Fellow Singer/Songwriters and Friends Remember and Mourn The Loss of B.J. Thomas
29 May
ARLINGTON, Texas –
Five-time Grammy award winner and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, B.J. Thomas,
died today at home in Arlington, Texas at the age of 78 from complications
due to stage four lung cancer.
Few artists have left a more indelible mark on
America’s musical landscape than B.J. Thomas. With his smooth, rich voice and
unerring song sense, Thomas’s expansive career crossed multiple genres,
including country, pop, and gospel, earning him CMA, Dove, and Grammy awards
and nominations since his emergence in the 1960s.
Thomas’ career was anchored by numerous enduring
hits, among them his million-selling cover of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I
Could Cry,” the Grammy-winning “(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done
Somebody Wrong Song” and the iconic “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” which
won the Academy Award for best original song. A five-time Grammy award winner
and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, Thomas has sold over 70 million albums
worldwide, scoring eight No. 1 hits and 26 Top 10 singles over his 50+ years in
the music industry. His lengthy chart history led to him being named one of
Billboard’s Top 50 Most Played Artists Over The Past 50 Years. Such memorable
hits as “I Just Can’t Help Believing, “Don’t Worry Baby,”
“Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned Love,” “New Looks From
An Old Lover” and “Hooked on a Feeling” have made him a
staple on multiple radio formats over the years.
Born in rural Hugo, OK, Billy Joe Thomas moved
to Houston, Texas with his family and where he grew up absorbing a variety of
musical influences from the traditional country of Ernest Tubb and Hank
Williams Dr. to the soulful sounds of Jackie Wilson and Little Richard, whose
“Miss Ann” was the first single B.J. ever bought. He began singing in church as
a child and in his teens joined the Houston-based band the Triumphs.
Thomas’s first taste of success came in 1966
when he recorded “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” with producer Huey P. Meaux.
Released by Scepter Records, it peaked at No. 8 on the pop charts and became
his first million-selling single. He released the follow-up single, “Mama,” and
delivered his first solo album that same year.
Thomas’ second million-selling hit came in 1968
with the release of “Hooked on a Feeling,” from On My Way, his sophomore
album for Scepter. During his days with the New York label, he became friendly
with Ronnie Milsap and Dionne Warwick, who were also on the roster at the time.
It was Warwick who introduced him to songwriter-producer Burt Bacharach. In
January 1970, Thomas topped the charts with “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My
Head.” Penned by Bacharach and Hal David, the song was featured in the classic
Paul Newman/Robert Redford film Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, earning the Oscar for best original
song. Sales quickly exceeded two million copies and it has remained one of the
most enduring pop hits of all time, reoccurring in such films as Forrest Gump, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Clerks II, and Spider-Man 2 as well as
multiple TV shows over the years. He followed that career-defining single with
a string of pop/rock hits, including “Everybody's Out of Town,” “I Just Can't
Help Believing,” “No Love at All” and “Rock and Roll Lullaby.”
After six years with Scepter Records, Thomas
signed with Paramount Records where he released two albums—1973’s Songs and 1974’s Longhorns & Londonbridges.
In 1975, Thomas released the album Reunion on
ABC Records, featuring “(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody
Wrong Song,” which holds the distinction of being the longest titled No. 1 hit
ever on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Like many successful pop/rock artists, Thomas
fell into drugs and battled substance abuse. His wife Gloria became a
born-again Christian and the turning point in Thomas’ life came when he became
a believer in 1976. He immediately quit drugs and found an avenue for
expressing his faith in gospel music. Thomas signed with Myrrh Records and
released the album Home
Where I Belong in 1976. Produced by Chris Christian, the
project won Thomas a Grammy and became the first of two Dove Award wins. The
album became the first gospel record to sell a million copies. The warmth and
emotional timbre of Thomas’s voice was well suited to the genre and he became
one of gospel music’s most successful artists. His rendition of “Amazing Grace”
is considered one of the most poignant of the classic hymn’s many covers.
In addition to his country and gospel success,
Thomas also enjoyed a healthy run on the country charts in the 1980s with such
hits as “Whatever Happened to Old Fashioned Love,” “New Looks from an Old Lover
Again,” “The Whole World’s in Love When You’re Lonely” and “Two Car Garage.”
“(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” was No. 1 on
both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Country Songs charts. It won the Grammy
for Best Country Song in 1976 and was nominated for CMA Single of the Year. On
his 39th birthday in 1981, Thomas became the 60th member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Beyond populating multiple radio formats with so
many beloved hits, Thomas also voiced the theme song, “As Long As We’ve Got
Each Other,” for the popular TV series Growing
Pains, and has lent his voice to numerous commercials, including
campaigns for Coca-Cola and Pepsi. He can also be seen on television hosting
Time Life Music’s Forever
70s infomercial. As an actor, he also appeared in the
films Jory and Jake's Corner. Thomas
authored two books, including his autobiography Home Where I Belong.
In 2013, he released The Living Room Sessions, an
acoustic album, which celebrated Thomas’s nearly six decades in the music
industry. The project featured Thomas dueting with other high profile artists
on his most beloved hits, which included teaming with Richard Marx for “(Hey
Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” Vince Gill on “I
Just Can’t Help Believing,” Sara Niemietz on “Hooked on a Feeling,” Keb' Mo' on
“Most of All,” Lyle Lovett on “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” and The Fray’s
Isaac Slade on “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” The album was well-received with
critics praising it as a reminder of just how engaging his voice remained after
decades of recording and touring.
Though Thomas will be remembered as one of this
generation’s premiere vocalists and a consummate entertainer, the humble artist
was most proud of his family. He’s survived by his wife of 53 years Gloria,
their three daughters Paige Thomas, Nora Cloud, and Erin Moore, and four
grandchildren, Nadia Cloud, Keira Cloud, Ruby Moore, and Billy Joe Moore.
A quote from his website exemplifies Thomas’
humble attitude and appreciation for life. “All I am is just another guy. I’ve
been very lucky,” he shared. “I’ve had a wonderful life, I’ve been a husband
and a father who cherishes his children and now I’m a grandfather, and I’m
motivated like all these teachers and preachers and mothers and fathers to help
my kids grow up with character and self-respect. I hope that doesn’t sound too
grandiose, but that’s what it comes down to. It’s what I’ve tried to do with my
music and with the majority of my life.”
4 Feb 2022 Update
IN REMEMBRANCE – LOVE SONGS & LOST
TREASURES AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW AT BJTHOMAS.COM
Nashville, Tenn. – B.J. Thomas, whose
career spanned over six decades and sold over 70 million albums, will have new
music available to music lovers on February 4, 2022, as Real Gone Music will
release an 18-song CD, which will include 13 unreleased songs! This package
includes eight unreleased songs from the Warner-Reprise Records vault, four
songs from a limited edition direct response album in the 90s, rare photos,
outtakes recorded with veteran songwriter/producer Steve Dorff, and more. Fans
can pre-order this collection at www.bjthomas.com.
Track listing:
1. Expression of Faith
2. Meet at My Heart*
3. I Like Livin’*
4. When the Hero Dies*
5. The Best Things in Life*
6. Rock and Roll Lullaby*
7. Hands on Me Again
8. This Ain’t a Song (It’s a
Prayer)
9. Think About Me*
10. No One Else on Earth*
11. Our Younger Hearts*
12. That’s The Thing About
Love*
13. Red Letter Days
14. When a Woman Talks*
15. Love by Any Name*
16. Memory in the Making*
17. Wings of a Dove*
18. America the Beautiful
* denotes unreleased track
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