LOS ANGELES, CA- I can still remember the moment I first stumbled onto Johnny Gill. Back when Bell Biv DeVoe dropped Poison, I was curious enough to start digging into where they came from, tracing the lineage back to New Edition. That search led me straight to a copy of Heart Break, which I picked up on cassette at The Wherehouse (remember those?). It was my first New Edition album, and the first with Johnny Gill. His voice stood out immediately: mature, seasoned, and commanding in a way that felt “grown.”
That same year, Gill released his self-titled solo album, produced in part by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and L.A. Reid & Babyface. Tracks like “Rub You the Right Way” and “Fairweather Friend” were undeniable jams, but it was “My My My” that sealed it for me. That lush ballad defined what soulful, sexy R&B was supposed to be. Over the years my tastes evolved, and while Gill’s music sometimes slipped past me, his unmistakable baritone never left my memory.
So when “One Night” landed in my inbox, it instantly brought me back to those early ‘90s discoveries. The growl of “My My My” isn’t as prominent, but the textures, warmth, and emotional pull of Gill’s voice are still very much there. Written by Gregg Pagani and Francesca Richard, “One Night” doesn’t try to chase trends. Instead, it’s a traditional R&B ballad with Gill’s vocals front and center which are longing, loving, and timeless. As Gill put it himself: “I did not try to chase or try to be trendy, I just decided… I wanted to just get back into recording and expressing myself creatively with music. This is where I am at.”
That decision feels right. In an era where so much R&B bends toward pop or hip-hop, Gill’s choice to double down on tradition is refreshing. It’s grown-folk music in the purest sense.
Of course, Gill’s earned that space. His career spans more than four decades, from teenage beginnings on Atlantic Records, to helping New Edition mature into classics like “Can You Stand the Rain.” As a solo artist, he carved his lane with producers Jam & Lewis, Reid, and Babyface, while also finding success with supergroups like L.S.G. and later Heads of State. Few can claim No. 1 hits as a solo artist, as part of a duo, and with a group.
And his role in New Edition remains as vital as ever. The group is being honored this year with a street-naming ceremony in Boston, while also gearing up for a 2026 North American tour and extending their Las Vegas residency through 2025.
Which brings it all back to “One Night.” For longtime fans like me, the song triggers instant nostalgia while proving Gill’s voice still carries the weight it always has. For newer listeners, it’s a lesson in what R&B sounds like when sung with depth, maturity, and heart. Forty years in, Johnny Gill is still making records that feel timeless, and “One Night”is another reminder that real R&B never goes out of style.
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