UK songwriter and producer Ian Levine ailing

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    Noted soul music songwriter and producer Ian Levine has suffered a stroke and is attempting to recover. He wrote on his Facebook wall the following:

    As many of my close friends know, I am in hospital having suffered a major stroke. The left side of my body is paralysed and I am bitterly unhappy and resentful. I did not want this making public, but the last person in the world who I wanted to know, Philip Morris, has seen fit to tell the whole world against my wishes. I am very upset over this, so therefore have to own up what happened. I am fighting hard to recover the use of my foot but may never get my hand back. I still need everybody to support Cutting Edge, because I want it to still be going when I get better enough to DJ again. I told all my close friends that I did not want this news either on Soul Source or the Doctor Who forums because I did not want Philip Morris to know, because I knew he couldn't wait to spread the word. I'm trying to be as optimistic as possible and have had wonderful support from the best friends anyone could ever hope for. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

    I have no Facebook access in hospital, so my friends are reading all the comments to me. I am overcome with emotion by nearly 500 well wishes from my friends, particularly Andy Simpson whose wonderful words made me burst into tears with uncontrolled emotion. All these wonderful messages have made my misery a little more tolerable.
     
    While he has had a long and fruitful career, Levine is perhaps best known as one of the leaders in establishing the Hi-NRG style of dance music -- an ultra fast, electronic form of music that was popular in clubs in the late 70s and early 80s. He helped propel the careers of a number of UK artists such as the Pasadenas, Take That and Evelyn Thomas, and worked with a number of Motown vets on comeback music in the 80s. 

    We at SoulTracks are sending our prayers for his recovery.
     
    Check out Ian's You Tube page
     
    Thanks to Gary Van den Bussche of Disco, Gold Soul for letting us know.