Jerry Knight facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jerry Knight
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| Birth name | Jerry Ernest Knight |
| Born | April 17, 1952 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | December 29, 1996 (aged 44) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, producer |
| Instruments | Bass guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1978–1996 |
| Labels | Arista, A&M |
| Associated acts | Raydio |
Jerry Ernest Knight (born April 17, 1952 – died December 29, 1996) was an American singer and bass guitar player. He became well-known in the late 1970s and early 1980s. During this time, he was part of several music groups and also had his own short solo music career. He played R&B music.
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Jerry Knight's Music Journey
Jerry Knight grew up in Los Angeles, California. He first became famous as a founding member of the R&B group Raydio. He started this group with Ray Parker Jr.. Jerry sang on their early hit song, "Jack and Jill." This song was very popular.
Before Raydio recorded their second album, Jerry decided to leave. He wanted to start his own music career as a solo artist. He released three solo albums. He had some success with songs like "Overnight Sensation," "Perfect Fit," and "Turn It Out."
Working with Ollie E. Brown
In 1983, Jerry Knight teamed up with session drummer Ollie E. Brown. They formed a duo called Ollie & Jerry. Together, they created the main song for the 1984 movie Breakin'. This song was called "Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us" and was a big hit. It reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.
They also recorded the main song for the movie Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. This song, "Electric Boogaloo," reached number 45 on the Billboard R&B chart.
Writing Songs for Other Artists
Ollie & Jerry stopped working together in 1985. After that, Jerry Knight started working with the music group The Jets. He helped write some of their early hit songs. These included "Crush On You," "Curiosity," and "Private Number."
Even though Jerry's own singing career became less active, he continued to be very busy. He kept writing and producing songs for many other famous artists. Some of these artists were the Whispers, Patrice Rushen, DeBarge, Howard Hewett, and Elkie Brooks.
Jerry Knight's Family Life and Passing
According to Ray Parker Jr., his bandmate from Raydio, the song "Jack and Jill" was actually about Jerry Knight and his wife. Her real name was Jill (Maxine) Knight. Ray Parker Jr. also shared that Jerry and Jill had two children together. Their children's names were Dereck and Lindsay.
Jerry Knight passed away from cancer in Los Angeles. He died on December 29, 1996, when he was 44 years old. He is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery.
