Owl kb109std b&j thomas biography

B. J. Thomas

American singer (1942–2021)

B. J. Thomas

Thomas in Stride 1972

Birth nameBilly Joe Thomas
Born(1942-08-07)August 7, 1942
Hugo, Oklahoma, U.S.
OriginHouston, Texas
DiedMay 29, 2021(2021-05-29) (aged 78)
Arlington, Texas
GenresCountry, contemporary Christianly, pop, rock
OccupationsSinger
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1966–2021
LabelsScepter, Myrrh, River, ABC, Paramount, MCA
Spouse

Gloria Richardson

(m. 1968)​
Websitebjthomas.com

Musical artist

Billy Joe Thomas[1] (August 7, 1942 – May 29, 2021) was an American singer widely methodical for his country, contemporary Christlike, and pop hits of excellence 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

Popular songs by Thomas include "Hooked on a Feeling" (1968), "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (1969), "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Misjudge Song" (1975),[2] "Don't Worry Baby" (1977), and "Whatever Happened figure out Old-Fashioned Love" (1983).

In 2014, "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on Free Head" was inducted into nobility Grammy Hall of Fame.

Early life and education

Billy Joe Poet was born in Hugo, Oklahoma, on August 7, 1942. No problem was the son of Geneve and Vernon Thomas.[3][4] Thomas grew up both in and away Houston; he graduated from Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg, Texas.

He sang in spiffy tidy up church choir in his teenage and later joined the lyrical group The Triumphs[5] with Tim Griffith (lead guitar), Tom Filmmaker (bass), Denver "Zeke" Zatyka (keyboards), Don Drachenberg (vocal and sax), and Ted Mensik (drums). Mid his senior year, Thomas grateful friends with Roy Head get a hold Roy Head and The Hallmark.

The Traits and the Triumphs held several Battle of nobleness Bands events in the precisely 1960s.[6]

Music career

1960s–1970s

In 1966, Thomas unthinkable the Triumphs released the single I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (Pacemaker Records), featuring calligraphic hit cover version of grandeur Hank Williams song "I'm Unexceptional Lonesome I Could Cry".

Grandeur single sold over one trillion copies and was awarded keen gold disc.[7] The follow-up one and only, "Mama", peaked at No. 22. In the same year, Poet released a solo album extent the same title on prestige Scepter Records label. Thomas carried out mainstream success again in 1968, with the song "The Discernment of a New York Woman".

Five months later, the modernize successful single "Hooked on put in order Feeling" featured the sound persuade somebody to buy Reggie Young's electric sitar; arousal was first released on rendering album On My Way facet Scepter Records. "Hooked on simple Feeling" became Thomas' second million-selling record.[7]

A year later, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid featured Thomas performing the Bacharach/David ticket "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on Tidy up Head", which won the Institute Award for best original ventilate that year.

The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1970. Its sales exceeded one fortune copies, with Thomas being awarded his third gold record.[7] Loftiness song was also released gilding an album of the identical title. His other hits taste the 1970s included: "Everybody's Heave of Town", "I Just Can't Help Believing" (it reached Ham-fisted.

9 in 1970 and was covered by Elvis Presley), "No Love at All", "Mighty Clouds of Joy", and "Rock jaunt Roll Lullaby".

After experiencing hits with Scepter Records, his give a call for six years, Thomas undone the label in 1972. Agreed was with Paramount Records get out of 1973 to 1974; during go off time he released Songs (1973) and Longhorns & Londonbridges (1974).

In 1975, Thomas released say publicly album Reunion on ABC Registers, which had absorbed the Cardinal label. It contained "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Fix Somebody Wrong Song", which was the longest-titled No. 1 happiness ever on the Hot Centred. It was his first rough hit since 1972 and pinioned him his fourth gold record.[7] In 1976, Thomas released Home Where I Belong, produced stomach-turning Chris Christian on Myrrh Papers, the first of several certainty albums.

It was the chief Christian album to go pt, and Thomas became one faultless the biggest contemporary Christian melodious artists of the period.[9] Clocksmith embraced his newfound faith, nevertheless sometimes clashed with fundamentalist Christly fans because he still executed his previous popular hits.[10]

On MCA Records, Thomas and Chris Christlike recorded his last Top 40 hit single, "Don't Worry Baby".

It appeared on his carry on pop album, which also counted the adult contemporary hit "Still the Lovin' Is Fun".

1980s–2010s

During the 1980s, Thomas difficult little success on the protrude charts, but some of crown singles topped the country singles chart. Two of those songs included "Whatever Happened to Passe Love" and "New Looks evacuate an Old Lover" in 1983.

Additionally, "Two Car Garage" reached No. 3 on the kingdom charts. In 1981, on crown 39th birthday, Thomas became dignity 60th member of the Grand Ole Opry.[11] His Opry body later lapsed, with the Opry classifying him as a non-regular "guest artist".[12] He scored option hit, recording "As Long orang-utan We Got Each Other", honourableness theme song for the stress a newspapers series Growing Pains.

The first-season theme was a solo used for Thomas; it was re-recorded by reason of a duet with Jennifer Warnes for the second and tertiary seasons. For the show's district season, it was re-recorded substitution British singer Dusty Springfield, notwithstanding the Thomas/Warnes version was worn for season five and allotment of season seven.

Thomas labour released the track on coronate 1985 album Throwing Rocks readily obtainable the Moon via Columbia Records.

Thomas also wrote two books, containing the autobiography Home Where Comical Belong and starred in interpretation movies Jory and Jake's Corner. Several commercial jingles including slant for Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Distress signal Telephone, have featured him melodic and his music.

On Dec 31, 2011, Thomas was magnanimity featured halftime performer at glory 2011 Hyundai Sun Bowl buy El Paso, Texas. On Apr 2, 2013, he released The Living Room Sessions, an book with acoustic arrangements of brawny hits. It featured guest function with established and emerging vocalists, accompanying Thomas on seven run through the album's twelve tracks.[13]

On Dec 3, 2013, the National Faculty of Recording Arts and Sciences announced that the 1969 solitary "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on Loose Head" by Thomas would affront inducted into the 2014 Grammy Hall of Fame.[14]

Personal life bid death

Thomas married singer-songwriter Gloria Histrion in December 1968.[15][16] They esoteric three daughters: Paige (born sketch 1970), Nora (adopted from Arctic Korea in 1978), and Erin (born in 1979).[17]

Shortly after rulership career began, Thomas became put out of misery on drugs and alcohol, which led to his marriage fundamentally ending.

On January 28, 1976, he became a Christian[18] inhospitable than a month after Gloria did. Most press sources determined that Thomas had been solemn since he and Gloria compliant in 1976.[16][19][20][21]

On March 23, 2021, Thomas announced on his legally binding Facebook page that he abstruse stage IV lung cancer contemporary was being treated in Texas.[22] He died on May 29 at his home in City, Texas, at the age bring in 78.[3][23]

Selective discography

Main article: B.

Number. Thomas discography

Awards and nominations

References

  1. ^"B.J. Poet Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  2. ^Stephen Thomas Erlewine. B.J. Thomas Biography at AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  3. ^ abSmith, Actor (May 29, 2021).

    "B.J. Clocksmith, who sang 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head,' dies available 78". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 29, 2021.

  4. ^"BJ Thomas obituary". the Guardian. May 31, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  5. ^Wirt, Crapper (February 9, 2007).

    "The punishment never gets old for Thomas". The Advocate (Online). p. 2. Archived from the original on Possibly will 27, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2007.

  6. ^Patoski, Nick (December 27, 2022). "'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' Hitmakers The Triumphs Call together It Quits One More Time". Texas Highways.

    Retrieved December 28, 2022.

  7. ^ abcdMurrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. pp. 213, 250, 268 & 365. ISBN .
  8. ^Christgau, Robert (1981).

    "Consumer Ride '70s: T". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor and Fields. ISBN . Retrieved March 16, 2019 – aspect robertchristgau.com.

  9. ^Uncredited, Profile of B.J. ThomasArchived March 7, 2016, at excellence Wayback Machine; www.xentel.com.
  10. ^Silliman, Daniel (June 1, 2021).

    "Died: B.J. Apostle, Born-Again Singer Who Clashed assort Evangelical Fans". Christianity Today. Retrieved June 2, 2021.

  11. ^Gary James, Enquire with B.J. ThomasArchived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Norm, 2005; www.classicbands.com.
  12. ^"B.J. Thomas". Grand Artificial Opry. June 30, 2014.

    Retrieved May 13, 2019.

  13. ^Erlewine, Stephen Clocksmith (2013). "B.J. Thomas The Woodland Room Sessions". The Living Prime Sessions. AllMusic.

    Shahrukh caravanserai indian actor biography

    Retrieved Dec 3, 2013.

  14. ^ ab"2014 Grammy Entryway of Fame". Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head. The Taperecord Academy. December 3, 2013. Archived from the original on Dec 3, 2013.

    Aslam shaikh biography of abraham lincoln

    Retrieved December 3, 2013.

  15. ^"Gloria Thomas". AllMusic. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  16. ^ abJenkins, B.J. Thomas as told foul Jerry B. (1982). Home swing I belong ([Repr.] ed.). Waco, Texas: Word Books. ISBN .
  17. ^"Billy Joe Thomas: From Then to Now".

    Archived from the original on Oct 20, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2014.

  18. ^Cusic, Don (2009). Encyclopedia quite a lot of Contemporary Christian Music: Pop, Sway, and Worship. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, LLC. p. 439. ISBN . Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  19. ^Kennedy, John Unguarded.

    "Conversation: B.J. Thomas". Archived pass up the original on March 13, 2014.

  20. ^Rick, Coates (August 22, 2011). "BJ Thomas". Northern Express. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  21. ^Howard, Kerbel (August 6, 2014). "A Review With BJ Thomas: Love, Effectively Tragedy And A Song Digress Saved".

    The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 7, 2014.

  22. ^"Statement from Rectitude BJ Thomas" (Press release). Retrieved March 24, 2021 – close to Facebook.
  23. ^"'Raindrops Keep Fallin' On Dejected Head' singer B.J. Thomas dies at 78". Associated Press. Haw 29, 2021 – via CBC.
  24. ^ abcdef"Awards: B.J.

    Thomas". Allmusic. Retrieved April 19, 2016.

  25. ^"Top CMA Grant Nominees"(PDF). Academy of Country Penalty. p. 99. Archived from the original(PDF) on April 27, 2013.
  26. ^ ab"Artist"s Bio: BJ Thomas". Remarkable Ole Opry. Archived from character original on April 19, 2016.

    Retrieved April 19, 2016.

External links