Johnny Gill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnny Gill |
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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 May 22, 1966) is a talented American singer and songwriter. He is well-known as the sixth and final member of the popular R&B and pop group New Edition. He was also part of a special music group called LSG, alongside Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Johnny Gill has released many albums throughout his career, including eight solo albums. He has also released albums with New Edition, LSG, and one with Stacy Lattisaw. As a solo artist, Gill has sold over 15 million copies of his music around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Johnny Gill Jr. was born on May 22, 1966, in Washington, D.C.. His father, Johnny Gill Sr., was a Baptist minister. His mother, Annie Mae Gill, had four boys. Johnny started singing when he was 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. Randy later became a solo artist and a member of the group II D Extreme.
Gill attended Kimball Elementary and Sousa Junior High schools. He also went to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Because of his singing career, he finished high school with the help of a tutor. Johnny had planned to go to college to study electrical engineering. However, he decided to focus completely on his singing career instead.
Music Career
Starting Out in Music
Johnny Gill's music career began in 1982 when he was 16 years old. His childhood friend Stacy Lattisaw encouraged him to record a demo tape. This demo tape was heard by the president of Atlantic Records. Soon after, his first album, named Johnny Gill, was released. It came out on Atlantic's record label, Cotillion Records. After that, Gill teamed up with Stacy Lattisaw for a duet album called Perfect Combination. He then released a second solo album on Cotillion Records, titled Chemistry, in 1985.
Joining New Edition
In 1987, Johnny Gill started a new part of his career. Michael Bivins asked him to join the group New Edition. The group's member, Bobby Brown, had left. Gill was brought in to replace the lead singer, Ralph Tresvant, who was thinking about starting a solo career. Johnny Gill became the only member of New Edition who was not from Boston.
With Gill as one of the lead singers, along with Tresvant, the group released the album Heart Break. This album had a more grown-up sound. They had hit songs like "Can You Stand The Rain," "N.E. Heartbreak," "If It Isn't Love," and "Boys to Men," which Gill led.
Solo Success
Johnny Gill continued to sing 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 featured popular songs such as "My, My, My", "Rub You the Right Way", "Fairweather Friend", and "Wrap My Body Tight".
In 1993, Gill released another solo album, Provocative. It included songs like "Quiet Time to Play" and "A Cute, Sweet, Love Addiction." It also had a gospel song called "I Know Where I Stand."
In 1996, Gill released Let's Get the Mood Right. This album featured the song "Love In an Elevator" and the single "Maybe." In the same year, Johnny reunited with New Edition. They recorded the album Home Again together.
Forming LSG
In 1997, Johnny Gill joined Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat to create a special group called LSG. The letters stood for Levert-Sweat-Gill. Their first album, Levert.Sweat.Gill, sold many copies. The trio released their final album, LSG2, in 2003. In 2004, Gill reunited with New Edition again. They signed with Bad Boy Records and released the album One Love, which included the song "Hot 2Nite."
Back to Solo Music
In 2011, 15 years after his last solo album, Gill released Still Winning. This album included songs like "In the Mood," "Just the Way You Are," and "2nd Place." In 2014, Gill started his own record label, J Skillz Records. He released the album Game Changer on his new label. This album had several popular R&B songs, including "Behind Closed Doors" and the title track, "Game Changer." His bandmates from New Edition sang on the song "This One's for Me and You."
In February 2017, Gill joined Fantasia as an opening act for Charlie Wilson's In It to Win It tour. On September 6, 2019, Gill released his album Game Changer II. Starting in 2023, his song "Rub You the Right Way" became very popular on the social media app TikTok. Many people used the song in their videos.
Acting Career
Johnny Gill has appeared in over 80 television shows and movies as a singer and actor. He had a small role on the TV show Family Matters. He also sang "You For Me" in the 2006 movie Madea's Family Reunion. In 2009, Gill starred in a play called A Mother's Prayer. He acted alongside Robin Givens, Shirley Murdock, and Jermaine Crawford.
Awards and Recognitions
Johnny Gill has received several awards and nominations for his music.
Grammy Awards
Gill has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. One nomination was with New Edition, and the other was for his solo work.
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "If It Isn't Love" (with New Edition) | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | Nominated |
| 1991 | Johnny Gill | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Nominated |
Other Awards
In 1991, Gill 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. This award was for his album Game Changer II.
Discography
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)
See also
In Spanish: Johnny Gill para niños
