Geoff Levin (born September 14, 1945) is an American rock musician, film/television composer and songwriter. Performing as part of the Black Mountain Boys with Jerry Garcia in the early years of his career, in 1968 his own group, People!, scored a hit record "I Love You" on Capitol Records. Together with Geoffrey Lewis in 1970, he created Celestial Navigations, a storytelling group, that produced 8 albums, several made the Billboard (New Age) charts. He co-composed and co-produced "The Janitor", an Academy Award-nominated animated short based on a story by Geoffrey Lewis from the album Celestial Navigations. Levin has scored over 40 full-length films and has created music used in many TV shows including The Sopranos, Chicago Fire, The Good Wife, Friends, Bloodline, SNL, Game of Thrones, Friday Night Lights, CSI, and Weeds. He co-wrote the theme song for Jakers, an Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning PBS animated series. In addition, he composed music for James Cameron's deep sea documentary, Last Mysteries of the Titanic. In 2007, as part of People!, Levin was inducted into San Jose's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Biography Levin was born in San Francisco, California, to Manny Levin and Esther Bloom. Levin grew up in San Jose and attended Willow Glen High School. He began playing the guitar at 16 and started performing at 17. He performed regularly at Offstage, a folk club in San Jose founded by Paul Foster that later hosted artists including the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Kantner, Jerry Garcia David Freiberg and David Crosby, Odetta, Jesse Fuller, The Albin Brothers (members of Janis Joplin's band) and Malvina Reynolds. Levin attended San Jose State University and performed with numerous artists including Jerry Garcia and the Black Mountain Boys and his own band, The Piney Creek Ramblers with his brother Robbie Levin.
In 2017, Levin's former band People! decided to come back together to start recording their new album which includes the single Eve of Destruction. Current members include, Gene Mason, Denny Fridkin, Robb Levin, Geoff Levin, and John Tristao.
Career People! Levin is a former member of the rock band People!.
Producing Levin helped produced the album Tusks & Horns for artist Mayuka Thaïs which was released in May 2014. Levin and Thaïs performed the single off the album Tusks & Horns at the Global March for Elephants & Rhinos on October 4, 2014.
Collaboration For her exhibition held at the Carnegie Art Museum, Levin collaborated with artist Bobbie Moline-Kramer by adding auditory experience to complement the art pieces.
Personal life In 1975, Levin met Diana Canova and in 1976 they were married. They divorced in 1979. In 1993, Levin married Lisa London and had two children, son Collin, and daughter Savannah. Levin and London divorced in 2006. Levin was a Scientologist for 30 years, even having served in the Sea Org, Scientology's religious order, aboard the Apollo.
Discography Film Year Title Director Studio Notes 1983 The Measure of America Tom Solari Solari Communications 1987 Heart James Lemmo New World Pictures 1999 Spies and Lovers Gary Graver International Investment Holdings Ltd. 1989 Beyond the Stars David Saperstein Five Star Entertainment 1989 Dreamers Robert F. Lyons Midsummer Productions 1990 Nerds of a Feather Gary Graver 1994 Skins Wings Hauser Single Wing Productions 1995 The Janitor Vanessa Schwartz National Film Board of Canada Academy Award-nominated animated short based on a story by Geoffrey Lewis from the album Celestial Navigations. 1997 I'll Be Home for Christmas Jerry London Fremantle Media North America 1997 Mobius Noel Sterrett Admit One Pictures 1998 Second Chances James Fargo Rhineberger Organization Inc. 1999 Jimmy Zip Robert McGinley 1999 A Kid Called Danger Eric Hendershot Speedy Films 1999 Wasted in Babylon Joshua McGowan 1999 The Last Great Ride Ralph E. Portillo Mosquito Productions 2000 The Smokers Kat Slater International Production Company 2000 The Black Rose Steven Rush Handheld Productions 2001 Extreme Honor Steven Rush Handheld Productions 2002 Bloody Crisis Gerald Barclay Gee-Bee Productions 2002 Hungry Hearts Rolf Schrader Ascension 7 Films 2002 Hello Tom Cadman 2003 Moving Alan Christopher Shelton Destiny Entertainment 2003 The Ghost Club Ralph E. Portillo Hemisphere Entertainment 2003 The Wager Henry Crum 2003 A.N.I. 1240 Rolf Schrader American Film Institute 2003 Double Negative Tue Walin Storm American Film Institute 2003 Underdog Scott Leberecht 2003 One of Them Ralph E. Portillo MTI Home Video 2003 Natural Selection Scott Leberecht 2004 Undercover Kids Ralph E. Portillo Hemisphere Entertainment 2004 Quiet Kill Mark Jones Esoteric Pictures 2004 Among Thieves Oscar Daniels Red Sea Films 2004 Haunted House Conrad John 2005 United Taron Lexton TXL Films 2005 Searching for Bobby D Paul Borghese Neighborhood Filmworks 2008 Kemper Rick Bitzelberger Mainline Releasing 2005 Made for Each Other Brad White White Film Production 2005 Last Mysteries of the Titanic Neil Flagg Discovery Channel 2005 Confessions of a Pit Fighter Art Camacho Alliance Group Entertainment 2006 Strip Poker Alex D'Lerma Tostado Productions 2006 House of the Rising Sun Bill Balas AYM Films 2006 Who Made the Potatoe Salad? Coke Daniels Dos Bros. LLC 2006 Social Security Guard Jason Cook 2007 Agenda Jonathan de la Luz Azisa Pictures 2007 The Rat Thing Kevin Keresey Relentless Productions 2007 The Tehuacan Project Andrew Lauer Reel-Aid 2007 Born Richard Friedman Devil's Child Picture Company 2007 From Fire: An Odyssey of Glass Karen Lavender LiveTribe Productions 2007 Yours Truly Tom Wozny 2008 The Grift Ralph E. Portillo Hemisphere Entertainment 2008 Triloquist Mark Jones Sawyers Levine Jones Productions 2008 America's Phoneless Ted Prescott Prince / Prescott Productions 2008 Nine Fourteen Carolyn Bevacqua 2009 Set Apart Ralph E. Portillo Hemisphere Entertainment 2009 Becoming Jesse Tate Ralph E. Portillo GodFilms 2009 Flying By Jim Amatulli Arte Films 2009 Spaceman on Earth Shant Hamassian 2011 Dreams Awake Jerry Alden Deal Susan Johnston Casting 2011 Midnight Son Scott Leberecht Free Lunch Productions 2012 Henry Collin Mckenzee Levin 2012 iVOTE Rob Adler 2013 Avec amour Collin Mckenzee Levin 2013 Halfway to Hell Richard Friedman APT. 1B Productions 2013 The Homecoming Jan Tussing Blue Boots Entertainment 2013 Noah Hammer Joao Gabriel Kowalski 2013 Flabbergasted Bruno B. Campelo 2014 Finding Harmony Dagen Merrill Once Upon A Dream 2016 In Search of Liberty Norm Novitsky Blu Nile Films
Television Title Year Notes Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour 1988-1989 Paul Brownstein Productions Street Sharks1994-1996 DIC Entertainment What if1996 Barraclough Carey Productions Perfect Assassins 1998 Promark Entertainment Group Beauty 1998 Citadel Entertainment As Time Runs Out 1999 Fremantle Media North America Riddle of the Desert Mummies1999 Terra Nova Television Sabrina, the Animated Series1999 Buena Vista Television K2: Surviving the Mountain2001 National Geographic Channel Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks 2003 Entara Ltd. UnDetectables2005 Discovery Channel ChalkZone 2004-2005 Frederator Studios Last Mysteries of the Titanic 2005 Last Mysteries of the Titanic Random! Cartoons 2007 Frederator Studios
TV movies Year Title Director Studio Notes 1992 The Price She Paid Fred Walton Sandyhook Productions 1997 I'll Be Home for Christmas Jerry London Fremantle Media North America 1999 As Time Runs Out John de Graaf 2001 The Valley of the T-Rex Reuben Aaronson Discovery Channel
Documentary Year Title Director Studio Notes 2005 Answering the Call: Ground Zero's Volunteers Lou Angeli Chesca Media Group LLC 2007 Google Me Killeen Films
Videos Title Year Director Notes Hot Boyz 2002 Master P No Limit Films Far on Foot 2001 Stephanie R.M. Smith Sisyphs Productions Dark Wolf 2003 Richard Friedman DarkWolf Picture Company LLC One of Them 2003 N/A N/A Maisie Undercover: Shadow Boxer 2006 J.W. McHausen MRG Entertainment Succubus: Hell-Bent 2007 Kim Bass V1 Cut Productions Kemper 2008 Rick Bitzelberger Mainline Releasing
Albums Title Artist Year Role Labels Little Wheel Spin and Spin Buffy Sainte-Marie 1966 Lead guitar Vanguard I Love You People! 1968 Lead guitar Capitol Records Both Sides of People People! 1969 Lead guitar Capitol Records Isle of View Jimmie Spheeris 1971 Lead guitar CBS Original Tap Dancing Kid Jimmie Spheeris 1973 Lead guitar Epic The Eloquent Elephant Dick Glass 1974 Lead guitar Moonwatcher Falling into Spring Rita Coolidge 1974 Energy bow, dobro A&M Records Wings Livinryte Wings Hauser 1975 Elbow, Guitar RCA Victor The Dragon Is Dancing Jimmy Spheeris 1975 Lead guitar Epic Port of the Heart Jimmy Spheeris 1976 Lead guitarist Epic Laverne and Shirley Sing Laverne and Shirley 1976 Songwriter Oh Gee!Live at McCabes Larry McNeely, Geoff Levin, and Jack Skinner 1977 N/A Flying FishConfederation Larry McNeely, Geoff Levin, and Jack Skinner 1977 N/A Sheffield LabsCelestial Navigations Chapter 1 Celestial Navigations 1986 N/A K-tel Celestial Navigations Chapter 2 Celestial Navigations 1989 N/A N/A After Midnight Larry McNeely, Geoff Levin, and Jack Skinner 1990 N/A Sheffield Labs Celestial Navigations Ice Chapter 3 Celestial Navigations 1992 N/A N/ACelestial Navigations Road Train Chapter 4 Celestial Navigations 1995 N/A N/ACelestial Navigations The Connection Chapter 5 Celestial Navigations 2005 N/A N/ALive at the Matrix Celestial Navigations 2006 N/A N/A Celestial Navigations Space Racer Chapter 6 Celestial Navigations 2008 N/A N/ACelestial Navigations War Chapter 7 Celestial Navigations 2008 N/A N/A Tusks & Horns Mayuka Thaïs 2014 Producer Independent
Singles Title Artist Year Role Labels I Love You People! 1968 Lead guitar Capitol RecordsI Love You/Somebody Tell Me My Name People! 1968 Lead guitar Capitol RecordsCrying Shoes People! 1968 Lead guitar Capitol RecordsApple Cider/Ashes of Me People! 1968 Lead guitar Capitol RecordsUlla/Turnin' Me In People! 1968 Lead guitar Capitol Records
Video interviews "An interview with Mat Gleason, Coagula Art Journal, Modern Art Blitz, Bobbie Moline-Kramer and Geoff Levin" 2017 "The Jerry Bovino Show - Rock and Roll Brothers with Robbie Levin, Geoff Levin, and Host Jerry Bovino" 2017
Awards YearAwardCategoryWorkResult2013Action on FilmBest Score - FeatureHalf Way to Hell
References
External links