What Happened? Johnny Gill

Johnny Gill

Johnny Gill was born on May 22, 1966 in Washington, D.C, the son of a minister. He started singing at the age of five in a family gospel group called "Wings Faith" which included his brothers Bobby, Jeff, and Randy Gill (himself 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 busy career dictated that he complete his high-school education through the services of a tutor. Gill had planned to attend college and pursue a degree in electrical engineering, but decided instead to focus on his singing career.

Gill's recording career began in 1983, at the age of 17, when his childhood friend, singer Stacy Lattisaw, convinced him to record a demo. This demo fell into the hands of the president of Atlantic Records, and his self-titled debut album was released shortly thereafter, featuring the minor hit, "Super Love". On this album, Gill played guitar, bass, bongos, and drums in addition to performing lead and background vocals.

Gill then teamed up with Stacy for a duet album, which featured their first hit together, the title track, "Perfect Combination". The two release a duet album of the same title.

A second album on Atlantic Records yielded the song "Half Crazy", which is still a fan favorite.

Gill began a new chapter in his career in 1987, when he was recruited by Michael Bivins to join New Edition 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.

By 1988 Gill had left Atlantic and signed a new contract with Motown Records. Meanwhile, the boy band New Edition was looking for a new singer. New Edition had rocketed to fame in 1983 with the mega-hit "Candy Girl." After a string of more hits, lead singer Bobby Brown decided to pursue a solo career. Enter Gill. He had been friends with members of the group since their debut and, according to the New Edition Web site, "[the group] would always joke that if Johnny could hit one of their dance steps right, he could be in the group." With the understanding that he would continue to record as a soloist for Motown, Gill joined New Edition, who were then signed to MCA Records.

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".

Despite the phenomenal success of Heart Break, New Edition decided to disband in 1989. Gill joined old pal Lattisaw on the single "Where Do We Go from Here," which landed him right back at the number one slot on the R&B charts. With the backing of Motown he also recorded his most successful album to date, 1990's Johnny Gill. Motown pulled out all stops for the album, hiring the best producers in urban music and sponsoring a massive marketing campaign. It worked. The public sent the album straight to double-platinum status and pushed three singles to number one on the R&B charts: "My, My, My," "Rub You the Right Way," and "Wrap Your Body Tight."

Johnny Gill earned the crooner a Grammy nomination for best R&B male vocal performance, though he lost to Luther Vandross. The album also established Gill as a master of the musical trend known as New Jack. In its early 1990s heyday, New Jack took the classic soul of R&B vocals, added a shot of sexiness, some slick synthesizers, and a hint of rap. With his self-titled album all over the top of the charts, Gill was labeled "the Marvin Gaye of the new-jack soul generation" by Entertainment Weekly.

Continuing his role as a romantic balladeer while emerging as a new jack swing star, he released a second self-titled album in 1990, which included the hits "My, My, My", "Rub You the Right Way", "Fairweather Friend", and "Wrap My Body Tight".

In 1991, Johnny was featured on the "New Jack City" soundtrack singing "I'm Still Waiting" and the Shanice singles "Silent Prayer" and "You Ain't All That."

Johnny has also made appearances on song "Yeah" by Eddie Murphy (which also featured Luther Vandross, Janet Jackson, Babyface, etc.). He also made guest appearances on the "Mo' Money" singing “Let’s Run Away” and "Boomerang" soundtracks and the En Vouge video "Giving Him Something He Can Feel." Johnny also made a little-known guest appearance on the show "Out All Night," which starred Patti LaBelle, Vivica A. Fox, Duane Martin and others, singing "There U Go" from the "Boomerang" soundtrack.

In 1993, Gill released his second solo projecton motown, 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 was reunited with New Edition, including Bobby Brown, as they recorded Home Again, an album noted for the singles "Hit Me Off" and "Still In Love".

In 1996, Gill also released Let's Get the Mood Right, which included the title song, "Love In an Elevator", and "Maybe" - which is considered by many to be one of his greatest vocal performances ever.

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,

Also In 1997, Johnny released "Favorites," a collection of his greatest solo hits. He also appeared on the "Booty Call" soundtrack with a remake of the Rick James and Teena Marie hit "Fire and Desire," which he sang with Coko from SWV.

During 2002 New Edition appeared at the Black Entertainment Television (BET) music awards, where they met urban music mogul Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.

Johnny Gill reteamed with Levert and Sweat for a follow-up album in 2003 titled LSG2.

Sean P. Diddy Combs signed New Edition to his Bad Boy Records label and in 2004 New Edition released One Love. Gill was featured prominently on several tracks, prompting a St. Louis Post-Dispatch music reviewer to write, "[Gill] remains the group's ace." Fans were thrilled with the band's return to recording and pushed the record to the top of the charts. Reflecting on the album's success, Gill told Jet, "I think we were one of the first groups of our generation to do what we've done, be successful and then spin out and do our own thing and then come back. Most groups can't make it that far."

In the 2006 movie Madea's Family Reunion Johnny Gill performed “You For Me” during the wedding scene.

In 2008, Gill, as a member of New Edition, received the Golden Note Award at the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.

On September 27, 2008, he began touring with New Edition bandmates Ralph Tresvant and Bobby Brown in a new group named Heads of State.

Gill starred in the 2009 stage play A Mother's Prayer, which also starred Robin Givens, Shirley Murdock, and Jermaine Crawford.

In July 2010, Notifi Records, based out of St. Louis, MO, signed Gill to a recording contract. On October 11, 2011, Gill released his sixth studio album, Still Winning, which was his first album in 15 years. The first single off the album is titled "In the Mood".

Johnny Gill along with the rest of New Edition (including Bobby Brown) performed and received The Lifetime Achievement Award at 2012 Soul Train Awards.

Johnny Gill still tours solo and part of Head of State & New Edition.