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Skinny Hightower was born as Jason Carroll in [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], [[Kansas]] on 12 November 1985.<ref name="auto" /><ref name="JAZZIZ">{{cite web |title=Blue Moon |url=https://www.jazziz.com/blue-moon/ |website=JAZZIZ Magazine |publisher=Michael Fagien |access-date=20 January 2022}}</ref> Hightower's interest in music began at age two when he would sit on his father's lap and play the [[Drum kit|drums]].<ref name="auto" /><ref name="JAZZIZ" /><ref name="Eagle">{{cite web |last1=Riedl |first1=Matt |title=Chart-topping musician relocates to Wichita |url=https://www.kansas.com/entertainment/ent-columns-blogs/keeper-of-the-plans/article195456469.html |website=The Wichita Eagle |publisher=The McClatchy Company |access-date=20 January 2022}}</ref> His involvement would continue as he later developed a mild interest in piano at age eight and began playing bass at the age of 12.<ref name="auto" /> [[Jazz]] and [[Gospel music|gospel]] were his primary musical influences at the time.<ref name="JAZZIZ" /> Hightower later attended [[Wichita South High School|Wichita South High School]] where he played as a [[percussionist]] in the [[marching band]], [[pep band]], [[jazz band]], and [[concert band]].<ref name="auto" /><ref name="Eagle" />
Skinny Hightower was born as Jason Carroll in [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], [[Kansas]] on 12 November 1985.<ref name="auto" /><ref name="JAZZIZ">{{cite web |title=Blue Moon |url=https://www.jazziz.com/blue-moon/ |website=JAZZIZ Magazine |publisher=Michael Fagien |access-date=20 January 2022}}</ref> Hightower's interest in music began at age two when he would sit on his father's lap and play the [[Drum kit|drums]].<ref name="auto" /><ref name="JAZZIZ" /><ref name="Eagle">{{cite web |last1=Riedl |first1=Matt |title=Chart-topping musician relocates to Wichita |url=https://www.kansas.com/entertainment/ent-columns-blogs/keeper-of-the-plans/article195456469.html |website=The Wichita Eagle |publisher=The McClatchy Company |access-date=20 January 2022}}</ref> His involvement would continue as he later developed a mild interest in piano at age eight and began playing bass at the age of 12.<ref name="auto" /> [[Jazz]] and [[Gospel music|gospel]] were his primary musical influences at the time.<ref name="JAZZIZ" /> Hightower later attended [[Wichita South High School|Wichita South High School]] where he played as a [[percussionist]] in the [[marching band]], [[pep band]], [[jazz band]], and [[concert band]].<ref name="auto" /><ref name="Eagle" />


==Military service==
==Music career==
===2012-2017: Military service===
In 2012, Skinny Hightower enlisted in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] where he served for five years.<ref name="auto" /><ref name="Eagle" /> It was during this time that he recorded and released his first studio album ''Cloud Nine''.<ref name="auto" />
In 2012, Skinny Hightower enlisted in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] where he served for five years.<ref name="auto" /><ref name="Eagle" /> Four years into his military contract, he recorded and released his first studio album ''Cloud Nine''.<ref name="auto" />


===Name origin===
====Name origin====
Hightower's pseudonym originated as a nickname given to him by his fellow servicemembers.<ref name="Eagle" /> Upon learning that he was a jazz musician, his Army friends called him a skinny Mr. Hightower (played by [[Steve Harvey]]) in connection with the 1996 [[sitcom]] [[The Steve Harvey Show]].<ref name="Eagle" />
Hightower's pseudonym originated as a nickname given to him by his fellow servicemembers.<ref name="Eagle" /> Upon learning that he was a jazz musician, his Army friends called him a skinny Mr. Hightower (played by [[Steve Harvey]]) in connection with the 1996 [[sitcom]] [[The Steve Harvey Show]].<ref name="Eagle" />

===2020: ''Blue Moon''===
In 2020, Skinny Hightower released ''Blue Moon'' which spawned the second and third number one Billboard singles of his career.<ref name="Blue Moon Billboard Chart" /><ref name="Now or Never Billboard Chart" /> The production of the album comprised of the recording of 100 songs of which 24 were selected by a team of 10 individuals.<ref name="JAZZIZ" /><ref name="KMUW">{{cite web |last1=Eckels |first1=Carla |title=In-Studio: A Conversation with Skinny Hightower |url=https://www.kmuw.org/music/2021-06-29/in-studio-a-conversation-with-skinny-hightower |website=KMUW - NPR |publisher=National Public Radio |access-date=14 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="Blue Moon Credits">{{cite web |title=Blue Moon - Skinny Hightower - Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-moon-mw0003362150/credits |website=AllMusic |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=14 February 2022}}</ref>


==Discography==
==Discography==

Revision as of 00:21, 14 February 2022

Skinny Hightower
Hightower in 2016
Background information
Birth nameJason Carroll
BornNovember 12, 1985 (age 38)
Wichita, Kansas
Genres
Occupation(s)Pianist[1]
Instruments
Years active2016-present
LabelsTrippin 'N' Rhythm Records[4][5]
Websiteskinnyhightower.com
Military career
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service2012-2017[2]
Rank Sergeant

Jason Carroll (born November 12, 1985), known professionally as Skinny Hightower, is an American jazz pianist.[6] In 2020, his album Blue Moon finished as the 14th overall smooth jazz album on the Smooth Jazz Year End Top 100 Album Chart.[7] In the same year, his single "Bittersweet" finished as the sixth overall single on the 2020 Billboard Year-End charts for Smooth Jazz Airplay Songs.[8] Two singles from Blue Moon, the title track "Blue Moon" and "Now or Never", finished 36th and 38th respectively on the 2021 Billboard Year-End charts for Smooth Jazz Airplay Songs.[9] Hightower was also the number seven artist on the 2021 Billboard Year-End Smooth Jazz Airplay Artists list.[10] Hightower's singles "Blue Moon," "Now or Never," and "Taboo" all reached number one on the Smooth Jazz Airplay Billboard charts.[11][12] [13]

Early life

Skinny Hightower was born as Jason Carroll in Wichita, Kansas on 12 November 1985.[1][14] Hightower's interest in music began at age two when he would sit on his father's lap and play the drums.[1][14][2] His involvement would continue as he later developed a mild interest in piano at age eight and began playing bass at the age of 12.[1] Jazz and gospel were his primary musical influences at the time.[14] Hightower later attended Wichita South High School where he played as a percussionist in the marching band, pep band, jazz band, and concert band.[1][2]

Music career

2012-2017: Military service

In 2012, Skinny Hightower enlisted in the U.S. Army where he served for five years.[1][2] Four years into his military contract, he recorded and released his first studio album Cloud Nine.[1]

Name origin

Hightower's pseudonym originated as a nickname given to him by his fellow servicemembers.[2] Upon learning that he was a jazz musician, his Army friends called him a skinny Mr. Hightower (played by Steve Harvey) in connection with the 1996 sitcom The Steve Harvey Show.[2]

2020: Blue Moon

In 2020, Skinny Hightower released Blue Moon which spawned the second and third number one Billboard singles of his career.[11][12] The production of the album comprised of the recording of 100 songs of which 24 were selected by a team of 10 individuals.[14][15][16]

Discography

Studio albums

Album title Rlease year Record label Ref(s)
Cloud Nine 2016 Vein Records [4]
Emotions 2017 Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records [4]
Retrospect 2018 Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records [4]
Blue Moon 2020 Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records [4][5]

Singles

Title Year Peak chart position Album Ref(s)
US Jazz
(Smooth)
"Taboo" 2017 1 Emotions [13]
"Bittersweet" 2020 3 Blue Moon [17]
"Blue Moon" 2020 1 Blue Moon [11]
"Now or Never" 2020 1 Blue Moon [12]

Collaborations

Year Artist Release Additional information Ref(s)
2018 Lin Rountree Stronger Still Featured artist, piano [3]
2019 Cindy Bradley The Little Things Bass, vibraphone [3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h AllMusic.com. Artist Biography.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Riedl, Matt. "Chart-topping musician relocates to Wichita". The Wichita Eagle. The McClatchy Company. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b Linton, David. "Skinny Hightower: Now Or Never". Jazz WCLK - The Jazz of the City. WCLK. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  6. ^ Collar, Matt. "Skinny Hightower Biography". AllMusic. AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  7. ^ "SmoothJazz.com Year End Top 100 Album Chart (Formerly the Gavin Report)". Smoothjazz.com. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  8. ^ "YEAR-END CHARTS Smooth Jazz Airplay Songs". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Billboard 2021 Year-End Smooth Jazz Songs Chart". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Billboard Magazine 2021 Year-End Smooth Jazz Artists List". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  11. ^ a b c "Smooth Jazz Airplay for Blue Moon". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  12. ^ a b c "Smooth Jazz Airplay for Now or Never". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Smooth Jazz Airplay for Taboo". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  14. ^ a b c d "Blue Moon". JAZZIZ Magazine. Michael Fagien. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  15. ^ Eckels, Carla. "In-Studio: A Conversation with Skinny Hightower". KMUW - NPR. National Public Radio. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  16. ^ "Blue Moon - Skinny Hightower - Credits". AllMusic. AllMusic. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  17. ^ "Smooth Jazz Airply for Bittersweet". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
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