Wikipedia

Skinny Hightower

Jason Carroll (born November 12, 1985), known professionally as Skinny Hightower, is an American jazz pianist.[6] In 2020, his album Blue Moon finished as the 14th overall smooth jazz album on the Smooth Jazz Year End Top 100 Album Chart.[7] In the same year, his single "Bittersweet" finished as the sixth overall single on the 2020 Billboard Year-End charts for Smooth Jazz Airplay Songs.[8] Two singles from Blue Moon, the title track "Blue Moon" and "Now or Never", finished 36th and 38th respectively on the 2021 Billboard Year-End charts for Smooth Jazz Airplay Songs.[9] Hightower was also the number seven artist on the 2021 Billboard Year-End Smooth Jazz Airplay Artists list.[10] Hightower's singles "Blue Moon," "Now or Never," and "Taboo" all reached number one on the Smooth Jazz Airplay Billboard charts.[11][12] [13] "Blue Moon" also reached number one on the Smooth Jazz Network Top 20 singles chart.[14]

Skinny Hightower
Hightower in 2023
Hightower in 2023
Background information
Birth nameJason Carroll
Born (1985-11-12) November 12, 1985 (age 38)
Wichita, Kansas
GenresJazz, smooth jazz
Occupation(s)Pianist[1]
Instrument(s)
Years active2016–present
LabelsTrippin 'N' Rhythm Records[4][5]
Websiteskinnyhightower.com
Military career
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service2012–2017[2]
Rank Sergeant

Early life edit

Hightower was born in Wichita, Kansas on November 12, 1985.[1][15] Hightower's interest in music began at age two when he would sit on his father's lap and play the drums.[1][15][2] His involvement would continue as he later developed a mild interest in piano at age eight and began playing bass at the age of 12.[1] Jazz and gospel were his primary musical influences at the time.[15] Hightower later attended Wichita South High School where he played as a percussionist in the marching band, pep band, jazz band, and concert band.[2]

Music career edit

2012–2017: Military service and Cloud Nine edit

In 2012, Skinny Hightower enlisted in the United States Army where he served for five years and was promoted up to the rank of Sergeant.[1][2] He deployed to Afghanistan during the War in Afghanistan for a few months. Four years into his military contract, he recorded and released his first studio album Cloud Nine.[1]

Name origin edit

Hightower's pseudonym originated as a nickname given to him by his fellow servicemembers.[2] Upon learning that he was a jazz musician, his Army friends called him a skinny Mr. Hightower (played by Steve Harvey) in connection with the 1996 sitcom The Steve Harvey Show.[2]

2020: Blue Moon edit

In 2020, Skinny Hightower released Blue Moon which spawned the second and third number one Billboard singles of his career.[11][12] The production of the album consisted of the recording of 100 songs of which 24 were selected by a team of 10 individuals.[15][16][17]

Discography edit

Studio albums edit

Album title Release year Record label Ref(s)
Cloud Nine 2016 Vein Records [4]
Emotions 2017 Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records [4]
Retrospect 2018 Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records [4]
Blue Moon 2020 Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records [4][5]
Mind Over Matter 2023 Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records [18]

Singles edit

Title Year Peak chart position Album Ref(s)
US Jazz
(Smooth)
"Taboo" 2017 1 Emotions [13]
"Bittersweet" 2020 3 Blue Moon [19]
"Blue Moon" 2020 1 Blue Moon [11]
"Now or Never" 2020 1 Blue Moon [12]

Collaborations edit

Year Artist Release Additional information Ref(s)
2018 Lin Rountree Stronger Still Featured artist, piano [3]
2019 Cindy Bradley The Little Things Bass, vibraphone [3]

Live performances edit

Festivals edit

Year Title Role Ref(s)
2018 Catalina Island Jazztrax Festival Featured artist [20]
2019 Seabreeze Jazz Festival Featured artist [21]

See also edit

Music edit

Lists edit

Other edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g AllMusic.com. Artist Biography.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Riedl, Matt. "Chart-topping musician relocates to Wichita". The Wichita Eagle. The McClatchy Company. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Credits – AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b Linton, David (14 June 2021). "Skinny Hightower: Now Or Never". Jazz WCLK – The Jazz of the City. WCLK. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  6. ^ Collar, Matt. "Skinny Hightower Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  7. ^ "SmoothJazz.com Year End Top 100 Album Chart (Formerly the Gavin Report)". Smoothjazz.com. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  8. ^ "YEAR-END CHARTS Smooth Jazz Airplay Songs". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Billboard 2021 Year-End Smooth Jazz Songs Chart". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Billboard Magazine 2021 Year-End Smooth Jazz Artists List". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  11. ^ a b c "Smooth Jazz Airplay for Blue Moon". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  12. ^ a b c "Smooth Jazz Airplay for Now or Never". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Smooth Jazz Airplay for Taboo". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  14. ^ Kepler, Allen (21 January 2021). "Top 20 Chart for January 23rd". Smooth Jazz Network. KepEnt, LLC. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  15. ^ a b c d "Blue Moon". JAZZIZ Magazine. Michael Fagien. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  16. ^ Eckels, Carla (29 June 2021). "In-Studio: A Conversation with Skinny Hightower". KMUW – NPR. National Public Radio. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  17. ^ "Blue Moon – Skinny Hightower – Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Mind Over Matter". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Smooth Jazz Airply for Bittersweet". Billboard Magazine. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  20. ^ "32nd Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival this October". Love Catalina Island. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  21. ^ "Seabreeze Jazz Festival announces 2019 lineup". WJHG News, Weather, Sports – Panama City, FL. 3 December 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2022.

External links edit

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