Music producer Jimmy Jam says "I never thought I'd marry" after exchanging vows with Lisa Padilla

Jet, July 25, 1994 by Trudy S. Moore

One of the music industry's most eligible bachelors, hit-making producer James "Jimmy Jam" Harris III, said, "I never thought I'd marry." But all that changed when he recently said "I do" to lady love Lisa Padilla in a fabulous wedding ceremony in Los Angeles.

"I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be getting married," said Harris, 35, who with songwriting-producing partner Terry Lewis, has churned out hits for over a decade for the likes of Janet Jackson, Gladys Knight, Johnny Gill and Patti LaBelle.

The posh ceremony at Pickfair, the former residence of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, recaptured the elegance and romance of a bygone era. The 29-year-old bride, adorned in an antique white satin gown with crystal beading and pearls on the bodice, and the bridegroom, decked out in a matching colored tuxedo, both designed by Richard Tyler, were resplendent as they joined hands and hearts in a garden ceremony.

When he looked into her eyes as they exchanged vows, "It was the most beautiful I'd ever seen her," Harris told Jet. During their courtship, he said they often debated the pros and cons of marriage. But he always stood his ground that marriage was just not for him.

"I've seen marriages that weren't very successful--one being my parents'. That probably affected my outlook on it," he explained. He said with a laugh, "My outlook now has totally changed."

Looking back over their relationship, Harris said it began innocently enough. Lisa, who has worked as a fashion stylist for numerous entertainers on music videos, came by a recording studio in Los Angeles with vocalist Cherrelle, who has enjoyed musical success with Harris-Lewis tunes. Harris was there working on a project for George Michael and after the session broke up, the group decided to go out to eat.

"Lisa had a Suzuki Samurai. It was new and it was a cool car," he said recalling their first meeting. While he maintained it wasn't a come-on, he said to her," |Gee, I've never ridden in one of these before.' She said, |Come on and ride with me.'"

He said, "We didn't really become friends at that point, but there was some attraction. But we didn't act on it because we were with other people at the time," the Grammy Award-winning producer explained. Their paths crossed several times at parties in L.A. and then months later in November of 1989 "I bumped into her at the Beverly Mall...We walked around. She was shopping and then we stood in the parking lot and talked for about four hours," he said.

They kept in contact by telephone and when she invited him to leave his home in the Minneapolis area to spend the Christmas holiday in L.A. with her, he decided to take her up on her offer. "On our first date we went to see The Little Mermaid and then we spent New Year's Eve together. We've been inseparable ever since," he said.

As the ceremony was about to begin, Harris waited anxiously at the altar for his bride-to-be with the Rev. O.C. Smith, who officiated at the nuptials. The Sounds of Blackness performed The Lord's Prayer and vocalist Lisa Keith sang World of Joy with the group.

The smell of fragrant blossoms filled the air as the bride made her way down the aisle to The Trumpet Voluntary, the same music used at the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Her attendants were her sister Brandi, who served as maid of honor, six darling flowergirls and an adorable ringbearer.

At Harris' side for what he now calls "the best day of my life," was business partner and musical mate, best man Terry Lewis. Among the celebrity-studded crowd were Janet Jackson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Quincy Jones, Babyface, Johnny Gill, Holly Robinson, Herb Alpert, Nastassja Kinski, Gerald Levert, Tia Carrere, Karyn White, Morris Day and Ralph Tresvant.

Lisa, whose father Arthur is French and Spanish, and her mother Barbara who is Mexican, was born in Nuremberg, Germany, while her father was in the Army. She grew up in Covina, CA, a suburb of Los Angeles, and earned a degree in fashion merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Design.

While he was adamant about retaining his bachelor status, Lisa said she never came even close to throwing in the towel in the relationship. "We had a great relationship," she began, "He was always generous, thoughtful and respectful....I realized even if things stayed like it was between us I'd still feel the same about him.

"He said so much about relationships and not getting married. I think it was hard for him to turn the other way. He was always subtle," she said. Like the Christmas of 1992 when he gave her a six-carat diamond ring, a three carat round center stone surrounded by three carats.

Her parents were there for the holiday and when she opened her gift there was a dazzling ring he had made by a New York jeweler. Words failed her. She simply hugged and kissed him. "Lisa knew me well enough to know what the ring meant. But she also knew me well enough to know not to mention the "M" word," he said.

She explained, "If we were alone (I would have mentioned marriage), but the fact that my parents were there, I didn't want to corner him or embarrass him. But he knows what a ring meant and so did I."