Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesFriday MP3 Shuffle: Happy Birthday Johnny Gill Edition

Today we say Happy Birthday to Johnny Gill, one of the biggest names in '90s-'00s RnB both as a solo artist and member of the group New Edition. While he wasn’t an original member, Gill was the key to the band accomplishing something other groups rarely achieve: a successful second act. Having fired lead singer Bobby Brown for reasons known to anyone who was watching “Inside Edition” or reality TV in the 2000s, the remaining New Edition members decided they needed to recruit someone of comparable skill and charisma up front. With Gill (the only member of the group not from Boston) on lead vocals, they transitioned from a fresh-faced bubble-gum boy band to legit RnB stars, developing a more mature sound and releasing their biggest-selling albums Heart Break and Home Again. Despite splitting up from time to time to pursue solo careers and the consummate New Jack Swing experience that was Bell Biv DeVoe, all six current and former members have remained in each other’s orbit and continue to tour together.

Wish Johnny Gill a Happy Birthday and play the MP3 shuffle by taking your MP3 player, pressing the "shuffle" button, and sharing the first 10 songs you hear:

1. Blue Water White Death - Song for the Greater Jihad (Blue Water White Death): Any song on this album is pretty much what you would play for your sweetheart to convince them you're a serial killer.

2. Franz Ferdinand – The Dark of the Matineée (Franz Ferdinand): Solid mid-'00s Pop-Rock from Glasgow.

3. Tom Waits – Who Are You (Bone Machine): A sweet ballad, or at least as sweet as Tom Waits voice allows him to get.

4. Colin Stetson – The Righteous Wrath of An Honorable Man (New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges): Beautifully cutting passages from the bass saxophonist whose managed to find a totally way to make a 150 year-old instrument sound unique.

5. Nick Lowe – Cruel to Be Kind (Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s): One of my favorite songs from the MTV '80s era. Lean and efficient, with that special twist of sardonic British wit.

6. Guided By Voices – Mincer Ray (Bee Thousand): An untouchable achievement in album-making. Seriously, if you haven't heard this record, do so immediately and make it part of your life.

7. INXS – Dancing on the Jetty (The Swing): INXS remains one of the most underrated bands in Pop history, IMO. They had a string of solid albums that are still very much listenable today.

8. The Smashing Pumpkins – Disarm (Siamese Dream): The obligatory sensitive acoustic single from the otherwise Noise Rock onslaught from the album that put this Chicago band on the map. One of their most popular singles, too.

9. Trioscapes – Stab Wounds (Digital Dream Sequence): Avant-Garde Jazz and Krautrock collide head-on and the result is a driving, funky head-scrambler.

10. Aaron Neville – Tell It Like It Is (The R&B Box: 30 Years of Rhythm & Blues): The only #1 song for the R&B legend, it's the most gentle, delicate romantic ultimatum ever put on tape.

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