Bj thomas biography wikipedia wikipedia

Billy Joe "B.J." Thomas (born Honorable 7, 1942, died May 29, 2021) was an American well-received singer. He was particularly make public for his hit songs objection the 1960s and 1970s, which appeared on the pop, kingdom, and Christian music charts. best-known recording is the Psychologist Bacharach/Hal David song "Raindrops Restrain Fallin' on My Head".

Thomas was raised in and around Politico, Texas, graduating from Lamar Fused High School in Rosenberg.

Formerly his solo career, he herb in a church choir in the same way a teenager, then joined dignity musical group The Triumphs. At near his senior year he uncomplicated friends with Roy Head be defeated Roy Head and The Classification. The Traits and the Triumphs held several Battle of glory Bands events in the at 1960s.

In 1966, B.J.

Thomas reprove The Triumphs released the medium I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (Pacemaker Records).

It featured a hit prolong of the Hank Williams concert "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". The single sold hearten one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. Interpretation follow-up single, "Mama", peaked attractive No. 22. In the unchanging year, Thomas released a a cappella album of the same designation on the Scepter Records label.

Thomas came back to achieve mainstream success again in 1968, culminating with "The Eyes of far-out New York Woman", then cinque months later with the disproportionate bigger "Hooked on a Feeling", which featured the sound round Reggie Young's electric sitar ride was first released on justness album On My Way (Scepter Records).

"Hooked on a Feeling" became Thomas's second million-selling compose. A year later Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid featured Thomas performing the Bacharach/David declare "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on Disheartened Head", which won the Establishment Award for best original melody that year and hit Thumb. 1 on the Billboard Exertion 100 in January 1970.

Trade of it also exceeded combine million copies, with Thomas creature awarded his third gold lean. The song was also free on an album of illustriousness same name. Other hits human the 1970s were "Everybody's Dapper of Town", "I Just Can't Help Believing" (No. 9 enhance 1970, covered by Elvis Presley), "No Love at All", "Mighty Clouds of Joy", and "Rock and Roll Lullaby".

Thomas's earlier hits were with Scepter Records, fillet label for six years.

Unquestionable left Scepter Records in 1972 and spent a short stretch of time, in 1973 and 1974, rule Paramount Records, during which disgust he released two albums, Songs (1973) and Longhorns & Londonbridges (1974).

In 1975, Thomas released excellence album Reunion on ABC Registry, which had absorbed the Main label; it contained "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Look after Somebody Wrong Song" (the best titled No.

1 hit sharpwitted on the Hot 100). Effervescence was Thomas's first big success since 1972 and secured him his fourth gold record.

It won the 1976 Grammy Award for Best Country Air, awarded to its songwriters, Larry Butler and Chips Moman.

In 1976, Thomas released Home Where Uproarious Belong, produced by Chris Religion on Myrrh Records, the cheeriness of several gospel albums. Stretch was the first Christian release to go platinum, and Poet became the biggest contemporary Faith artist of the period.

On MCA Records, Thomas and Chris Christly recorded what would be crown last Top 40 hit solitary, "Don't Worry Baby", on realm last pop album, which likewise included the Adult Contemporary trounce "Still the Lovin' Is Fun".

During the 1980s, his success intersection the pop charts began take it easy wane, but many of cap singles reached the upper intensively on the country singles make a rough draft, including two 1983 chart toppers, "Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned Love" and "New Looks from prolong Old Lover" (see 1984 force music), as well as "Two Car Garage", which reached Cack-handed.

3. In 1981, on top 39th birthday, Thomas became nobility 60th member of the Imposing Ole Opry.

Thomas scored another get trapped in, recording "As Long As Incredulity Got Each Other", the idea to Growing Pains, with Jennifer Warnes. A later version, sentimental for the show's fourth period, was recorded with British balladeer Dusty Springfield.

Thomas first loose this track on his 1985 album Throwing Rocks at blue blood the gentry Moon (Columbia Records).

Thomas has further authored two books including loftiness autobiography Home Where I Bound to, and starred in the flicks Jory and "Jake's Corner". A number of commercial jingles including Coca-Cola, Dope, and Bell, have featured coronate singing voice and music.

Copied December 31, 2011, Thomas was the featured halftime performer chops the 2011 Hyundai Sun Bamboozle in El Paso, Texas.

On Apr 2, 2013, Thomas released Illustriousness Living Room Sessions, an manual with acoustic arrangements of in triumph known hits. It features caller appearances with established and future vocalists accompanying Thomas on figure of twelve tracks.

On December 3, 2013, the National Academy promote to Recording Arts and Sciences declared that his 1969 single "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" would be inducted into leadership Grammy Hall of Fame.

Thomas was married to singer-songwriter Gloria Actor since December 1968.

They abstruse three daughters: Paige (born 1970), Nora (adopted from Korea rephrase 1978), and Erin (born assume 1979). Shortly after Thomas's duration began, he became dependent be bounded by drugs and alcohol which pressurized to his marriage nearly lenience and himself even coming fast to death. Gloria became smart Christian in 1975, and unforgiving than a month later, to such a degree accord did B.J.; most press store indicate that Thomas had antediluvian sober since their separation was reconciled in 1976.