Billy Joe "B.J." Thomas (born August 7, 1942) is a popular American singer. He is primarily known for his hit songs from the 1960s and 1970s, which appeared on pop, country, and Christian charts. His most famous footage is the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song "Raindrops Keep Fallin 'on My Head" and the original version of Mark James's "Hooked on a Feeling" song.
Video B. J. Thomas
Careers
Thomas grew up in and around Houston, Texas, graduated from Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg. Before his solo career, he sang in the church choir as a teenager, then joined the band The Triumphs. During his final year he befriended Roy Head of Roy Head and The Traits. The Traits and the Triumphs held several Battle of the Bands events in the early 1960s.
In 1966, B.J. Thomas and The Triumphs released the album I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (Pacemaker Records). It featured a hit cover of Hank Williams's song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". The single sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disk. Single follow-up, "Mama", reached 22. In the same year, Thomas released a solo album of the same name on the label Scepter Records.
Thomas returned to mainstream success again in 1968, first with "The Eyes of a New York Woman", then five months later with a much larger "Hooked on a Feeling", featuring Reggie Young's electric sitar sound and first released on the On My Way album (Scepter Records). "Hooked on a Feeling" became Thomas's second record sales of two million. A year later Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid featured Thomas Bacharach/David's song "Raindrops Keep Fallin 'on My Head", which won the Academy Award for the best original song of the year and reached No. 1. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1970. Sales also exceeded one million copies, with Thomas being awarded his third gold record. The song was also released on the album of the same name. Other hits of the 1970s were "Everybody's Out of the Town", "I Just Can not Help Believing" (No. 9 in 1970, covered by Elvis Presley), "No Love at All", "Aight of Clight of Joy ", and" Rock and Roll Lullaby ".
Thomas's previous discovery with Scepter Records, his label for six years. He left Scepter Records in 1972 and spent a short time, in 1973 and 1974, with Paramount Records, during which time he released two albums, Songs (1973) and Longhorns & amp; Londonbridges (1974).
In 1975, Thomas released the album Reunion on ABC Records, which had absorbed the Paramount label; It was "(Hey Will not You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" (the longest titled No 1 hit ever on the Hot 100). It was Thomas's first big hit since 1972 and secured his fourth gold record.
In 1976, Thomas released Home Where I Belong , produced by Chris Christian at Myrrh Records, the first of several gospel albums. This was the first Christian album to reach platinum, and Thomas became the largest contemporary Christian artist of the period.
At MCA Records, Thomas and Chris Christian recorded what would be his last Top 40 hit hit, "Do not Worry Baby", in his last pop album, which also included Adult Contemporary hit "Still the Lovin 'Is Fun".
During the 1980s, his success on the pop charts began to wane, but many of his singles reached the upper regions on the single country chart, including two chart charts in 1983, "Whatever Happens with Ancient Love" and "New Views of Old Lover "(see 1984 in music), as well as" Two Car Garage ", which reached No. 1. 3. In 1981, on his 39th birthday, Thomas became the 60th member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Thomas scored another hit, recording "As Long As We Got Each Other", a theme for Growing Pains . The first season theme was solo for Thomas, but re-recorded as a duet with Jennifer Warnes for the second and third seasons. It was re-recorded again for the fourth season of the show with British singer Dusty Springfield, but the Thomas/Warnes version was restored for season five and most of the season seven. Thomas first released this song on his 1985 album Throwing Rocks at the Moon (Columbia Records).
Thomas has also written two books including the autobiography of Home Where I Belong, and starred in Jory's films and Jake's Corner . Some commercial jingles including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Bell, have featured their sound and music. On December 31, 2011, Thomas was the leading halftime player at the 2011 Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
On April 2, 2013, Thomas released The Living Room Sessions , an album with an acoustic setting of the famous hit. It features a guest appearance with an established vocalist and appears accompanying Thomas on seven of the twelve tracks.
On December 3, 2013, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced that its first single "Raindrops Keep Fallin 'on My Head" will be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Maps B. J. Thomas
Personal life
Thomas has been married to singer-songwriter Gloria Richardson since December 1968. They have three daughters: Paige (born 1970), Nora (adopted from North Korea in 1978), and Erin (born 1979). Shortly after Thomas's career began, he became dependent on drugs and alcohol, which caused his marriage to close and his life almost over. In 1975, he became a Christian less than a month after Gloria did it; most press sources indicate that Thomas has been aware since he and Gloria made peace in 1976.
Discography
Albums
- A Shine also peaked at No. 17 at RPM Country Album Album in Canada.
Singles
Note: Single without B-sides indications may only be released as promotional copy with stereo and mono version of the same song.
Single guest
Other album appearance
- 1980: "Sanctified Your Name"; Our Father's Prayer
- 1999: "Suspicious Thinking"; Remembering Elvis: Louisiana Hayrides & amp; Tribute
- 2003: "Let There Be Peace on Earth"; Inspiration , George Foreman
- 2004: "Tomorrow Never Comes"; Special Guest Ernest Tubb
- 2007: "Rain Drops Fall In My Head"; Good Times Again , Glen Campbell
- 2008: "Rain Drops Fall In My Head"; Even More, Lynn Anderson
- 2012: "100% chance of pain"; Partners, Vol. 2 , T.G. Sheppard
- 2014: "Sunny"; Duet with My American Idols , Oleg Frish
Awards and nominations
Reference
External links
- Official website
- B.J. Thomas on IMDb
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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