Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born June 6, 1959) and Terry Steven Lewis (born November 24, 1956) are an American R&B/pop songwriting and record production team. Their productions have received commercial success since the 1980s with various artists, most extensively Janet Jackson. They have written 31 top ten hits in the UK and 41 in the US. In 2022, the duo were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category.
Also recorded as Jam & Lewis · Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis · James Harris III · J. Harris III
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis

Angela George · Image e-mailed from author to uploader · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
- Birth Name
- * James Samuel Harris III
- Occupation
- * Record producers
- Full name
- James Samuel Harris.
- Fields
- hip-hop · soul · gospel · pop · rhythm and blues · new jack swing
- Honours
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame · Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born June 6, 1959) and Terry Steven Lewis (born November 24, 1956) are an American R&B/pop songwriting and record production team. Their productions have received commercial success since the 1980s with various artists, most extensively Janet Jackson. They have written 31 top ten hits in the UK and 41 in the US. In 2022, the duo were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis was a multi-instrumentalist and writer. The multi-instrumentalist was born James Samuel Harris.
Genres include contemporary R&B, gospel and gospel music, among others. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis received Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 30 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q1063111 · wikipedia · Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis • Birth Name — * James Samuel Harris III • 1959 6 6 • Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. • Terry Steven Lewis • 1956 11 24 • Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. • Alias — * Jam & Lewis • Jimmy & Terry • Instrument — * Keyboards • piano • synthesizers • bass guitar • Genre — * Minneapolis sound • R&B • pop • new jack swing • hip-hop soul • gospel • Occupation — * Record producers • multi-instrumentalists • songwriters • Years Active — 1981–present • Label — * Tabu • Perspective • Flyte Tyme • Spinoff Of — The Time
History
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. In the mid-1970s, Harris formed or joined Mind & Matter, an 11 piece band. Lewis had been in the band Flyte Tyme, which Harris joined late in its history and which Prince restructured as the Time in 1981. As members of the Time, they played instruments on all but one of the group's five albums (Ice Cream Castle being the one exception), including Condensate which the group recorded as the Original 7ven. 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. The pair asked Andrews to manage them, and through her relationships, Andrews first introduced the duo to Clarence Avant. They produced their first work for Avant for the S.O.S. Band. 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. 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). 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 S.O.S. Band. However, one of the Atlanta tracks, "Just Be Good to Me", became a hit and established the duo's reputation. Jam and Lewis would rejoin the Time for two albums: 1990's Pandemonium and the 2011 album Condensate when the band went by the Original 7ven. 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 Thelma Houston, Cherrelle and Alexander O'Neal, Jam and Lewis were introduced to Janet Jackson and produced her breakthrough album Control in 1986, 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, Perspective Records, an A&M Records distributed label that has since been closed and then reactivated. Later that year, their newly minted label experienced success with the Minneapolis-based gospel/R&B group Sounds of Blackness. Their debut single, "Optimistic", served as a groundbreaking anthem stressing positivity and encouragement. The song served as a summer and fall anthem and began propelling Jam and Lewis' label. Other successes followed with Sounds of Blackness as well as releases from labelmates Mint Condition, Lo-Key? and Solo. In 1992, Perspective released the soundtrack for the film Mo' Money, which starred Damon Wayans, Stacey Dash and Marlon Wayans. Executive produced by Jam and Lewis, the soundtrack featured songs by Mint Condition, Ralph Tresvant and Caron Wheeler, as well as a duet by Janet Jackson and Luther Vandross. 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. 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 Rihanna, and featuring "Jungle Love". In June and July 2008, all of the original members of the Time (Morris Day, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Jesse Johnson, Jerome Benton, Jellybean Johnson, and Monte Moir) reunited once again for a series of shows at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. In a career that has spanned more than four decades, Jam and Lewis have worked with a multitude of artists, including Lionel Richie, Herb Alpert, TLC, Sounds of Blackness, Yolanda Adams, Jordan Knight, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Boyz II Men, Usher, Johnny Gill, Patti LaBelle, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey, Prince, Mýa, Bryan Adams, Snoop Dogg, Spice Girls, Vanessa Williams, George Michael, Melanie B, Rod Stewart, Kelly Price, Gwen Stefani, New Edition, Eric Benét, Pia Zadora, SOLO, and the Human League.
Personal lives
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 had two children: son Brandon and daughter Ashley. He later married Indira Singh and they have two children together. Jimmy Jam is married to Mexican-U.S. businesswoman Lisa Padilla Harris; they have three children: Tyler, Max, and Bella. Jimmy served as chairman of the board of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He is currently listed as chairman emeritus.
Studio albums
Studio albums
• Title — Studio album details — Peak chart positions • US Sales — UK Dig. • Jam & Lewis: Volume One — * Released: July 9, 2021 * Label: Flyte Tyme, BMG * Formats: CD, digital download — 17 — 17
Singles
Singles
• Title — Year — Peak chart positions — Album • US R&B — US Adult R&B — US Gospel Airplay • "Til I Found You" (featuring Sounds of Blackness) — 2019 — — — 22 — 21 — Jam & Lewis: Volume One • "He Don't Know Nothin' Bout It" (featuring Babyface) — 2020 — 16 — 4 — — • "Somewhat Loved" (featuring Mariah Carey) — 2021 — — — 12 — — • "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Charts
Charts
They have produced 16 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits, and 26 Billboard R&B No. 1 hits. 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. They have had 41 songs reach the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, and 31 in the top 10 in the UK.
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s
• Janet Jackson: • "When I Think of You" • "Miss You Much" • "Escapade" • "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" • "That's the Way Love Goes" • "Again" • "Together Again" • "Doesn't Really Matter" • "All for You" • The Human League - "Human" • George Michael - "Monkey" • Karyn White - "Romantic" • Boyz II Men: • "On Bended Knee" • "4 Seasons of Loneliness" • Mariah Carey - "Thank God I Found You" (featuring Joe & 98 Degrees) • Usher - "U Remind Me"
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis was recorded at birth as James Samuel Harris. The authorities additionally record the headings Jam & Lewis, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, James Harris III and J.
Identity
Identity
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis is recorded as writer and multi-instrumentalist.

Jimmy Jam at a ceremony for Boyz II Men to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Angela George · Image e-mailed from author to uploader
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, revision 1370915438 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
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. They have more than 100 ASCAP songwriting and publishing awards, including several Songwriter of the Year awards. 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 2020 Jam & Lewis were nominated with Sheila E. for an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction for the TV special Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince.
Literature
Literature
Literature
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, In Their Own Words, 2004
Scholarly footprint
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Taylor, Luke. 'So many stories to tell': Minneapolis Sound luminaries trace their roots to historic Fergus Falls black community. The Current. 19 June 2018.
- 2.Ankeny, Jason. Jimmy Jam - Biography. AllMusic.
- 3.Ankeny, Jason. Terry Lewis - Biography. AllMusic.
- 4.Savage, Mark. The Hitmakers: Jam and Lewis. BBC. May 27, 2005.
- 5.Philbrook, Erik. Powerhouse: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Celebrate 30 Years as ASCAP Members. Ascap.com.
- 6.The People Who Created The Soundtrack To Your Life.
- 7.Artist: Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis:Musical Excellence Award. www.wkyc.com. 2022.
- 8.Shawn Grant. Eminem, Harry Belafonte, Lionel Richie, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and Jimmy Iovine among 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees. The Source. 2022.
- 9.Williams, Chris. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis have become synonymous with recording excellence. Waxpoetics.com.
- 10.The Numero Group. Mind and Matter Live. YouTube. 1977.
- 11.Ice Cream Castle - The Time Credits AllMusic. AllMusic.
- 12.The Time 'Condensate' to Original 7ven on October Album. Billboard.
- 13.Pandemonium - The Time Credits AllMusic. AllMusic.
- 14.The Time - The Time Credits AllMusic. AllMusic.
- 15.What Time Is It? - The Time Credits AllMusic. AllMusic.
- 16.Bream, Jon. 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. June 28, 1992.
- 17.Phillips, Jevon. Hollywood Star Walk: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Los Angeles Times.
- 18.Bream, Jon. Prince Can't Keep Up With These Label Kings. Los Angeles Times. June 28, 1992.
- 19.Jones, Sarah. Jam and Lewis Keep the Hits Coming at Flyte Tyme. mixonline.com. Oct 1, 2008.
- 20.Jam And Lewis - Chart History. Billboard.
- 21.Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100. Official Charts Company.
- 22.Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis to Release 'Jam & Lewis, Volume One' in July. Urban Bridgez. June 4, 2021.
- 23.Babyface - Chart History (Hot R&B Songs). Billboard.
- 24.Babyface - Chart History (Adult R&B Songs). Billboard.
- 25.Jam And Lewis - Chart History. Billboard.
- 26.Iconic Producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Release New Single "Til I Found You" featuring Sounds of Blackness. You Know I Got Soul.
- 27.Folk, Antwane. Jam & Lewis Share New Single 'He Don't Know Nothin' Bout It' Featuring Babyface. Rated RnB. November 13, 2020.
- 28.Mamo, Heran. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis Are Reuniting With Mariah Carey for a New Single. Billboard.
- 29.Bronson, Fred. Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits. Billboard Books, 2003 (3rd ed.), p. 106-128.
- 30.Whitburn, Joel. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955 – 2012. Record Research, 2013 (14th ed.).
- 31.Keith Caulfield on Twitter. Twitter.
- 32.Answers - The Most Trusted Place for Answering Life's Questions. Answers.com.
- 33.Lamont, Bracy. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis: The Sonic Architects Who Shaped Modern R&B and Pop. AcousticMD. Renzo One Entertainment Group.
- 34.The Producer Of The Year Category Turns 40. Grammy.com. April 30, 2017.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q1063111: Jimmy Jam and Terry LewisWikimedia Foundation
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
39,529 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Jimi SolankeAuthor
- Jimmy CarrAuthor
- Jimmy CarterAuthor
- Jimmy ChiAuthor
- Jimmy MacCarthyAuthor
- Jimmy Santiago BacaAuthor
- Jimmy WalkerAuthor
- Jimmy Wang YuAuthor
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.