Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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James "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born on June 6, 1959 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) and Terry Lewis (born November 24, 1956 in Omaha, Nebraska) are an American R&B and pop songwriting and record production team. They have enjoyed great success since the 1980s with various artists, most notably Janet Jackson.
The pair met in high school in Minneapolis and formed a band called Flyte Tyme which evolved into The Time. In 1981, they were joined by Morris Day and toured with Prince as his opening act. As members of The Time they recorded three of the group's four albums (The Time, What Time Is It?, and Pandemonium. The first two albums are said to have shaped early eighties R&B music (featuring "Cool","Get It Up", "The Walk", "777-9311", and "Gigolos Get Lonely Too"). The pair were fired from the tour because a blizzard left them unable to rejoin after a short break to produce The SOS Band. However, one of the tracks they were producing, "Just Be Good to Me", became a big hit and made their reputation, as well that of the SOS Band. The duo would rejoin The Time for one album only: 1990s Pandemonium.
After working with other artists like The SOS Band, 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, was even more successful.
Since that time they have founded a record label, Perspective Records, and worked with artists including Jordan Knight, Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men, The Human League, Usher, Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey. In 2000, the two were guest performers for J-pop singer and songwriter Utada Hikaru's concert tour in Japan, Bohemian Summer.
Terry Lewis married R&B singer Karyn White, with whom he had a daughter, Ashley Nicole. The pair have since divorced. Jimmy Jam is the Chairman of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
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