Johnny Gill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnny Gill |
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Johnny Gill in 1998
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Johnny Gill Jr. |
| Also known as | J.G., Skillz |
| Born | May 22, 1966 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Years active | 1982–present |
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Johnny Gill Jr. (born on May 22, 1966) is an American singer and songwriter. He is famous for being the sixth and final member of the R&B/pop group New Edition. He was also part of a supergroup called LSG, along with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat.
Johnny Gill has released many albums throughout his career. He has eight solo albums, three albums with New Edition, two albums with LSG, and one album with Stacy Lattisaw. As a solo artist, he has sold over 15 million copies around the world!
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Johnny Gill was born in Washington, D.C., on May 22, 1966. His father, Johnny Gill Sr., was a Baptist minister. Johnny started singing at just five years old. He performed in church with his family's gospel group, called "Little Johnny and Wings of Faith." His brothers Bobby, Jeff, and Randy Gill were also in the group.
Johnny went to Kimball Elementary and Sousa Junior High schools. He also attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Because his music career started early, he finished high school with a tutor. He had thought about going to college to study electrical engineering. However, he decided to focus completely on his singing career instead.
Johnny Gill's Music Journey
Starting His Career
Johnny Gill's professional singing career began in 1982 when he was 16. His childhood friend, Stacy Lattisaw, encouraged him to record a demo. This demo tape reached the president of Atlantic Records. Soon after, his first album, Johnny Gill, was released. It came out on Atlantic's label, Cotillion Records.
After his first album, Johnny teamed up with Stacy Lattisaw for a duet album called Perfect Combination. In 1985, he released his second solo album on Cotillion Records, titled Chemistry.
Joining New Edition
A big change in Johnny Gill's career happened in 1987. Michael Bivins asked him to join the popular group New Edition. The group's original member, Bobby Brown, had left. Johnny was brought in to sing lead alongside Ralph Tresvant. Interestingly, Johnny became the only member of New Edition who was not from Boston.
With Johnny as one of the lead singers, New Edition's sound became more grown-up. Their album Heart Break featured hit songs like "Can You Stand The Rain," "N.E. Heartbreak," "If It Isn't Love," and "Boys To Men," which Johnny led.
Successful Solo Career
After joining New Edition, Johnny Gill continued to shine as a solo artist. He was known for his romantic ballads and became a star in the new jack swing music style. In 1990, he released his third solo album, also called Johnny Gill. This album had many big hits, including "My, My, My", "Rub You the Right Way", "Fairweather Friend", and "Wrap My Body Tight".
In 1993, Johnny released another solo album, Provocative. It included songs like "Quiet Time to Play" and "A Cute, Sweet, Love Addiction." In 1996, he released Let's Get the Mood Right, which featured "Love In an Elevator" and "Maybe." That same year, Johnny reunited with New Edition to record the album Home Again.
Forming the Supergroup LSG
In 1997, Johnny Gill joined forces with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat to create a supergroup called LSG. The name LSG came from the first letter of each member's last name (Levert/Sweat/Gill). Their first album, Levert.Sweat.Gill, was a huge success. They released their final album, LSG2, in 2003.
In 2004, Johnny reunited with New Edition again. They signed with Bad Boy Records and released the album One Love, which included the song "Hot 2Nite."
Returning to Solo Music
After 15 years, Johnny Gill released a new solo album in 2011 called Still Winning. This album featured songs like "In the Mood" and "Just the Way You Are." In 2014, Johnny started his own music label, J Skillz Records. He released the album Game Changer on his new label. This album had popular R&B songs like "Behind Closed Doors" and the title track, "Game Changer." His New Edition bandmates even sang on the song "This One's for Me and You."
In 2017, Johnny Gill toured with Fantasia and Charlie Wilson. On September 6, 2019, he released his album Game Changer II. More recently, in 2023, his song "Rub You the Right Way" became very popular on the social media app TikTok!
Acting Roles
Besides singing, Johnny Gill has appeared in over 80 TV shows and movies. He had a small role on the TV show Family Matters. He also sang the song "You For Me" in the 2006 movie Madea's Family Reunion. In 2009, Johnny starred in a play called A Mother's Prayer.
Awards and Recognitions
Johnny Gill has been nominated for two Grammy Awards: one with New Edition and one as a solo artist.
In 1991, he won two Soul Train Awards. He won for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album of the Year for his album Johnny Gill. He also won for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Single for his song "My My My".
In 2019, Johnny Gill won the SoulTracks Readers' Choice Award for Album of the Year for his album Game Changer II.
Albums and Tours
Studio Albums
- Johnny Gill (1983)
- Chemistry (1985)
- Johnny Gill (1990)
- Provocative (1993)
- Let's Get the Mood Right (1996)
- Still Winning (2011)
- Game Changer (2014)
- Game Changer II (2019)
Collaboration Albums
- Perfect Combination with Stacy Lattisaw (1984)
- Heart Break with New Edition (1988)
- Home Again with New Edition (1996)
- Levert.Sweat.Gill with LSG (1997)
- LSG2 with LSG (2003)
- One Love with New Edition (2004)
Tours
- Johnny Gill Tour (1990–1991)
- Provocative Tour 1993 (1993)
- Let's Get the Mood Right Tour (1996–1997)
- 21 Nights in Japan: Still Winning (2011)
- Game Changer Tokyo Live (2015)
- Charlie Wilson's In It to Win It Tour (2016)
- Culture Tour New Edition (2022)
- Legacy Tour New Edition (2023)
Images for kids
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Johnny Gill in 1998
See also
In Spanish: Johnny Gill para niños
