Johnny Gill
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| Johnny Gill | |
|---|---|
 Johnny Gill performing with New Edition in Charlotte, NC 8/26/06 |
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| Background information | |
| Born | May 22, 1966 |
| Origin | Washington, D.C., USA |
| Genres | R&B, new jack swing |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocal, keyboards, guitar, percussion |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | Cotillion / Atlantic (1982-1985) Motown (1989-1999) MCA (1986-1997) Notifi (2010-present) |
| Associated acts | New Edition, LSG, Stacy Lattisaw, Heads of State |
Johnny Gill (born May 22, 1966) is an American R&B singer-songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B supergroup New Edition, and was also a member of another supergroup called LSG; with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. His signature song "My, My, My" has been included on numerous romantic compilations.
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[edit] Life and work
Gill was born on May 22, 1966 in Washington, D.C, the son of a minister. He started singing at the age of five in a family gospel group called "Wings Faith" which included his brothers Bobby, Jeff, and Randy Gill (himself a solo recording artist and member of the group II D Extreme). His recording career began in 1983 when his childhood friend singer Stacy Lattisaw convinced him to record a demo. This demo fell into the hands of the president of Atlantic Records, and his self-titled debut album was released shortly thereafter, featuring the minor hit, "Super Love." On this album, Gill played guitar, bass, bongos, and drums in addition to performing lead and background vocals. Gill then teamed up with Stacy for a duet album, which featured their first hit together, "Perfect Combination." A second album on Atlantic Records yielded the song "Half Crazy," which is still a fan favorite.
Gill began a new chapter in his career in 1987, when he was recruited by Michael Bivins to join New Edition to be the replacement for lead singer Ralph Tresvant, who was rumored at the time to be leaving to pursue a solo career.
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 album Heart 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 a New Jack Swing star, he released a second self-titled album in 1990 which included the hits "My, My, My," "Rub You the Right Way," "Fairweather Friend" and "Wrap My Body Tight". In 1991, he was featured in Perri "Pebbles" Reid's hit single "Always" from the album of the same name, along with Pebbles' cousin, R&B singer, Cherrelle. The single made the R&B Top 20 shortly after its release.
In 1993, Gill released another solo project, Provocative, which included the songs "Quiet Time to Play," "A Cute, Sweet, Love Addiction," and a moving gospel, "I Know Where I Stand." In 1996, Gill was reunited with New Edition, including Brown, as they recorded Home Again, an album noted for the singles "Hit Me Off" and "Still In Love". The title song, "Home Again," although not released as a single is one of the most impressive vocal performances recorded by the group to date.
In 1996, Gill also released Let's Get the Mood Right, which included the title song, "Love In an Elevator," and "Maybe" which is considered by many to be one of his greatest vocal performances ever. The following year, he collaborated with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat to form the supergroup LSG (Levert/Sweat/Gill) which resulted in the multi platinum debut album, Levert-Sweat-Gill, and a follow-up album in 2003 entitled LSG2.
Gill, the only member of New Edition who is not from Boston, was raised in Washington DC, where he attended Kimball Elementary, Sousa Junior High, and Duke Ellington School of the Arts. His career dictated that he complete his high-school education through the services of a tutor. Gill had planned to attend college and pursue a degree in electrical engineering, but his career came first.
His latest recording, "You For Me (The Wedding Song)" from the Madea's Family Reunion soundtrack received strong reviews from music critics as well as the general public. In 2008, Gill, as a member of New Edition, was the recipient of the Golden Note Award at ASCAP's 21st Annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.
On September 27, 2008, he began touring with Ralph Tresvant and Bobby Brown in a new group named Heads of State.
With over 80 television and film appearances as a singer and actor, Gill earned much acclaim for his cameo role on the hit TV show Family Matters (TV series) and recently thrilled audiences singing "You For Me" in the movie Madea's Family Reunion.
In October 2004 Rub You The Right Way appeared in popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on R&B, Soul radio station CSR 103.9. Gill most recently starred in the 2009 stage play A Mother's Prayer, which also stars Robin Givens, Shirley Murdock and Jermaine Crawford. In July 2010 Notifi Records, based out of St. Louis, MO, signed Gill to a recording contract, with new music due in 2011.
On October 11, 2011, Johnny Gill released his sixth studio album called Still Winning, which is his first album in 15 years. The first single off the album is called "In the Mood."
[edit] Personal life
Gill, who has never been married, is the father of a son, Isiah Gill, born in 2006, to a Washington DC journalist.[citation needed]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions[1][2][3] | Certifications[4] (sales threshold) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | UK | NZ | AUS | |||||
| 1983 | Johnny Gill | — | 64 | — | — | — | |||
| 1985 | Chemistry
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— | 51 | — | — | — | |||
| 1990 | Johnny Gill
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8 | 1 | — | 47 | — | |||
| 1993 | Provocative
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14 | 4 | 42 | — | 31 |
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| 1996 | Let's Get the Mood Right
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32 | 7 | — | — | — |
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| 2011 | Still Winning
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17 | 4 | — | — | — |
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| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
[edit] Collaboration albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
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|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||
| 1984 | Perfect Combination
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139 | 27 |
[edit] Compilation albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Favorites
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| 2002 | Ultimate Collection
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| 2003 | The Best of Johnny Gill
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| 2005 | Love Songs
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[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions[1][2][3] | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US Dance | UK | NZ | AUS | ||||
| 1983 | "Super Love" | — | 29 | — | — | — | — | Johnny Gill (1983 album) | |
| "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby" | — | 57 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1984 | "Perfect Combination" (with Stacy Lattisaw) | 75 | 10 | — | — | — | — | Perfect Combination | |
| "Baby It's You" (with Stacy Lattisaw) | 102 | 37 | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Block Party" (with Stacy Lattisaw) | — | 63 | 48 | — | — | — | |||
| 1985 | "Half Crazy" | — | 26 | — | — | — | — | Chemistry | |
| "Can't Wait Til Tomorrow" | — | 49 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1989 | "Where Do We Go from Here" (with Stacy Lattisaw) | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | What You Need | |
| 1990 | "Rub You the Right Way" | 3 | 1 | 16 | 77 | 41 | 59 | Johnny Gill (1990 album) | |
| "My, My, My" | 10 | 1 | — | 89 | 31 | — | |||
| "Fairweather Friend" | 28 | 2 | 19 | — | — | — | |||
| 1991 | "Wrap My Body Tight" | 84 | 1 | 48 | 57 | — | — | ||
| "I'm Still Waiting" | — | 27 | — | — | — | — | New Jack City | ||
| 1992 | "Silent Prayer" (with Shanice) | 31 | 4 | — | — | — | — | Inner Child | |
| "Let's Just Run Away | — | 56 | — | — | — | — | Mo' Money | ||
| "There U Go" | — | 21 | — | — | — | — | Boomerang | ||
| "Slow and Sexy" (with Shabba Ranks) | 33 | 4 | — | 17 | — | — | X-tra Naked | ||
| 1993 | "The Floor" | 56 | 11 | 49 | 53 | 29 | 6 | Provocative | |
| "I Got You" | — | 35 | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Long Way from Home" | — | 42 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1994 | "Quiet Time to Play" | 111 | 25 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "A Cute, Sweet Love Addiction" | — | — | — | 46 | — | 89 | |||
| 1996 | "Let's Get the Mood Right" | 53 | 17 | — | — | — | — | Let's Get the Mood Right | |
| 1997 | "It's Your Body" (with Roger Troutman) | 43 | 19 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Love in an Elevator" | 104 | 59 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1998 | "Give Love on Christmas Day" | — | 71 | — | — | — | — | Favorites | |
| 2011 | "In The Mood" | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | Still Winning | |
| "It Would Be You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Johnny Gill U.S. chart history". billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/artist/johnny-gill/4717#/artist/johnny-gill/chart-history/4717. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
- ^ a b "Johnny Gill U.S. chart history". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4365. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
- ^ a b "Johnny Gill UK chart history". chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=5909. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
- ^ "Johnny Gill U.S. certification history". riaa.com. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=Johnny%20Gill&format=Album&go=Search&perPage=25. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
- ^ "Johnny Gill Says He's Still Winning, Talks NE Reunion". bet.com. http://www.bet.com/news/music/2011/07/18/johnny-gill-says-he-s-still-winning-talks-ne-reunion.html. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
[edit] External links
- Johnny Gill at Allmusic
- Johnny Gill at VH1
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