Johnny Gill | |
|---|---|
 Gill in 1998 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Johnny Gill Jr. |
| Also known as | J.G., Skillz |
| Born | (1966-05-22)May 22, 1966 (age 58) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | johnnygill |
Johnny Gill Jr. (born May 22, 1966) is an American singer and songwriter.[1] He is the sixth and final member of theR&B/pop groupNew Edition and was also a member of the supergroup calledLSG, withGerald Levert andKeith Sweat.[2] Gill has released eight solo albums, three albums with New Edition, two albums with LSG, and one collaborative album withStacy Lattisaw. Gill has sold over 15 million copies worldwide as a solo artist.
Gill was born on May 22, 1966, inWashington, D.C.,[2] the son of Johnny Gill Sr., a Baptist minister,[3] and his wife, Annie Mae Gill,[4] who had four boys. He started singing at the age of five, performing in church in a family gospel group called Little Johnny and "Wings of Faith".[2] The group included his brothers Bobby, Jeff, andRandy Gill, a solo recording artist and member of the groupII D Extreme.
Gill attended Kimball Elementary, Sousa Junior High, andDuke Ellington School of the Arts. His career dictated that he complete his high-school education through the services of a tutor. Gill planned to attend college to pursue a degree in electrical engineering, but decided to focus on his singing career.[5]
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Gill's recording career began in 1982, at the age of 16, when his childhood friendStacy Lattisaw convinced him to record a demo. This demo fell into the hands of the president ofAtlantic Records, and his firstself-titled debut album was released shortly thereafter on Atlantic subsidiaryCotillion Records.[2] Gill then teamed up with Stacy for the duet albumPerfect Combination. A second solo album on Cotillion Records,Chemistry, was released in 1985.[2]
Gill began a new chapter in his career in 1987, when he was recruited byMichael Bivins to joinNew Edition.[2] Bobby Brown had been voted out of the group and Gill was brought in to replace lead singerRalph Tresvant, who was rumored at the time to be leaving to pursue a solo career. Gill became the only member of New Edition who was not fromBoston. With Gill, the oldest member, as one of the lead singers (along with Tresvant, who ended up staying with New Edition and delaying the launch of his solo career) on the albumHeart Break, the group developed a more mature, adult sound, hitting the charts with songs such as "Can You Stand The Rain", "N.E. Heartbreak", "If It Isn't Love", and the Gill-led "Boys to Men".
Continuing his role as a romantic balladeer while emerging as anew jack swing star, he released aself-titled third album in 1990, which included the hits "My, My, My", "Rub You the Right Way", "Fairweather Friend", and "Wrap My Body Tight".[2]
In 1993, Gill released another solo project,Provocative,[2] which included the songs "Quiet Time to Play", "A Cute, Sweet, Love Addiction", and the gospel song, "I Know Where I Stand".
In 1996, Gill releasedLet's Get the Mood Right, which included the song, "Love In an Elevator", and the single "Maybe". The same year, Johnny reunited with New Edition and recorded the albumHome Again.
In 1997, he collaborated withGerald Levert andKeith Sweat to form thesupergroupLSG (Levert-Sweat-Gill),[2] which yielded the multi-platinum debut albumLevert.Sweat.Gill and the trio’s final albumLSG2 in 2003. In 2004, he reunited with New Edition; it signed with Bad Boy Records and released the albumOne Love, which included the single "Hot 2Nite".
In 2011, 15 years after recording his last solo album, Gill returned withStill Winning, which included "In the Mood", "Just the Way You Are", "It Would Be You", and "2nd Place". In 2014, Gill left Fontana Records and started his own label, J Skillz Records, on which he released the albumGame Changer. The album produced several adult R&B radio hits, including the singles "Behind Closed Doors" and the title track, "Game Changer". His New Edition bandmates appear on "This One's for Me and You". Gill joined Fantasia as an opener for Charlie Wilson's In It to Win It tour, which kicked off in February 2017.[6] On September 6, 2019, Gill released his albumGame Changer II. Beginning in 2023, Gill enjoyed a resurgence of popularity with his song, "Rub You the Right Way" on the popular social media app TikTok, with various influencers using the song for their videos.
Gill has had over 80 television and film appearances as a singer and actor. He had a cameo role on the TV showFamily Matters, and sang "You For Me" in the 2006 movieMadea's Family Reunion. Gill starred in the 2009 stage playA Mother's Prayer, alongsideRobin Givens,Shirley Murdock, andJermaine Crawford.
Grammy Awards
Gill has received twoGrammy Award nominations: one with New Edition and one as a solo artist.
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "If It Isn't Love"(withNew Edition) | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | Nominated |
| 1991 | Johnny Gill | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Nominated |
In 1991, Gill won twoSoul Train Awards: for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album of the Year – Male (forJohnny Gill) and for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Single (for "My My My").
In 2019, Gill won the SoulTracks Readers' Choice Award for Album of the Year (forGame Changer II).[7]
Studio albums
Collaboration albums
