The Music Universe
By Buddy Iahn
May 29, 2021
Country singer passed in Arlington, TX Five-time Grammy award winner and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, B.J. Thomas, died today (Sat, May 29th) 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.” Funeral arrangements are forthcoming and will remain
private. In lieu of flowers, in-memoriam donations will be accepted by Mission
Arlington, Tarrant Area Food Bank, and the SPCA of Texas. Thomas was a guest
earlier this year on The Music Universe Podcast in an interview that was
recorded in September 2020. He was our first video episode. Our thoughts and
prayers go out to his family and his team.
THOMAS, B.J. (Billy Joe Thomas)
Born: 8/7/1942, Hugo, Oklahoma, U.S.A.
Died: 5/29/2021, Arlington, Texas, U.S.A.
B.J. Thomas’ western – actor, singer:
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – 1969 [singer]
Jory – 1973 (Jacko)
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