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.), 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 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. 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 ==