Skinny Hightower | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Jason Carroll |
Born | Wichita, Kansas | November 12, 1985
Genres | Jazz, smooth jazz |
Occupation(s) | Pianist [1] |
Instrument(s) |
|
Years active | 2016–present |
Labels | Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records [4] [5] |
Website | skinnyhightower.com |
Military career | |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 2012–2017 [2] |
Rank | Sergeant |
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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] |
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] |
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] |
Year | Title | Role | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Catalina Island Jazztrax Festival | Featured artist | [20] |
2019 | Seabreeze Jazz Festival | Featured artist | [21] |
Skinny Hightower | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Jason Carroll |
Born | Wichita, Kansas | November 12, 1985
Genres | Jazz, smooth jazz |
Occupation(s) | Pianist [1] |
Instrument(s) |
|
Years active | 2016–present |
Labels | Trippin 'N' Rhythm Records [4] [5] |
Website | skinnyhightower.com |
Military career | |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 2012–2017 [2] |
Rank | Sergeant |
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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] |
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] |
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] |
Year | Title | Role | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Catalina Island Jazztrax Festival | Featured artist | [20] |
2019 | Seabreeze Jazz Festival | Featured artist | [21] |