Legend Jimmy Jam on Music, Longevity, and Reconnecting with His Father
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Few producers have shaped the sound of modern music like Jimmy Jam, one-half of the legendary songwriting and production duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. With a career spanning over four decades, the duo is responsible for some of the biggest hits in R&B and pop, producing for icons like Michael and Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher, Boyz II Men, New Edition, and Prince. Their signature style—seamlessly blending lush melodies, tight grooves, and emotionally resonant lyrics—earned them five Grammy Awards, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.
In an exclusive sit-down for Radio One with Jazmyn Summers at a ‘Late Development’ signature event, Jimmy Jam reflected on his journey, his lifelong creative partnership with Terry Lewis, and a deeply personal chapter—reuniting with his father after nearly 50 years.
WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING A LEGEND? YOU LOOK SO YOUNG?
The best part of being a legend is the living part. I’m a living legend, or as my partner, Terry likes to say upright and breathing is much better than the other way. But what I tell people is growing up in Minneapolis, you’re frozen half the year. So I look like I’m in my thirties even though I’m in my sixties. But that’s just on the outside, on the inside. Trust me, I’m every bit of a senior citizen. I’m getting all those discounts.
WHAT MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER REALLY TOOK YOUR BREATH AWAY?
Had to be working with Michael Jackson, working with Janet and Michael on Scream in the studio. Michael, when he went in the studio was just so cool and calm until the music started and then he turned into Michael Jackson, like THE Michael Jackson and Terry and I were screaming, we forgot we were producing. We just turned into fans.
ANY PARTICULARLY FUNNY MOMENTS?
There’s a ton of funny stories. The one that comes to mind was when Janet first came to Minneapolis to work with us. I remember it just snowed. And first thing she did is she laid on the ground and started making a snow angel in the ground. And we were like, no, no, no, no, no. You’re going to catch a cold. You’re going to catch a cold. And sure enough, she did catch a cold. And so when you listen to the song, some of the songs over the years, like Nasty or where she sings in a really low register, its from that cold but it sounded so good I would always say to her, sing like you got a cold. And those songs turned out to be some of the funkiest hits that she had.
Source: Melissa Nyomi Stoll / Melshotya
YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH TERRY HAS SPANNED OVER FIVE DECADES AND NO BEEF. THAT’S A RARITY. WHAT’S THE SECRET?
The secret starts with respect. We respect each other and also we each get to live our own lives individually, if that makes sense. There’s things that Terry loves, there’s things that I love, but I love things for Terry and he loves things for me. And when we first got together, we shook hands and we just said 50/50. And that eliminates pretty much any disagreement that you’re going to have. I also make the distinction between disagreement and argument because arguing is something you’re trying to win. A disagreement is something you’re trying to solve.”
YOU RECENTLY REUNITED WITH YOUR FATHER AFTER NEARLY 50 YEARS. HOW WAS THAT?
My father and I were estranged. He left when I was probably 14 years old. He just left one day, never came back, but he wanted to pursue music and he wasn’t able to do that because he had a kid and he needed to work a regular job. I dropped out of high school and I thought my mom was going to hit the ceiling. And she said, as long as I see you working towards your dream. What I realized after my kids were grown, somebody said to me, do you think your mom let you do that because she didn’t allow your dad to pursue his dream? And I realized that he sacrificed his career so that I could have mine. And so I needed to rectify everything with him and let him know that I appreciated everything and the lessons he taught me are the lessons that I teach my kids. So I just wanted to lift that burden off of him. When we first reunited it was a great moment. One of my sons was with me, Max, and it was funny because he started saying the same stories that I would tell Max. He started telling the exact same story and I was able to say, see now where I get it from. So it was wonderful.
WHAT DOES THE NEXT CHAPTER HOLD FOR YOU AND TERRY?
We’re in the storytelling part of our life. We’re in the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter is where you want to win the game. That’s the cliche for us. Winning the game is leaving music in a better place than we found it. Whether that’s making music, whether it’s creating technology to go with music, whether it’s telling the stories of the people that we got a chance to work with or got a chance to know. And so we’re doing a lot of those things. We’re working on some documentary work. We’re doing all the things that we haven’t had a chance to do yet. That’s all we’re looking forward to
BEYOND MUSIC, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT BRING YOU JOY?
Starting with my wife. I love her, Terry Lewis, my partner, and I love music. I’m like Gamble and Huff. I love music. Like the O’Jays said, that’s what I love. That’s who I am.”
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You can catch the full conversation in the video above.
Source: Jazmyn Summers / Jazmyn Summers
Interview by Jazmyn Summers. Photos and video by Melissa Nyomi of Melshotya You can hear Jazmyn every morning on “Jazmyn in the Morning “on Sirius XM Channel 362 Grown Folk Jamz and subscribe to Jazmyn Summers’ YouTube. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
