under his Uncle Lynn Tolliver. This brought instant success to a teenager in his junior year of high school. For 16 years he would successfully lock down the #1 spots of any time slot he held. During his radio tenure Dave also spent a stint in the Virgin Islands as co-host of the Big Fat Morning Show. During those radio days he would go on to interview some of music's biggest stars from Martin Lawrence to L.L. Cool J, break major records,  and work every shift in 5 different formats.

The world of the music for Dave started with a bang as the late great Gerald Levert handpicked Dave and Jason Champion for Men At Large whom later would contribute to music history and topping charts and selling millions of albums.As well as singing Dave has appeared in over 26 stage plays, 9 movies as well as a host of judging, and hosting appearances across the country. He often takes time to mentor young artists who are trying to fInd their way in the biz with helpful advice or intuitive vocal and staging techniques.  

Being a trendsetter for the plus sized and his love for looking and smelling nice Dave is starting a unisex vest line called "Invested". Vests in his eyes can be worn for all levels of events and can also be used as bulge hiders, which is the main reason for his passion for wearing vests.  

Through it all Dave is a survivor and refuses to change his style for the watered down stylings of today's newer artists.  He believes there is a void in the lane of true "Soul Music" and he plans to continue in the same path as his late great brother and mentor Gerald Levert. Tolliver attributes his longevity to staying true and loyal to what got him to the top of the charts before and believes the true music lovers will always recognize and eventually bring him back!  Get ready! The time cometh again.

DISCOGRAPHY

1992 Men At Large

Platinum/Atlantic

1994 One Size Fits All

Gold/Atlantic

1997 Love Struggle & Progress

Rival (Indi)

2007 Back On Top

Couzan (Indi)

2009 Blaq Pavarotti

FBMG (Indi)

2015 Somethinlikethegreatest

Spectra (Indi)

2015 Somethinlikethegreatest Vol. 2

Spectra  (Indi)

Dave Tolliver's

Entertainment Bio

Men At Large discovered by the late great Gerald Levert are the last of a dying breed! In 1992 Men At Large shocked the world with its self titled debut on the Atlantic Records label. Their first single "Use Me" became an instant radio hit inspiring B.E.T, to use it for a station jingle.They would go on to release 4 more singles from the cd. "You Me", "Umm Umm Good", "Would You Like to Dance", and the RnB Classic "So Alone" which made Billboard Hot 100 list and was radio's #1 song of the year in 1993. Traveling the world with its other 90's cohorts (Rude Boys, Shai, Silk, H-Town, Levert II, Next, etc)  they would leave each city with the reputation of being the "Show Stoppers!"

It didn't stop there in 1994 they released "One Size Fits All" gaining less success as the first but still garnering critical acclaim. Releasing 2 singles "Let's Talk About It" and "Holiday" top 10 and 20 respectively they continued to shock the world town by town. Being bred by Eddie and Gerald Levert gave these 2 an obvious advantage. As time moved on the duo would sever ties with the Levert camp only to find the next chapters not as plentiful as the beginning. Still riding off the success of its first 2 records the boys would continue to ride the rails of success as the people just couldn't get enough of the boys.

In 1999 and 2007 they released "Love Struggle and Progress" and "Back on Top" doing mediocre numbers but plentiful on an independent level winning best group awards and independent video of the year nominations, only to lose to the great Kenny Rogers. To date the group still tours extensively around the country with their 90s music peers leaving the crowd amazed and wanting more.  Their powerful vocals and zany stage antics keep the fans applauding.  Bred from the Levert pedigree what else would you expect!