The Time were one of the most underrated bands of the 1980s. They had chart success, but they never really crossed over the way that their musical mentor, Prince, did. They were a hardcore funk and R&B outfit that served as a perfect outlet for the Purple One's dancefloor centric compositions.
Prince may have been the mastermind behind the Time, but the roster of talent involved with the band cannot be denied. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are proof. The duo joined the Time in 1981, playing keyboards and bass, respectively. They appeared on the band's first two albums, which spawned classic singles like "Get It Up" and "Wild and Loose," but they departed in 1983.
Did Prince fire Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis?
Why? Well, it wasn't their choice. Jam and Lewis were unable to make a tour date after a blizzard in Atlanta forced them to stay on the ground. Prince fired them, according to the Los Angeles Times. They were already producing for other acts like the S.O.S. Band, but being in the Time was their big meal ticket (at the time).
The departure looked bad in the immediate future. The Time appeared opposite Prince in the film Purple Rain, and scored their biggest hit ever with "Jungle Love" in 1984. Jam and Lewis got the last laugh, though. The band failed to release another album until 1990, while the duo went on to become two of the most in-demand producers in funk and R&B.
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis wrote and produced hits for the likes of Janet Jackson, George Michael, and the Human League. They were knocking out number one singles with ease. Despite being fired under less than ideal circumstances, though, Jam and Lewis held no ill will toward the Time.
Jam and Lewis reunited with the Time in 2020
The duo even reunited with the band for the aforementioned 1990 album, Pandemonium, and the 2011 album Condensate. They also got back together with Time lead singer Morris Day to honor Prince at the 2020 Grammy Awards. All three artists joined forces for a medley that included Time and Prince songs.
"It's totally emotional to be here tonight anyway, not just with our group, but with The Revolution with Sheila E," Lewis told Grammy. "It's just an awesome feeling to get us all in the buiilding, in same room, on the same stage." Jam and Lewis have continued to produce on their own, while Day continues to tour with the Time. All's well that end's well.