Leon Ware (born 6 February 1940, Detroit, Michigan) is a soul music singer, songwriter and producer who found his biggest success crafting the hit album, I Want You, for friend and Motown icon Marvin Gaye in 1976. Ware also is notable for writing the Top 5 R&B single, "I Wanna Be Where You Are", for a young Michael Jackson in 1972, and creating the Body Heat album along with Quincy Jones. He also contributed Maxwell on his debut set Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite.

During the 1970s and 1980 Ware released six albums under his name on different labels with moderate success, but his work is highly acclaimed by other musicians, such as Jay Kay from Jamiroquai.

He is also famous for his collaborations in the 1990s, for instance with Maxwell on the single "Sumthin' Sumthin'", Omar and Steve Spacek in 2005. During the last years he started recording on his own again. His albums Love's Drippin' and A Kiss In The Sand are sold over his homepage. His latest set Moon Ride was released on Stax in August 2008.

Ware has also produced for other acts including Diana Ross' younger brother Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, Minnie Riperton and others. He wrote several songs for George Clinton's group The Parliaments.

External links

• Artist page at Allmusic
• Artist page at Soul Walking