DESCRIPTION:
L.T.D. (which stands for Love, Togetherness, and Devotion), was formed in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1968, when Arthur "Lorenzo" Carnegie (alto and tenor saxes, flute, guitar), Jake Riley (trombone) Carle Wayne Vickers (trumpet, flute, soprano sax) and Abraham "Onion" Miller (tenor sax, vocals), who had been working as members of the 15 piece "Fantastic Soul Men Orchestra" backing the ever popular duo of Sam & Dave, along with Jimmy "J.D." Davis (keyboards, vocals), formed their own band named Love Men Ltd. They then drove to New York City, in a car that they purchased together (a 1956 Chevy), and lived in the Hamilton Heights section of Harlem on 149th and Broadway, where Toby Wynn (baritone sax) joined them. While performing on a gig in Providence, Rhode Island, Jeffrey Osborne (drums, lead vocals) was recruited by them.

After two years in New York, they drove two cars and a trailer to Los Angeles, California, where Jeffrey's brother, Billy Osborne (organ, drums, keyboards, co-lead vocals), Celeste Cole (vocals), Henry E. Davis (bass, vocals) and Robert Santiel (congas, percussion) joined them. 1974 found them signing with A&M Records as L.T.D. (Love Togetherness & Devotion). In 1976, Johnny McGhee (guitar) joined the band. Jeffrey was moved out front as the lead vocalist, with Melvin Webb taking over on drums in 1977. Webb was replaced by Alvino Bennett in late 1978.

The group then went on to produce songs such as "Love Ballad", "(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again", "Concentrate On You", "Holding On (When Love Is Gone)", and many others. Soon after the band's 1980 album Shine On, Jeffrey and Billy Osborne departed to start solo careers. Andre Ray and Leslie Wilson (formerly of New Birth) were then chosen as lead vocalists for their next album Love Magic which produced two more hits, "April Love", and "Kicking Back". Leslie Wilson left to continue his solo career and L.T.D. stayed busy in the music industry by recording for small independent record labels, and doing their own personal music projects.

In 1999, a L.T.D. copycat band lost a federal court battle with the current three original members of L.T.D. retaining the rights, and ownership of the name L.T.D. The three original members, Arthur "Lorenzo" Carnegie (saxes, flute, guitar, vocals), Carle Wayne Vickers (trumpet, flute, saxes,vocals), Johnny McGhee (guitar, vocals), along with new members, Tresure (Mark Vincent Brown), (lead vocals, keys), Aya Iwata, (keys, vocals),Herbert Lee Woods (keys,vocals),Steve Toussaint (bass, vocals) and Tefere Hazy (drums, vocals) have been touring all over the U.S. since 1999.

Jake Riley (original trombonist), died in 2000, and James "JD" Davis (keyboards, vocals), died on May 22, 2008. Henry E. Davis died January 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA.


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