Johnny Gill on Tour

The first thing that becomes apparent at a Johnny Gill show is just how much his fans adore him. But it’s a two-way street, with Gill feeding off that feeling and giving it right back to the crowd. It all adds up to one big love fest, as he delivers hits like “Rub You the Right Way” and “Fairweather Friend” along with tunes from his time with New Edition in the 1980s, like “Boys to Men” and “Can You Stand the Rain,” and even a little something from his tenure with R&B supergroup LSG. When he’s breathing new life into his early hits, Gill brings to bear a creamy croon that seems remarkably undiminished by time. A consummate showman first and last, he puts his all into every show, getting the audience eating from the palm of his hand as he delivers sensual slow jams and party starters alike.

Johnny Gill in Concert

One of the great R&B voices to come to the fore in the ’90s belongs to a Baptist minister’s offspring who began by belting out gospel tunes in church as a child. Johnny Gill released his first solo album in 1983 when he was still just a teenager. A little later, Gill was tapped by the original R&B boy band, New Edition, to add his supple, expressive voice to their fold. But it was his self-titled 1990 album for Motown that really made Gill a household name. With hits like “My, My, My” and “Rub You the Right Way,” he established himself as an artist who could blend a steamy, slow-jam style with the new jack grooves that were emerging in that era. Later on, Gill experienced even greater success by becoming part of the supergroup LSG along with Keith Sweat and Gerald Levert. But eventually he shifted back to solo mode, to give his fans the completely unadulterated dose of Johnny Gill they demand.