#274 DON'T GIVE IN by Leon Patillo (1981)

DON'T GIVE IN by Leon Patillo (1981)
Myrrh | MSB-6662

Producer:

Skip Konte

File Under: CCM/Funk/R&B

Time Capsule-Worthy Track:

Star of the Morning

Leon Patillo has always struck me as a smooth, happy, funky dude. 

The son of a taxi driver, Patillo was born and raised in San Francisco. His pre-school teacher noticed his interest in music and suggested piano lessons for Leon when he was just four years old. The lessons worked. Patillo joined the choir at his Methodist church as a teenager and also played in a band called the VIPs, performing for local parties and dances. After finishing his education at San Francisco City College, Patillo formed a band called Leon's Creation, later shortening the name to just Creation. 

Creation got a deal with Atlantic Records and often served as the opening act for the band War. Leon moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles and found work as a backing vocalist and arranger for artists like Funkadelic, the Vandellas, and the Pointer Sisters. One day in 1973 Carlos Santana heard Leon sing on a demo tape and invited him to join Santana.  

Leon Patillo (third from the right) with Santana

As best can be determined, Leon Patillo toured with Santana for parts of four years and appeared on 2 or 3 of the group's albums, serving as a singer, keyboard player, and songwriter for the popular secular band. Patillo had become a Christian in 1974 and his newfound faith began to create a conflict within himself as he became increasingly uncomfortable with the lyrics he was expected to sing with Santana. The story is that Leon was fired from the band after a tour in 1977 because Carlos Santana wasn't happy with his performance. Patillo says the real reason is that he was actively (and successfully) witnessing to other musicians on the band's tours. "Lots of people were becoming Christians, but nobody was becoming Buddhist," Patillo said.

So Leon then got involved with Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California and Maranatha Music. The result was 1979's Dance, Children, Dance.  

Patillo was initially billed as another big secular star (think: B.J. Thomas, Joe English, Dan Peek) who was leaving the dark side to become one of us. This was a bit of a risky strategy because Patillo was never a major part of Santana. Eventually, Patillo's record companies dropped Santana as part of the marketing plan and just let Leon's music speak for itself...which worked out great, since Patillo enjoyed good sales figures, fourteen charting singles and a Dove Award over the course of his CCM career.

Dance Children Dance sported memorable cover art by Larry McAdams. The album was full of life and showcased rhythms that were somewhat fresh and new. It's been called CCM's first dance record. Patillo played virtually every instrument on the album. Songs like Born Again, Temple to the Sky and the title track became hits.

Don't Give In was Patillo's sophomore release and certainly did nothing to slow his momentum, despite the garish cover design (someone got a little too happy with the neon effect).

Don't Give In delivered some huge hits. 

Flesh of My Flesh became one of the most iconic Christian wedding songs of the 80s (and beyond). Author Mark Allan Powell said Flesh of My Flesh became "one of Patillo's most enduring and popular" songs. 

It's almost impossible to read these words without hearing that familiar melody in your head...

You are flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone
There's no one closer
You are flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone
We are one

I do give my life to you
Today and every day
I will stand right by your side
Whatever comes our way
I have searched and searched for someone
Who'd make my dreams come true
Nowhere else on this earth
Is there anyone like you

Jackie and Leon Patillo in the 1970s

Sadly, Patillo's own marriage did not survive. His ex-wife Jackie worked in various positions for record companies like Star Song and Benson and today is president and executive director of the Gospel Music Association, according to her website. Patillo remarried in 1999 and if Facebook posts are to be believed, he and his wife Renee are still deliriously happy. Renee works in the family business, serving as CEO and co-founder of Patillo's S.I.N.G. Foundation.

Leon & Renee Patillo

Leon Patillo blamed himself for the breakup of his first marriage, saying that he was guilty of putting ministry ahead of family. A divorce is always painful, regardless of the reasons why and irrespective of who's to blame. But a divorce is especially embarrassing when you've written lyrics like Others try and separate us / But they don't stand a chance and The storms of life can blow and blow But they won't knock us down / We'll stand the test, the test of time / 'Cause we stand on holy ground. Sometimes I think Satan works overtime to try to destroy marriages of those who've effectively ministered to the marriages of others. With songs like Flesh of My Flesh, Security and Treat Her Like A Lady, Leon Patillo ministered to other couples in a powerful and meaningful way. In so doing, he might've unknowingly made his own marriage a target.

Star of the Morning was another favorite from this album. It was half worship anthem/half history lesson, focusing on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. 

All of creation sings, Star of the Morning
Praise to the risen King, Star of the Morning

People shouted, "Here comes the King!"
As You marched down the road to Jerusalem
There were tears in Your eyes
The same ones who cheered, yelled, "Crucify!"

I lift my hands to Thee, Star of the Morning
You gave Your life for me, Star of the Morning

When they nailed You to the tree
They thought they had won a mighty victory
But not even death could hold You down
On that third day, You rose from the ground

Hallelujah...

One day soon we'll look on high
And the angels of God will light up the sky
What a day that will be
When Jesus our Lord comes for you and me

Star of the Morning went all the way to #2 on CCM radio airplay charts. It would rightfully belong on any Leon Patillo greatest hits collection.

Interestingly, Patillo offered two secular covers on this album - (Your Love is Lifting Me) Higher and Higher, originally popularized by Jackie Wilson in the 60s and Rita Coolidge in the 70s; and My Sweet Lord, made popular by Geoge Harrison. In each case, Patillo makes the song his own with some musical tweaks and sings it from a Christian perspective. This is especially important in the case of My Sweet Lord (the Hare Krishna references would've been somewhat confusing on a CCM album). By the way, Patillo wasn't the first Christian artist to try to "redeem" My Sweet Lord; Larry Norman holds that distinction.

Don't Give In was produced by Skip Konte; the album was recorded, mixed and mastered at International Automated Media. Dennis Hill supplied art direction and Alan Bergman took the photos. 

Background vocals were supplied by Fred Field, Mickey Rooney Jr., Donn Thomas, Denny Correll, and Denny's younger brother Tim (among others). Charlie Souza played bass, Gaylord Birch played drums, and Leon Patillo played all the keyboards. The record was engineered by Brook Johnson and Willie Harlan, mastered by Richard Donaldson, and mixed by Willie Harlan. The tracks were orchestrated by Dave Garland.

Don't Give In ends with a song that has been a missions anthem over the years, simply entitled Go. This song also served as the title track of an album by Shirley Caeser, also released in 1981. But these powerful words, echoing the Great Commission, were penned by Leon Patillo:

Go ye therefore and teach all nations, go, go, go
Go ye therefore and teach all nations, go, go, go
Baptizing them in the Name of the Father,
And Son, and Holy Ghost, go, go, go

If you love Me, really love Me, feed My sheep
If you love Me, really love Me, feed My sheep
And lo, I'll be with You forever and ever
Until the end of the world, go, go, go

Leon Patillo was just getting warmed up. He would release eight more albums, the last one coming in 2005. He's always been a multi-talented performer (singer/songwriter, keyboardist, dancer, TV host). And he's still active in music ministry today. Patillo has always seen himself as an encourager, with a reach that crosses age barriers and ethnic lines. His music has definitely brought joy to the hearts of many people over the decades. 

Fun fact: Leon Patillo led Phillip Bailey to the Lord when Santana was on tour with Earth, Wind and Fire.