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A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 2 november 2022

The Rock Hall of Fame opens to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis

By MARK KENNEDY AP En- ducer Max Martin chan-
tertainment Writer neled the duo while craft-
NEW YORK (AP) — The Rock ing hits for Britney Spears,
& Roll Hall of Fame this year the Backstreet Boys and
will induct Eminem, Dolly NSYNC. Charlie Puth is a
Parton, Lionel Richie, Carly fan, and Bruno Mars gave
Simon and two guys in sun- the pair a shout-out on the
glasses who have scored Grammy stage for pav-
more No. 1s on the Billboard ing the way when he won
Hot 100 than all of those album of the year for "24K
other acts combined. Magic."
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis One thing Jam and Lewis
are the rare songwriting would like to see change
and producing team to is more recognition for the
get into the prestigious hall, folks behind the tunes. Lew-
and they hope it will lead is worries that music today
to more artists like them be- is often seen like a utility, a
ing inducted. faceless service like water
"Songwriters are like farm- or electricity that's taken for
ers," said Jam. "When you granted.
go to a nice restaurant, the Jam misses the days when
chef is like the artist and you a record sleeve included
thank him for the meal. But tons of information about
where did he get the food the music makers, like the
from? Without the farmer, name of the engineer and
he doesn't have any food Jimmy Jam, left, and Terry Lewis pose for a portrait in New York on Monday, July 26, 2021. The duo, mixer.
to cook. And that's the way who've worked with Prince, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, will be inducted into the "The reason we're writers
songwriters are to me." Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Associated Press and producers now is be-
The duo's chart-topping cause we could look at
pop hits include Janet tion with Janet Jackson on records back in the day
Jackson's "When I Think of her monster albums "Con- and instantly see who pro-
You;" Mariah Carey's "Thank trol" and "Rhythm Nation duced it and who wrote it,"
God I Found You;" George 1814" solidified them as hit- said Jam.
Michael's "Monkey;" Boyz II makers. These days, it's hard to find
Men's "On Bended Knee;" The Rock Hall on Saturday credits on streaming sites
Janet and Michael Jack- will also induct Eurythmics, and the duo think that's a
son's "Scream;" and Mary Duran Duran, Judas Priest, problem.
J. Blige's "No More Drama." Harry Belafonte, Elizabeth "What it does is it devalues
They have five Grammys Cotten and Pat Benatar. the music because it com-
and went into the Songwrit- Jam anticipated that one municates the idea that
ers Hall of Fame in 2017. act closely associated music just comes out of no-
"I don't know if you could with the duo would be the where. It doesn't come out
ever recognize songwriters one who inducts them but of nowhere. There's people
enough. I mean, they are didn't go into specifics, rais- in this," Jam said.
the fuel that fuels every- ing speculation that it will After decades of making
thing," said Lewis. be Janet Jackson. music for other people,
"There are great songwrit- They credit music execu- Jam and Lewis last year
ers out there that never tive Clarence Avant and made their debut album as
get the shine that they de- an earlier songwriting pow- artists, "Jam and Lewis, Vol-
serve." erhouse duo, Gamble & Jimmy Jam, right, and Terry Lewis pose after winning the Grammy ume One" featuring Baby-
One song in particular Huff, for showing the way Award for Producer of the Year for their work on Janet Jackson's face, Toni Braxton and
might typify the Jam and forward. They hope to do "Control" album at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. Mariah Carey. They plan
Lewis range "Got 'Til It's the same with their induc- 24, 1987. The duo will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of on more such albums and
Gone," which combines tion: "It's wonderful and Fame. Associated Press hope to perform live next
a folk sample from Joni hopefully shines a spotlight starting with their first hit, "We're kind of at a point year, too.
Mitchell, the hip-hop of Q- on other people like us who S.O.S. Band's "Just Be Good of our careers where we The goal then as it always
Tip and Janet Jackson's do what we do that are to Me." don't have anything to has been for these men
R&B voice. deserving." They're responsible for prove, but we still have a who push the sonic enve-
"We're kind of at a cross- They grew up listening to more than 50 Billboard No. lot to say," said Jam. "We lope is to build a musical
roads or an intersection different genres. Jam was 1 songs on the pop, R&B just want to leave music bridge in this time of divi-
of a lot of different music," a pop fan, soaking in Seals and dance charts for ev- in a better place, whether sions.
said Jam. and Crofts, America and eryone from Rod Stewart it's through technology, "It's all about taking people
Jam and Lewis started out Chicago. Lewis leaned and Sting to Patti LaBelle. whether it's through the young, old, white, Black,
in competing bands and more toward Parliament- They tailor the song to the songs we make, whether straight, gay, Democrat or
became part of Prince's Funkadelic and Earth, Wind artist and choose for them- it's the people we influence Republican, whatever and
band, The Time, in Minne- & Fire. selves a non-nonsense that are making music for the time we're on stage,
apolis. After parting ways "Terry liked the funky bot- wardrobe of black suits now." bring all of them together,"
with The Purple One, the tom. I like the pretty top," and sunglasses. Next year, Turn on the radio and you said Jam.
duo established a record- said Jam. they celebrate their part- will likely immediately hear "If you could do that, that
ing studio and production You can hear that combo nership hitting its 50th an- the influence of Jam and to me is the magic of
company. Their collabora- throughout their career, niversary. Lewis. Famed Swedish pro- music."q