Jimmy Jam Biography: Wife, Age, Children, Net Worth, Career, Albums, Awards, Janet Jackson

James “Jimmy Jam” Harris III is an American songwriter, multi‐instrumentalist, and record producer who first gained widespread attention as a founding member of the Minneapolis funk band The Time in the early 1980s.

Alongside his longtime partner Terry Lewis, he crafted the landmark sound of Janet Jackson’s albums Control (1986) and Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989), propelling both artist and duo to the top of the charts and cementing their reputation as hitmakers.

Profile

• Full name: James Samuel Harris III
• Nickname: Jimmy Jam
• Date of birth: June 6, 1959
• Age: 66 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• State of origin: Minnesota
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Songwriter, record producer, musician, composer
• Eye color: Brown
• Hair color: Black
• Parents: Father – Cornbread Harris; Mother – Doris Harris
• Siblings: Debra Harris (younger sister)
• Spouse: Lisa Padilla Harris (m. June 25, 1994)
• Children: Tyler Harris, Max Harris, Bella Harris
• Relationship status: Married
• Religion: Not publicly documented
• Ethnicity: African American
• Net worth: $40 million

Early Life and Education

James Samuel Harris III was born on June 6, 1959, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to blues and jazz musician Cornbread Harris and Doris Harris, who nurtured his early musical interests.

He attended Minneapolis North Community High School and participated in the TRIO Upward Bound program at the University of Minnesota, where he met Terry Lewis.

After high school, he briefly studied communications at the University of Minnesota while playing keyboards in local bands before committing fully to his music career.

Personal Life

Jimmy Jam married businesswoman Lisa Padilla on June 25, 1994.

The couple has three children—Tyler, Max, and Bella Harris—and splits their time between Minnesota and Los Angeles.

There are no public records of extramarital affairs or divorce.

Career

In 1981, Harris co-founded The Time, a band that became synonymous with Prince’s “Minneapolis sound,” playing keyboards and defining its musical identity.

After the band disbanded in 1984, he and Terry Lewis launched Flyte Tyme Productions, crafting hits like Janet Jackson’s “Nasty” and “When I Think of You,” the Human League’s “Human,” Karyn White’s “Romantic,” and Boyz II Men’s “On Bended Knee”.

Their work on Control and Rhythm Nation 1814 yielded multiple number-one singles and empowered producers to take central creative roles.

Since the 1990s, they’ve written over 40 Top 10 U.S. hits, scored films such as Poetic Justice (1993) and Mo’ Money (1992), founded Perspective Records in 1991, and continued collaborating with artists including Mariah Carey, Usher, Mary J. Blige, and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Awards

• Grammy Awards: Five-time winners, including Producer of the Year for Control in 1987 and Best Dance Recording for Janet Jackson’s “All for You” in 2002.
• Academy Award nomination: Nominated for Best Original Song (“Again,” Poetic Justice, 1993)
• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction: Honored in 2022 in the Musical Excellence category

Net worth

Jimmy Jam’s net worth is estimated at $40 million, stemming from decades of songwriting royalties, production fees, and music publishing rights.

Social Media

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Filmography

• Poetic Justice (1993) – composer
• Mo’ Money (1992) – composer
• Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince (2022) – appearance
• 64th Annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony (2022) – camera performance
• Other composition credits in film/TV (e.g., The Best Man, The Prince of Egypt)