Gibson scored a number of hit singles, including "Jesus Loves Ya" (which spent a then-record 11 weeks at No. 1 on the CCM charts in 1991),[14] "Love Come Down" (1990),[15] "Friend in You" (1988)[16] and "God Loves a Broken Heart" (1986).[17]
Gibson ranked No. 59 out of all Christian artists in the 1980s.[18] His album Jesus Loves Ya was ranked No. 90 on CCM Magazine's The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music,[19] while the title track charted at No. 52 on the Top 100 Christian AC in 1991.[20] According to Frontline Records and Gibson's website,[21] he has at least 22 chart-topping CCM hits with 9 No. 1 songs.[22][23][24][25]
Upon returning home to pursue a music career, and with a natural ability to write songs, Gibson performed in California nightclubs with his band in the early 1980s. After finding his father had become a Christian,[26] Gibson accepted Christ in his father's car following a church service, and then was baptized by his father in their bathtub.[27]
Gibson's second album featured his first rap solo, "Ain't It Pretty" (1985),[44] from On the Run (1986).[45] The album was co-produced by Felton Pilate of Con Funk Shun.[46]On the Run was well received, and rendered his first No. 1 single in contemporary Christian music (CCM) to impact Christian radio.[47] "God Loves a Broken Heart" became one of over twenty Top 10 CCM hits for Gibson.[48] He would also experience success with the No. 1 single "Friend in You",[14] a ballad which is one of CCM's classic hit songs, from his next album.
Gibson wrote and produced "The Wall" as well, the first rap hit in CCM history by a blue-eyed soul singer and/or duo, featuring MC Hammer (a song that Stanley Kirk Burrell – or K.B. – originally identified himself as M.C. Hammer and Gibson as J.G.).[12][49] Burrell and Tramaine Hawkins previously performed in concerts with Gibson's band at various venues, such as the Beverly Theatre in Beverly Hills (a live performance of "B-Boy Chill" is on YouTube).[50] Gibson was in a gospel rap group with Hammer known as the Holy Ghost Boy(s),[51] with songs later produced and released on their respective albums.[52] Hammer released a song called "Son of the King" on his debut album, Feel My Power (1986).[53] Gibson released "The Wall" on his third album, Change of Heart (1988).[54] The album included Gibson's cover version of "Yah Mo B There" (co-written by Rod Temperton and Quincy Jones), a song originally performed by James Ingram and Michael McDonald.[55]
Gibson collaborated with Stevie Wonder on his fourth album, Body & Soul (1989).[56] Wonder played harmonica on a remake of his own song, "Have a Talk with God",[57] from Songs in the Key of Life (1976). The album peaked at No. 23 on July 29, 1989 (charting for 25 weeks)[58] Wonder's soundtrack album, Jungle Fever (1991), had Gibson singing backup on the track "I Go Sailing" (as well as touring together).[59]
Gibson's fifth album, Jesus Loves Ya (1990), featured multiple musicians including Rob Watson and Doug Webb.[60] It produced two hit singles: the title track and "Love Come Down".[13] In 1991, "Jesus Loves Ya" was a top selling CCM single,[61] spending a record eleven weeks at No. 1 on the CCM charts.[62] However, several elements frustrated the relationship between Gibson and Frontline Records. The main issue was the fact that Gibson was receiving little if no payment for his recordings.[27]
His sixth album, Forever Friends (1992),[63] yielded five Top 10 hits[64] and was voted Album of the Year by CCM Magazine.[65][66] The album peaked at No. 3 on August 8, 1992 (charting for 37 weeks),[67] but Frontline Records ran into serious financial trouble.[52] "My contract was over when I completed the album Forever Friends... I was definitely free from Frontline", Gibson says.[27] He decided to form his own record label called New Soul Records,[68] resulting in a nearly three-year hiatus before releasing his seventh album, Love Education (1995).[69] The album peaked at No. 19 on April 15, 1995 (charting for 5 weeks).[70]
Gibson later signed with Ojo Taylor and Gene Eugene of Brainstorm Artists International (BAI).[27] He then got married, had children and took time off from his music again.[71] Gibson searched for a record contract for two years,[52] before landing with the gospel record label B-Rite Music for his eighth album, The Man Inside (1999).[72] It was a consciously urban-sounding album made with producer Tommy Sims.[73] It didn't fare as well as previous records, therefore Gibson created Imagery Records for his ninth album.[74] He released his first praise album, Soulful Hymns (2002), via his own label.[75]
In June 2010, Gibson released the single "On a Mission", which was available for download.[76] A portion of the funding for a Project 10 album was raised via Kickstarter.[77] The planned album, The Horizons of Knowing,[61] went unreleased in late 2010.[78] "I'm On a Mission"[79] eventually appeared on Gibson's tenth album, The Storyteller (2012),[80] a tribute album to his father Stan Gibson (who led him to the Christian faith in 1981).[72] It was released on his independent record label by Soul Scan Music, and mixed by engineer Dennis Moody.[81]
Gibson released the single "Silent War" in March 2022,[82] marking his first new music in a decade.[83] The track was made public for download on Gibson's website and social media.[84] He is currently working on his eleventh studio album.[85]
Musical training and style
Gibson writes, arranges and produces most of his albums, as well as plays most of the instruments.[86] Comments Gibson:
"I'm not a trained musician. I never took music in school. I dropped out of school in 9th grade. I don't know how to read and write notes. I don't play with any proper technique. I just grab instruments and play them. Everything I learned to play I figured out myself. So I'm not the best musician, but if you give me time without people coming around pressuring me – 'We have to finish this record by the GMA' – when I don't have these pressures on me, I can do tracks closer to the feeling I really want if I play it myself. It takes me longer, but I get more of the feeling I really want if I play it myself."[27]
Gibson married Lisa Rea (an industry professional) in 1995, and had three children: Jonathon Thomas Gibson, James Robert Gibson and Jesse Earl Gibson.[61] After his youngest son was born on Christmas day in 2004,[94] Gibson became an ordainedminister in 2005.[12]
Body & Soul (1989) – Top Ten Hits: "Father Father", "In the Name of the Lord" & "Everyone Needs the Lord"[47]
Jesus Loves Ya (1990) – No. 1: "Jesus Loves Ya"[15] & "Love Come Down"[2] with "In Too Deep"[104]
The Hits (1991) – top hits[14] with "Jesus Loves Ya (Blackwell Remix)"[105] & "Everybody Sing a Christmas Song"[106]
Forever Friends (1992) – 5 Top Ten Hits with 4 No. 1s: "Happy to Know Jesus" (ft. MC Peace),[107] "Can't Live Without Jesus", "You Are the One", "Forever Friends" & "Found a Home"[63]
^Granger, Greg, ed. (January 15, 2001). CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House. p. 226. ISBN0736902813.
