TALK OF GREENWOOD
Dr. Jerry Goodwin
R&B New Edition member Johnny Gill will perform at the 19th annual Langston University President’s Annual Gala on Oct. 18. Photo, Provided
Two-Time Grammy Award Nominee And Member of Popular R&B Group New Edition
Langston University has announced its 19th annual President’s Scholarship Gala is scheduled for Oct. 18. This year’s entertainer will be Johnny Gill, a member of the Grammy-nominated group New Edition.
The President’s Scholarship Gala is Langston’s premier event of the year. LU’s largest student scholarship fundraiser, the Gala always features performances from talented artists. Past performers have included A’ngela Winbush, Tamia, and Charlie Wilson.
Gill entered the professional music world in 1983 at age 16 with his self-titled debut album on Cotillion/Atlantic Records. He went on to work with Stacy Lattisaw on their album “Perfect Combination” and released a second solo album, “Chemistry,” in 1985 before joining New Edition in 1987, following Bobby Brown’s exit from the group.
On his first album with New Edition, “Heart Break,” Gill helped the group find a more mature sound, which resulted in hits like “If It Isn’t Love,” which earned a Grammy nomination (1989), and “Can You Stand the Rain.”
He continued to release solo albums in 1990, 1993, and 1996 for Motown Records before joining forces with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat to form LSG in 1997. With LSG, the group’s debut album went multi-platinum. He also won two Soul Train Awards and a second Grammy nomination for his self-titled album in 1991.
Gill reunited with New Edition in 2004 for “One Love,” and he has continued his work as a solo artist. His most recent album, “Game Changer II,” won a SoulTracks Reader’s Choice Award for Album of the Year in 2019.
For more information, visit https://langston.edu/gala.
Langston University
Langston University is Oklahoma’s only HBCU (Historically Black College and University). The university has six academic schools offering a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The university provides students with a world-class education that includes hands-on learning through impactful research and beneficial internships. LU has campuses in Langston, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa as well as a site in Ardmore.
