Johnny Gill

Gill worked across singer, songwriter, actor and musician. The registers place that work in rhythm and blues. This article rests on 32 catalogued compositions, 39 issued recordings, 1 digitised documents and 1 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

• Birth Name — Johnny Gill Jr. • Alias — J.G., Skillz • Born — 22 May 1966 • Birthplace — Washington, D.C., U.S. • Genre — * R&B • soul • new jack swing • Occupation — * Singer • songwriter • Years Active — 1982–present • Instruments — * Vocals • guitar • piano • Label — * Cotillion • Motown • Notifi • Caroline • MNRK • Current Member Of — New Edition • Website — johnnygill.com

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.

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. A second solo album on Cotillion Records, Chemistry, was released in 1985.

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".

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", "Fairweather Friend", and "Wrap My Body Tight". 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.

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".

In 2011, 15 years after recording his last solo album, Gill returned with Still Winning, 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. 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. Beginning in 2023, Gill enjoyed a resurgence of popularity with his song, "Rub You the Right Way" on the popular social media app TikTok, with various influencers using the song for their videos.

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.

• 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)

Johnny Gill is recorded with the occupation songwriter. Classed in the genre rhythm and blues. Recorded as singer, songwriter, actor and musician. Established in Library of Congress under n92007001. Established in Discogs under 45534. Established in FAST under 298060.