Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
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Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis | |
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the Original 7ven |
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born June 6, 1959)[1] and Terry Steven Lewis (born November 24, 1956)[2] are an American R&B/pop songwriting and record production team.[3] Their productions have received commercial success since the 1980s with various artists, most extensively Janet Jackson.[4] They have written 31 top ten hits in the UK and 41 in the US.[5] In 2022, the duo were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category.[6][7]
History
Jimmy Jam is the son of Cornbread Harris, a Minneapolis blues and jazz musician. Jimmy Jam met Lewis while attending an Upward Bound program on the University of Minnesota campus.[4][8]
In the mid 1970s, Harris formed or joined Mind & Matter, an 11 piece band.[9]
Lewis had been in the band
In 1982, Jam and Lewis were introduced to music executive Dina R. Andrews, who was then an employee of Dick Griffey's SOLAR Records, where they would be mentored by record producer Leon Sylvers III.[8] The pair asked Andrews to manage them, and through her relationships, Andrews first introduced the duo to Clarence Avant.[8] They produced their first work for Avant for the S.O.S. Band.[8] Andrews set up Jam and Lewis's company Flyte Tyme Productions and shopped them to her music industry colleagues. Jam and Lewis went on to produce several other acts for Avant under Dina Andrews Management for the S.O.S. Band, Cherrelle, Alexander O'Neal and Change.[8] Additionally, Andrews shopped the duo to many of the executives and artists who used her services, such as Klymaxx, Cheryl Lynn ("Encore"), and executives such as A&M's John McClain (Janet Jackson).[15]
The pair were fired by Prince after a freak Atlanta blizzard left them unable to make a tour date during which they were, unbeknown to Prince, producing music for
The duo was noted for early use of the Roland TR-808 drum machine, which was used in most of its productions. After working with other artists such as Cherrelle and Alexander O'Neal, Jam and Lewis were introduced to Janet Jackson and produced her breakthrough album Control in 1986,[4][16] for which the duo won a Grammy Award. Their collaboration on her next album, 1989's Rhythm Nation 1814, proved even more successful as the album became one of the top-selling albums in history with four Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits. Their collaboration continued and remained highly successful, especially on the Billboard 200 No.1 albums janet., The Velvet Rope, All For You and Unbreakable.
In 1991, they founded a record label,
In 2003, Jam and Lewis moved their recording operations to Santa Monica, California naming it Flyte Tyme West, due to more opportunities for work and collaboration.[18] In 2006, they won a Grammy for Yolanda Adams' song "Be Blessed", from her 2005 album Day By Day. In 2007, Jam and Lewis produced the two-time Grammy Award-winning CD Funk This for Chaka Khan, which included the Award-winning R&B duet "Disrespectful", with Mary J. Blige.
The production duo reunited with the Time at the 50th Grammy Awards on February 10, 2008, in a medley that included the artist
In a career that has spanned more than four decades, Jam and Lewis have worked with a multitude of artists, including
Personal lives
Terry Lewis has two children from previous relationships; son Trey and daughter, Chloe. Lewis was married to R&B singer Karyn White; the couple have two children, son Brandon and daughter Ashley. He later married Indira Singh and had two children.
Jimmy Jam is married to Mexican-US businesswoman Lisa Padilla Harris; they have three children: Tyler, Max, and Bella. Jimmy served as chairman of the board of the
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Studio album details | Peak chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|
US Sales [19] |
UK Dig. [20] | ||
Jam & Lewis: Volume One[21] |
|
17 | 17 |
Singles
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US R&B [22] |
US Adult R&B [23] |
US Gospel Airplay
[24] | |||
"Til I Found You" (featuring Sounds of Blackness)[25] |
2019 | — | 22 | 21 | Jam & Lewis: Volume One |
"He Don’t Know Nothin’ Bout It" (featuring Babyface)[26] |
2020 | 16 | 4 | — | |
"Somewhat Loved" (featuring Mariah Carey)[27] |
2021 | — | 12 | — | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
Charts
They have produced 16 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits, and 26 Billboard R&B No. 1 hits.[4]
They are among a handful of producers to have No. 1 records in three consecutive decades, with number ones in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.[28][29]
They have had 41 songs reach the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100,[30] and 31 in the top 10 in the UK.[5]
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s
- Janet Jackson:
- The Human League - "Human"
- George Michael - "Monkey"
- Karyn White - "Romantic"
- Boyz II Men:
- Mariah Carey - "Thank God I Found You" (featuring Joe & 98 Degrees)
- Usher - "U Remind Me"
Awards
Since forming their music company Flyte Tyme in 1982, Jam & Lewis have earned more than 100 gold, platinum, multi-platinum and diamond albums for their work with such artists as Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross, Yolanda Adams, Herb Alpert, New Edition, Human League, George Michael, Earth, Wind and Fire, TLC, Robert Palmer, Gwen Stefani and Kanye West.[4] They have more than 100 ASCAP songwriting and publishing awards,[4] including several Songwriter of the Year awards.[31]
In 1993, Jam & Lewis were nominated with Janet Jackson for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Again", from the movie Poetic Justice.
In
Grammy Awards
Jam & Lewis have won five
References
- ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Jimmy Jam - Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
- ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Terry Lewis - Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
- ^ Savage, Mark (May 27, 2005). "The Hitmakers: Jam and Lewis". BBC. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g Philbrook, Erik. "Powerhouse: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Celebrate 30 Years as ASCAP Members". Ascap.com. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ^ a b The People Who Created The Soundtrack To Your Life – via Amazon.com.
- ^ "Artist: Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis:Musical Excellence Award". www.wkyc.com. 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
- ^ Shawn Grant (2022). "Eminem, Harry Belafonte, Lionel Richie, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Jimmy Iovine among 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees". The Source. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Williams, Chris. "Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis have become synonymous with recording excellence". Waxpoetics.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
- ^ Jimmy Harris wearing turban and Roland synthesizer as keytar in The Numero Group (1977). Mind and Matter Live. YouTube. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ "Ice Cream Castle - The Time | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ "The Time 'Condensate' to Original 7ven on October Album". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ "Pandemonium - The Time | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ "The Time - The Time | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ "What Time Is It? - The Time | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ a b c Bream, Jon (June 28, 1992). "POP MUSIC : The Rhythm 'n' Blues Brothers : Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are in tune with L.A. and New York music scenes--but keep churning out their hits from Minnesota". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ^ a b c Phillips, Jevon. "Hollywood Star Walk: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ^ Bream, Jon (June 28, 1992). "Prince Can't Keep Up With These Label Kings". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ^ Jones, Sarah (October 1, 2008). "Jam and Lewis Keep the Hits Coming at Flyte Tyme". mixonline.com. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
- ^ "Jam And Lewis - Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
- ^ "Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis to Release 'Jam & Lewis, Volume One' in July". Urban Bridgez. June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ "Babyface - Chart History (Hot R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ "Babyface - Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ "Jam And Lewis - Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
- ^ "Iconic Producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Release New Single "Til I Found You" featuring Sounds of Blackness". You Know I Got Soul. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ Folk, Antwane (November 13, 2020). "Jam & Lewis Share New Single 'He Don't Know Nothin' Bout It' Featuring Babyface". Rated RnB. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
- ^ Mamo, Heran. "Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Are Reuniting With Mariah Carey for a New Single". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
- ^ Bronson, Fred. Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits. Billboard Books, 2003 (3rd ed.), p. 106-128.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955 – 2012. Record Research, 2013 (14th ed.).
- ^ "Keith Caulfield on Twitter". Twitter.
- ^ "Answers - The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions". Answers.com.
- ^ "The Producer Of The Year Category Turns 40". Grammy.com. April 30, 2017.