O'Jays still riding the 'Love Train'

The list of the O’Jays’ hits reads like a soundtrack to the ‘70s: “Backstabbers.” “For the Love of Money.” And the immortal “Love Train.”

More than 40 years after the group’s commercial heyday, founders Walter Williams and Eddie Levert are still at it, supplemented by newer member Eric Nolan Grant. They perform Friday at the Crown Theatre as part of Community Concerts.

Recently, Williams took a few minutes to talk by phone about the O’Jays past, present and future. He also discussed the multiple sclerosis that he has battled for more than 30 years. Here are excerpts:

Weekender: Tell me about the show you’ll be bringing here.

Williams: Well, we’ve been blessed to have a lot of hits over the years, like "Love Train,'' "For the Love of Money,'' "Use Ta Be My Girl,'' “Backstabbers.'' We’ll be doing all of those, (and) the songs off the new album called “The Last Word.” The first release was a song called "Above the Law” and the next release is a song called “I Got You,” that’s out now. We’re adding those in the show during this rehearsal. And placement will be hard because we have a great lineup now. We’ll figure it out.

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We’re mixing and matching, but I think we’ll come up with something that’s dynamic. That’s how we like to roll. We’re older guys now. We still do somewhat of a high energy show, as far as a bunch of 75-year-old guys can do.

Weekender: What was it like working with producers (Kenneth) Gamble and (Leon) Huff back in the ‘’70s?

Williams: It was phenomenal. I used to sit in the studio and see how they put songs together. They are great producers, they’re very creative, and they write songs lyrically that mean something, especially man-woman relationships.

We were called in those days their messengers, because we did a lot of message songs. Like, our biggest song to date is "Love Train,'' and it included the whole world and it spoke of love and that’s what the Bible does, mostly, speak of love and staying on that straight and narrow, which is most difficult in this world.

Working with them, I learned a lot, because in those days — I don’t do it much anymore — but in those day I was trying to write and produce and create, and they were great examples to follow if you could be privileged enough to sit in the studio while they were putting songs together.

Weekender: You and Eddie Levert have been together a long time. Why do you think you’ve been able to stick it out?

Williams: Well, we finally grew and learned, because he and I are nothing alike other than blessed with the talent. And it was early on, difficult business-wise agreeing with and being cohesive, but we finally learned to get a mediator, someone we trusted. We gave him the power to say, "Eddie you’re wrong, Walter’s right,'' or "Walter, you’re wrong, Eddie’s right.'' And we trusted that.

Weekender: You’ve battled multiple sclerosis. Has it made it difficult for you to perform?

Williams: Now it’s in remission and has been for probably the last seven years. Actually, I’m writing a book about it, "Dancing with the Pain of MS.'' It was very difficult at first, when it first happened, because I didn’t know what it was. We were on tour and I stopped at a lot of hospitals trying to get someone to diagnose what was going on with me.

When I was diagnosed with it, I went home, I had a pity party for about a month, and I got (mad). I said, "OK, if you’re going to get me, you’re going to get me fighting back.'' So I changed my eating habits, I started exercising, I started doing things that would make my body strong.

Weekender: Why do you think the O’Jays' music has endured for 40 years or more?

Williams: I think it’s because lyrically the songs were relative to people in relationships, and I think we spoke about the situations in the world and in our everyday lives, and I think people were able to relate to that and hang on to those songs because they meant something to them.

I think that’s what it is, people are able to relate to their real-life situations through the lyrics in those songs.

Weekender: How long do you see continuing with the O’Jays?

Williams: Well, this album is called "The Last Word,'' and I won’t be in that group they call the “Old Jays.” Physically, as long as I’m able to do it and do it where we don’t look like an old act and have to sit on stools and can hardly get around. I won’t be in that group. I’ll call it quits and play golf. Go fishing.

Staff writer Rodger Mullen can be reached at rmullen@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3561.

• Where: Crown Theatre

• When: Friday at 7:30 p.m.

• Tickets: $45 to $95

• Information: 910-438-4100 or crowncomplexnc.com

The O'Jays