Johnny Gill

Biography

Johnny Gill Jr. (born May 22, 1966) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B/pop group New Edition and was also a member of the supergroup called LSG, with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Gill has released eight solo albums, three albums with New Edition, two albums with LSG, and one collaborative album with Stacy Lattisaw. Gill has sold over 15 million copies worldwide as a solo artist.

Early life

Gill was born on May 22, 1966, in Washington, D.C., the son of Johnny Gill Sr., a Baptist minister, and his wife, Annie Mae Gill, who had four boys. He started singing at the age of five, performing in church in a family gospel group called Little Johnny and "Wings of Faith". The group included his brothers Bobby, Jeff, and Randy Gill, a solo recording artist and member of the group II D Extreme.
Gill attended Kimball Elementary, Sousa Junior High, and Duke Ellington School of the Arts. His career dictated that he complete his high-school education through the services of a tutor. Gill planned to attend college to pursue a degree in electrical engineering, but decided to focus on his singing career.

Early career

Gill's recording career began in 1982, at the age of 16, when his childhood friend Stacy Lattisaw convinced him to record a demo. This demo fell into the hands of the president of Atlantic Records, and his first self-titled debut album was released shortly thereafter on Atlantic subsidiary Cotillion Records. Gill then teamed up with Stacy for the duet album Perfect Combination×Perfect Combination1984 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Block Party5:25A2Fun 'N' Games3:59A3Falling In Love Again4:34A450/50 Love4:54B1Perfect Combination4:08B2Heartbreak Look5:31B3Baby It's You3:08B4Come Out Of The Shadows5:16. A second solo album on Cotillion Records, Chemistry×Chemistry1985 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Half Crazy4:162Can't Wait Til Tomorrow4:463Don't Take Away My Pride4:324One Small Light4:145The Way That You Love Me4:226Because of You5:437Chemistry4:498I Found Love3:24, was released in 1985.

New Edition

Gill began a new chapter in his career in 1987, when he was recruited by Michael Bivins to join New Edition. Bobby Brown had been voted out of the group and Gill was brought in to replace lead singer Ralph Tresvant, who was rumored at the time to be leaving to pursue a solo career. Gill became the only member of New Edition who was not from Boston. With Gill, the oldest member, as one of the lead singers (along with Tresvant, who ended up staying with New Edition and delaying the launch of his solo career) on the album Heart Break, the group developed a more mature, adult sound, hitting the charts with songs such as "Can You Stand The Rain", "N.E. Heartbreak", "If It Isn't Love", and the Gill-led "Boys to Men".

Solo career

Continuing his role as a romantic balladeer while emerging as a new jack swing star, he released a self-titled third album in 1990, which included the hits "My, My, My", "Rub You the Right Way×Rub You the Right Way1990 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Rub You the Right Way (Single version)4:092Rub You the Right Way (Extended Hype 1)5:403Rub You the Right Way (Album version)5:43", "Fairweather Friend×Fairweather Friend1990 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Fairweather Friend (Extended Edit Version)5:592Fairweather Friend (Radio Remix)4:593Fairweather Friend (7" Remix)4:354Fairweather Friend (Hardcore Mix)6:20", and "Wrap My Body Tight×Wrap My Body Tight1991 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Wrap My Body Tight (12″ remake version)5:002Wrap My Body Tight (7″ radio edit)3:453Wrap My Body Tight (Soul mix)4:484Wrap My Body Tight (instrumental)5:01".
In 1993, Gill released another solo project, Provocative, which included the songs "Quiet Time to Play", "A Cute, Sweet, Love Addiction", and the gospel song, "I Know Where I Stand".
In 1996, Gill released Let's Get the Mood Right, which included the song, "Love In an Elevator", and the single "Maybe". The same year, Johnny reunited with New Edition and recorded the album Home Again.

LSG

In 1997, he collaborated with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat to form the supergroup LSG (Levert-Sweat-Gill), which yielded the multi-platinum debut album Levert.Sweat.Gill and the trio’s final album LSG2 in 2003. In 2004, he reunited with New Edition; it signed with Bad Boy Records and released the album One Love, which included the single "Hot 2Nite".

Return to solo career

In 2011, 15 years after recording his last solo album, Gill returned with Still Winning×Still Winning11 October 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Still Winning3:592Let's Stay Together3:593In the Mood5:044Just the Way You Are3:435Black Box4:046Long, Long, Time4:2572nd Place4:058Which Is He5:199It Would Be You4:0810My Love5:32, which included "In the Mood", "Just the Way You Are", "It Would Be You", and "2nd Place". In 2014, Gill left Fontana Records and started his own label, J Skillz Records, on which he released the album Game Changer×Game Changer9 December 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Your Body3:352Behind Closed Doors3:503This One’s for Me and You4:364What Is This4:245Game Changer3:2965000 Miles3:317You Choose Me4:108Strung Out3:529Role Play4:1810Gonna Cost3:3411Can’t Keep My Hands Off of You3:4412Guinevere4:29. The album produced several adult R&B radio hits, including the singles "Behind Closed Doors" and the title track, "Game Changer". His New Edition bandmates appear on "This One's for Me and You". Gill joined Fantasia as an opener for Charlie Wilson's In It to Win It tour, which kicked off in February 2017. On September 6, 2019, Gill released his album Game Changer II×Game Changer II6 September 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Only One3:272Fiesta3:533Soul of a Woman4:214Perfect4:055Bed on Fire4:186Best Thing3:287Favorite Girl3:058Lose a Lover, Keep a Friend3:379That's My Baby4:1410Home4:1111So Hard4:32. Beginning in 2023, Gill enjoyed a resurgence of popularity with his song, "Rub You the Right Way×Rub You the Right Way1990 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Rub You the Right Way (Single version)4:092Rub You the Right Way (Extended Hype 1)5:403Rub You the Right Way (Album version)5:43" on the popular social media app TikTok, with various influencers using the song for their videos.

Acting career

Gill has had over 80 television and film appearances as a singer and actor. He had a cameo role on the TV show Family Matters, and sang "You For Me" in the 2006 movie Madea's Family Reunion. Gill starred in the 2009 stage play A Mother's Prayer, alongside Robin Givens, Shirley Murdock, and Jermaine Crawford.

Awards and accolades

Grammy Awards
Gill has received two Grammy Award nominations: one with New Edition and one as a solo artist.

In 1991, Gill won two Soul Train Awards: for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album of the Year – Male (for Johnny Gill) and for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Single (for "My My My×My My My1990 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAMy My My (7" edit)4:03BMy My My (instrumental)5:20").
In 2019, Gill won the SoulTracks Readers' Choice Award for Album of the Year (for Game Changer II×Game Changer II6 September 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Only One3:272Fiesta3:533Soul of a Woman4:214Perfect4:055Bed on Fire4:186Best Thing3:287Favorite Girl3:058Lose a Lover, Keep a Friend3:379That's My Baby4:1410Home4:1111So Hard4:32).

Tour

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)
The New Edition Way Tour (2026)