Lemoyne Alexander ‘LA’
Bio
Lemoyne Emmanuel Alexander Smith began his career in Chicago in the mid-70’s as a back up singer in the youthful doo wop singing group “The Young Masters” made up of his brothers and friends managed by his father Oscar Smith, once a prolific drummer and percussionist with Chess Records. While in school he started a band with a friend the son of Tim McPherson of the 70’s doo wop duo “Mel and Tim” Cassius Mcpherson. The two of them recruited their siblings and hijacked the name “The young Masters” and formed a band.
Lemoyne was raised in a musical household his father, an in house musician with Chess Records his mother, a church choir singer and his brothers also singers and musicians but it was the guitar that got his attention that a uncle left behind. While expelled from school his father gave him a choice and he forced himself to learn guitar to be able to stay home that’s when he realized he loved guitar. The foursome broke up a year later. During the breakthrough sound of the FUNK era with the big bands he formed his own funk band that would win talent shows all over town and earn respect in the musical community as “Generation” that’s when he stepped up front as the lead vocalist. As any band would have creative differences members were coming and going but it was in the early 80’s when the final line-up would record their first record in the studio with his father at front center as producer. The record was never released but it helped Lemoyne develop a new introspective look at producing music and the next time he would be front and center in the studio making their 2nd record but in the middle of the recording the final line up would disband leaving only just the brothers and his father to carry the sessions and another record would bite the dust.
The 80’s sound would transpire into a new revolution of electronic music and with this new development Lemoyne would thrive in this genre breaking new ground as a multi instrumentalist and creative songwriting that would land him a record deal with an independent label but instead of signing as a solo artist he developed a new band and recruited his brothers and sported a new name “The Fascination” equipped with a new look and sound, this time as the front man as well as producer releasing the first of many dance singles that would define his career. “why are you always complaining” debuted on the top 40 dance charts and would be the moniker of their sound. A rich Minneapolis Prince/Time sound that would earn him and the band accolades as the answer to the breakthrough record for Janet Jackson “what have you done for me lately,”. As the band generated success in their hometown, Lemoyne began spreading his talents as a producer with other artists. It was then he dawned the name Alexander Friday as his pseudonym and during the end of the 80’s he would he produced two more chart topping hits for The Fascination before disbanding the band.
The 90’s would be where he cut his musical teeth as a prolific Producer of many genres most notably the eruption of RAP. In the early 90’s Lemoyne returned back to his hometown joining ex-member of the fascination to form a production team with Rap Artist Mr.Lee at Jive records entitled “3 da Hardway” with a list of credits such as R.Kelly, Aalyiah, Nuttin Nyce, Dj Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and more. Before solidifying his accomplishments with numerous Gold and Platinum records through the 90’s He would change his name to Lemoyne Alexander and emerge as an in house producer with many labels Like Jive ,Biv10. Motown, Rap-A-Lot and etc. On his own his list of credits includes Total, Subway.
Public Announcement, Johnny P and more and as his A-List of artists would grow, his niche would be RAP in the mid-2000’s. Signing to a lucrative publishing deal with legendary Music Attorney ”Londell McMillan’s North Star Publishing & soon after a production deal with "Rap-A-LOT Records would prove his mark in the music business.
Lemoyne would build his career supporting A-list Rappers and revolutionizing the rap game with his supreme tracks earning a huge following as the Midwest’s best kept secret. He was Chicago Sun-times, Chicago Defender and Murder Dog’s “Producer of the year” from 2000 to 2001 all at the same time with a list of artist like Doug E Fresh, Dmx, Fat Joe, Question, Twista & Layzie Bone, Malik Yusef, Scarface, Snypaz, Mdoc, Paul Wall to name a few His Production skills would be featured on the Bet hit series ‘BEEF” bridging the monumental gap between east and west coast rivals LAYZIE BONE and TWISTA to an end. after creating a name for himself he shared his notoriety serving as a judge in the international World Of Stars television show and participating in many music conferences around the world sharing his career facts, history and humble beginnings of making music.
He tested the waters scoring his first film “Crime Partners” and then lending his tumultuous sound to the library of Oprah, Jenny Jones, Dr.Oz and The Doctors National syndicated television shows. In 2007 his production was nominated for Artist of the year and Song of the year for new artist “Dave Sereny” featuring legendary artist like Bob James, Nathan Watts, Warren Hill, N’Dea Davenport and the late Wayman Tisdale along with producing the iconic lead vocalist of the fame group Jodeci and K-ci and JoJo K-Ci Hailey’s first solo album effort earning a spot on the billboard’s top 20 adult contemporary charts. In 2009 and eventually finalizing his last Rap record with Jazza Pha & Too Short on The Billboard Top 20 hit "Gone", Lemoyne earned respect as an A-List producer behind many hits and decided to leave it all behind to form the Interracial Rock Band “St8 Of Grace” Developing a new and raw sound combining genres like rock Rap, Metal and Hard rock together resulting into three albums and a fourth on the way. In the midst of touring 2013 He Directed his first film” The Visitors” for the horror network “FEARnet “also Producing another US billboard single for Australian Rapper ‘Nick Dela Hoyde reaching no# 36 on the top 40 indicator charts.
In 2016 Lemoyne dove direct into writing and producing films with his next project “Laundromat” scheduled for a film release worldwide in 2018. Lemoyne also began writing and producing his fist solo album entitled “Nostalgia”after many years of being the front man in many bands to being his own band. The new album features a nostalgic sound of funk and rock. The multi instrumentalist will be putting the finishing touches on the Guitar driven album with surprise features in 2018. Lemoyne is one of the best accomplished underrated guitarist of our time and with this album he’ll find his place alongside the best guitarist in the business.