Jerry Knight
{{short description|American singer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Jerry Knight
| honorific_suffix =
| image =
| image_upright =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Jerry Ernest Knight
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1952|04|17}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1996|12|29|1952|04|17}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| genre = R&B
| occupation = Singer, songwriter, producer
| instrument = Bass guitar, vocals
| years_active = 1978–1996
| associated_acts = Raydio
| website =
}}
Jerry Ernest Knight (April 17, 1952 – December 29, 1996) was an American R&B vocalist and bassist{{cite book|last1=Whitburn|first1=Joel|title=The Billboard Albums: Includes Every Album that Made the Billboard 200 Chart: 50 Year History of the Rock Era|date=2006|publisher=Record Research Incorporated|isbn=9780898201666|edition=6th|page=596}} who reached prominence in the late 1970s and early 1980s, during which he was part of several groups and had a brief solo career.
Career
A Los Angeles native, he first gained recognition as a founding member, along with Ray Parker Jr., of the R&B group Raydio, singing vocals on their early hit "Jack and Jill." Prior to this, he was a session player for many artists, notably providing bass on Bill Withers “Lovely Day.”
Knight left Raydio after before their second album was released to pursue a solo career, going on to release three solo albums and achieving moderate success with minor hits such as "Overnight Sensation," "Perfect Fit" and "Turn It Out".
In 1983, Knight teamed with session drummer Ollie E. Brown to form Ollie & Jerry. They provided the title track to the soundtrack for the 1984 movie Breakin', which reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite web|last1=Hogan|first1=Ed|title=Ollie & Jerry - Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ollie-jerry-mn0000889962|website=AllMusic|access-date=6 March 2022}} They also recorded the title track for Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, which got to #45 on the Billboard R&B chart.
Shortly after Ollie & Jerry parted ways in 1985, Knight began working with the Jets, co-writing their early hits "Crush On You," "Curiosity," and "Private Number".{{cite web|title=Songs written by Jerry Knight|url=https://www.musicvf.com/songs.php?page=artist&artist=Jerry+Knight&tab=songaswriterchartstab|website=Music VF|access-date=6 March 2022}} Although his career as an artist faded, Knight continued to write and produce for other acts such as the Whispers, Patrice Rushen, DeBarge, Howard Hewett and Elkie Brooks.
Personal life and death
According to an interview with his Raydio bandmate Ray Parker, Jr., Raydio's song "Jack and Jill" was actually written about Knight and his wife, whose real name was Jill (Maxine) Knight. Parker added that Knight and Jill had two children together (Dereck and Lindsay).{{cite web|url=http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/video/9304050-ray-parker-jr-in-studio/|last=Parker|first=Ron|title=Ray Parker Jr in Studio <
Knight died of cancer in Los Angeles on December 29, 1996, at age 44.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jerry-knight-mn0000332660/biography|title=Artist Biography|first=Ron|last=Wynn|publisher=AllMusic}} He is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery.
Solo discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"|Year
!rowspan="2"|Album !colspan="2"|Chart positions !rowspan="2"|Label |
|---|
| width="40"|US Pop {{cite web|title=Jerry Knight - Awards|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jerry-knight-mn0000332660/awards|website=AllMusic|access-date=6 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504050142/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jerry-knight-mn0000332660/awards|archive-date=May 4, 2015}} !width="40"|US R&B |
| rowspan="1"|1980
|align="left"|Jerry Knight | 165 | 51 |rowspan="3"|A&M Records |
| rowspan="1"|1981
|align="left"|Perfect Fit | 146 | 30 |
| rowspan="1"|1982
|align="left"|Love's on Your Side | — | — |
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable"
!scope="col" rowspan="2"|Year !scope="col" rowspan="2"|Title !scope="col" colspan="3"|Peak chart positions |
| align="center" valign="top" width="40"|US Pop !align="center" valign="top" width="40"|US R&B !align="center" valign="top" width="40"|US Dance |
|---|
| align="left" valign="center" rowspan="2"|1980
|align="left" valign="top"|"Overnight Sensation" |align="center" valign="top"| 103 |align="center" valign="top"| 17 |align="center" valign="top"| 18 |
| align="left" valign="top"|"Joy Ride"
|align="center" valign="top"| — |align="center" valign="top"| 87 |align="center" valign="top"| — |
| align="left" valign="center" rowspan="2"|1981
|align="left" valign="top"|"Perfect Fit" |align="center" valign="top"| — |align="center" valign="top"| 16 |align="center" valign="top"| 37 |
| align="left" valign="top"|"Turn It Out"
|align="center" valign="top"| — |align="center" valign="top"| 65 |align="center" valign="top"| — |
| align="left" valign="center"|1982
|align="left" valign="top"|"She's Got to Be (A Dancer)" |align="center" valign="top"| — |align="center" valign="top"| 71 |align="center" valign="top"| — |
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. |
=Songwriting credits=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
!Artist !Song Title !Album |
|---|
| align=center|1977
|"Is Your Teacher Cool?" |
| align=center|1978
|"Since You Went Away" |
| align=center|1979
|Charles Jackson |"Gonna Get Your Love" |I'm Gonna Get Your Love |
| align=center|1980
|"Don't Walk Away" |Two Hearts Are Better Than One |
| align=center rowspan="2"|1983
|"Tonight" |
| Philip Bailey
|"Desire" |
| align=center rowspan="5"|1984 |
| George Duke
|"Secret Rendezvous" |Secret Rendezvous |
| Ollie & Jerry
|"They're So Incredible" |
| Philip Bailey
|"Photogenic Memory" |
| The Chi Lites
|"Running Around" |Steppin' Out |
| align=center rowspan="9"|1985
|"Stand Up" |The Vision |
| Jeff Lorber
|"It Takes a Woman" |Step by Step |
| Willie Hutch
|"Sexy Feelin" |Making a Game Out of Love |
| rowspan="6"|The Jets
|"Curiosity" |rowspan="6"|The Jets |
| "Crush on You" |
| "Private Number" |
| "Love Umbrella" |
| "Heart on the Line" |
| "Right Before My Eyes" |
| align=center rowspan="5"|1986
|rowspan="2"|Bunny Debarge |"Save the Best for Me" |rowspan="2"|In Love |
| "Life Savier" |
| rowspan="3"|O'Bryan
|"Tenderoni" |rowspan="3"|Surrender |
| "You Have Got to Come to Me" |
| "What Goes Around" |
| align=center rowspan="3"|1987
|"Cry on Me" |
| Natalie Cole
|"Everlasting" |
| Brenda K. Starr
|"Drive Another Girl Home" |
| align=center rowspan="2"|1988
|"Challenge" |
| Five Star
|"Physical Attraction" |
| align=center|1992
|"Give Me Something Good" |Love for the Future |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{discogs artist|170598-Jerry-Knight}}
{{Raydio}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knight, Jerry}}
Category:American rhythm and blues singers
Category:20th-century African-American male singers
Category:Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery
Category:Singers from California
Category:Guitarists from Los Angeles
Category:American male bass guitarists
Category:20th-century American bass guitarists
Category:20th-century American singers
Category:20th-century American male singers