Garry George "Jellybean" Johnson (born November 19, 1956) is an American drummer, guitarist, songwriter, record producer and musician based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1]
Jellybean Johnson | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Garry George Johnson |
| Born | November 19, 1956 |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) |
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| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels | |
Early life, family and education
As a youth, Johnson relocated from Chicago to Minneapolis.[2] He received drum lessons at age 13 and two years later began teaching himself guitar.[2] He attended Marshall-University High School, where he played on its basketball team, then attended the University of Minnesota.[2]
Career
As the drummer for the Time,[3] Johnson worked alongside famed producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and recorded with and/or produced many notable artists including Alexander O'Neal, Cherrelle, New Edition and Janet Jackson, with whom he had the 1990 #1 single, "Black Cat".
After the breakup of the Time, Johnson worked as a producer, musician as well as songwriter and became a long-time associate of Flyte Tyme productions. His first assignment was Alexander O'Neal's #11 R&B hit "Innocent" (produced by fellow Time bandmates Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis). On this track, he was not only the drummer, but delivered the guitar solos for the second half of the ten-minute long song. From this recording forward, Johnson became an in-demand session guitarist, drummer and percussionist. He also produced a number of hits for the aforementioned as well as New Edition, and helmed Mint Condition's 1991 debut album Meant to Be Mint.
Johnson re-joined the Time for the Prince feature film Graffiti Bridge and its accompanying Time album, Pandemonium. Shortly after, Johnson returned to touring with Morris Day, while continuing to produce emerging artists and work as a session player.
In 2008, he collaborated with Rihanna at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards,[4] then began work on his solo debut. Following the unexpected death of Prince in 2016, Johnson halted production. He returned to the Grammy Stage for both the 2017 tribute and the 2020 Salute To Prince, and finally released the album Get Experienced in 2021.[2]
In 2022, Johnson founded the Minneapolis Sound Museum.[5] That same year, he and fellow members of The Time were awarded a Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award.[6]
Personal life
Johnson is 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and played competitive basketball as a teenager. [2]
He has seven children.[2]
Hits that Johnson produced and co-produced
- Alexander O'Neal – "Criticize" (#4 R&B)
- Nona Hendryx – "Why Should I Cry" (#5 R&B)
- New Edition – "Crucial" (#4 R&B)
- Janet Jackson – "Black Cat" (#1 Rock/#1 Pop/#10 R&B)
- Mint Condition- "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" (#3 R&B/#6 Pop) and "Forever in Your Eyes" (#7 R&B).