Hello!
I know it’s been a few days since my last post. I was a bit under the weather, please forgive me. đ
But I’m back! For today’s post of black music history fun facts, we have the amazing songwriting and music production team, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis! When I think of 80s and 90s R&B, they’re who I think of. They helped to make some of your favorite R&B hits, and if you don’t know about them…it’s time!
- James Samual “Jimmy Jam” Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis have been making hit after hit since 1982.
- Jimmy Jam is the son of famous Minneapolis jazz and blues musician, Cornbread Harris.
- Harris and Lewis met in high school in Minneapolis and formed a band called, Flyte Tyme, which became The Time.
- Morris Day joined them in ’81 and they toured with Prince.
- They produced their first record for the SOS Band.
- They were known for being one of the few who used the Roland TR-808 drum machine
- They produced Janet Jackson’s breakthrough album, Control in ’86. (Won a Grammy)
- In ’89, they hit it again with Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 (4 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits)
- In 1990 Jam And Lewis recorded “Pandemonium” with The Time, which was released on Princeâs Paisley Park Records.
- In 2005, they opened up their recording studios in Sana Monica, Flyte Tyme West.
- They have 31 top ten hits on the charts in the US and the UK
- Acts they’re associated with: The Time, Prince, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, The SOS Band, Boyz II Men, Usher, Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey, Chaka Khan, New Edition, Patti LaBelle, and more!
Here’s a short interview:
And a playlist of some of their hits:Â