JR Hutson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids JR Hutson
Background information
Birth name	Lee Hutson Jr
Also known as	J.R. Swinga
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres	R&B soul pop
Occupation(s)	Record producer executive producer music industry executive songwriter singer arranger instrumentalist speaker
Instruments	Vocals piano bass
Years active	1990-present
Labels	Warner Bros. Records Motown Hidden Beach Atlantic
Associated acts	Jill Scott Earth Wind & Fire Anthony Hamilton Musiq Soulchild Dezi Paige Lalah Hathaway Leela James Carl Thomas Wayman Tisdale

JR Hutson (born Lee Hutson Jr.) is an American music producer, songwriter, and talent developer. He helps artists create their music and grow their careers. JR Hutson has worked with many famous musicians like Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, and Childish Gambino. He has won Gold and Platinum records, which means his music has sold millions of copies! He has also been nominated for four Grammy Awards, which are big awards in the music world. Today, he continues to produce music and help new artists.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

JR Hutson was born in Chicago, Illinois. Music was a big part of his family. His father, Leroy Hutson, was a soul musician and part of the famous group The Impressions. His mother was also a professional opera singer.

JR's first music lessons happened at The American Boychoir School. While there, he traveled all over the country singing. The choir even recorded many albums. They also sang on a famous version of Cindy Lauper's song "True Colors" for a Kodak TV commercial.

Starting His Music Career

As a teenager, JR moved to Miami, Florida. He learned to play bass and keyboards, and he started writing songs. In high school, he formed a singing group called Living Proof. JR wrote and produced all their music. The group was very popular and eventually signed with RCA Records.

Later, JR left the group and worked with famous producer Teddy Riley. Soon after, he signed with Motown Records as a solo artist, using the name JR Swinga. One of his most well-known songs as JR Swinga was "Chocolate City." This song was about life at a Black college. The music video was filmed at Florida A&M University. While at Motown, JR also produced music for other artists on the label, including Boyz II Men and jazz artist Wayman Tisdale.

Producing Hits and Working with Stars

JR Hutson also produced many songs in Miami. He worked with Slip N Slide Records, creating tracks for artists like Trick Daddy. He also helped a hip-hop artist named Sianhide get a record deal with Warner Brothers.

In 2002, JR moved to Los Angeles, California. There, he reconnected with Steve McKeever, who ran a record label called Hidden Beach Recordings. JR wrote, produced, and sang on a song called "I Choose You" for one of their albums. He also wrote and produced "Wonderful & Special" for artist Mike Phillips, where JR was the featured singer.

A big moment came when JR was asked to work with the famous singer Jill Scott. He produced many songs for her album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3. Their collaboration was very successful. JR explained that when he made the song "Whenever You're Around" for Jill Scott, he tried to use a style similar to legendary producer Quincy Jones. He brought in many musicians to create the perfect sound.

In 2008, JR Hutson worked with Musiq Soulchild to produce the hit song "SoBeautiful."

In 2010, JR and Jill Scott worked together again on her album The Light of the Sun. JR was the executive producer and helped write many songs. The album was recorded in several different studios across the country. It featured other artists like Anthony Hamilton and Eve. When it was released in 2011, it became Jill Scott's first album to reach #1 on the US Billboard 200 chart!

In 2013, JR Hutson achieved another dream: he wrote and produced a song for the legendary group Earth Wind & Fire. The song, "Love is Law," was on their album Now, Then & Forever. This album was special because it brought back the original members of the group after ten years.

JR Hutson has continued to produce music for many other artists, including Kenny Lattimore and Maysa. He also worked as an executive producer for Malcolm Jamal Warner's Miles Long album, which featured artists like Ledisi and Robert Glasper.

Awards and Recognition

JR Hutson has been recognized for his amazing work in music.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are very important awards given each year for achievements in the music industry.

ASCAP Awards

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) gives out awards each year to honor songwriters and composers.