B. J. Thomas














































B. J. Thomas

B.J. Thomas 1972.JPG
Thomas in 1972

Background information
Birth name Billy Joe Thomas
Born
(1942-08-07) August 7, 1942 (age 76)
Hugo, Oklahoma, U.S.
Origin Houston, Texas
Genres
Country, pop, contemporary Christian, rock
Occupation(s) Singer
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1966–present
Labels
Scepter, Myrrh, Columbia, ABC, Paramount, MCA
Website bjthomas.com

Billy Joe "B.J." Thomas (born August 7, 1942) is an American popular singer. He is particularly known for his hit songs of the 1960s and 1970s, which appeared on the pop, country, and Christian music charts. His best-known recordings are the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" and the original version of the Mark James song "Hooked on a Feeling".




Contents






  • 1 Career


  • 2 Personal life


  • 3 Discography


    • 3.1 Albums


    • 3.2 Singles


      • 3.2.1 Guest singles




    • 3.3 Other album appearances




  • 4 Awards and nominations


  • 5 References


  • 6 External links





Career


Thomas was raised in and around Houston, Texas, graduating from Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg. Before his solo career, he sang in a church choir as a teenager, then joined the musical group The Triumphs[1] with Tim Griffith (guitar and keyboards), Denver "Zeke" Zatyka (bass), Don Drachenberg (sax) and Ted Mensik (drums). During his senior year he made friends with 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 the Hank Williams song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". The single sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.[2] The follow-up single, "Mama", peaked at No. 22. In the same year, Thomas released a solo album of the same title on the Scepter Records label.


Thomas came back to achieve mainstream success again in 1968, first with "The Eyes of a New York Woman", then five months later with the much bigger "Hooked on a Feeling", which featured the sound of Reggie Young's electric sitar and was first released on the album On My Way (Scepter Records). "Hooked on a Feeling" became Thomas's second million-selling record.[2] A year later Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid featured Thomas performing the Bacharach/David song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head", which won the Academy Award for best original song that year and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1970. Sales of it also exceeded one million copies, with Thomas being awarded his third gold record.[2] The song was also released on an album of the same title. Other hits of the 1970s were "Everybody's Out of Town", "I Just Can't Help Believing" (No. 9 in 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, his label for six years. He left Scepter Records in 1972 and spent a short period, in 1973 and 1974, with Paramount Records, during which time he released two albums, Songs (1973) and Longhorns & Londonbridges (1974).


In 1975, Thomas released the album Reunion on ABC Records, which had absorbed the Paramount label; it contained "(Hey Won't 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 him his fourth gold record.[2]


In 1976, Thomas released Home Where I Belong, produced by Chris Christian on Myrrh Records, the first of several gospel albums. It was the first Christian album to go platinum, and Thomas became the biggest contemporary Christian artist of the period.[3]


On MCA Records, Thomas and Chris Christian recorded what would be his last Top 40 hit single, "Don't Worry Baby", on his last pop album, which also included the 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 country singles chart, including two 1983 chart toppers, "Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned Love" and "New Looks from an Old Lover" (see 1984 in music), as well as "Two Car Garage", which reached No. 3. In 1981, on his 39th birthday, Thomas became the 60th member of the Grand Ole Opry.[4]


Thomas scored another hit, recording "As Long As We Got Each Other", the theme to Growing Pains. The first season theme was a solo for Thomas, but was re-recorded as a duet with Jennifer Warnes for the second and third seasons. It was re-recorded again for the show's fourth season with British singer Dusty Springfield, but the Thomas/Warnes version was reinstated for season five and most of season seven. Thomas first released this track on his 1985 album Throwing Rocks at the Moon (Columbia Records).




Thomas in December 2012


Thomas has also written two books including the autobiography Home Where I Belong, and starred in the movies Jory and Jake's Corner. Several commercial jingles including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Bell, have featured his singing voice and music. On December 31, 2011, Thomas was the featured halftime performer at the 2011 Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.


On April 2, 2013, Thomas released The Living Room Sessions, an album with acoustic arrangements of well known hits. It features guest appearances with established and emerging vocalists accompanying Thomas on seven of twelve tracks.[5]


On December 3, 2013, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced that his 1969 single "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" would be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[6]



Personal life


Thomas has been married to singer-songwriter Gloria Richardson since December 1968.[7][8] They have three daughters: Paige (born 1970), Nora (adopted from North Korea in 1978), and Erin (born in 1979).[9] Shortly after Thomas's career began, he became dependent on drugs and alcohol, which led to his marriage nearly ending and his life nearly ending too. In 1975, he became a Christian less than a month after Gloria did. Most press sources indicate that Thomas has been sober since he and Gloria reconciled in 1976.[8][10][11][12]



Discography



Albums



























































































































































































































































































































































































































Year
Title
Peak chart positions[13]
Label

US

US Country

CAN
1966

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry




Scepter Records

Tomorrow Never Comes



1967

Sings For Lovers And Losers



1968

On My Way
133


1969

Young And In Love




Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
12

10
1970

Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
90


Everybody's Out Of Town
72

71

Most Of All
67

44
1971

Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
92


1972

B.J. Thomas Country
209



Billy Joe Thomas
145


1973

Songs
221



Paramount
1974

Longhorns & Londonbridges



1975

Reunion
59
2
40

ABC Records

Help Me Make It (To My Rockin' Chair)

26

1976

Home Where I Belong




Myrrh
1977

B.J. Thomas
114
39


MCA
1978

Everybody Loves A Rain Song



1979

Happy Man




Myrrh

You Gave Me Love (When Nobody Gave Me A Prayer)



1980

The Best Of B.J. Thomas




For The Best




MCA/Songbird

In Concert



1981

Amazing Grace




Myrrh

Some Love Songs Never Die




MCA
1982

As We Know Him




Miracle




Myrrh

Peace In The Valley


1983
The Best Of B. J. Thomas Volume 2




Love Shines



Priority

New Looks
193
13


Columbia

The Great American Dream

27

1984

Shining

40

1985

Throwin' Rocks At The Moon



1986

Night Life




All Is Calm, All Is Bright



1989

Midnight Minute




Reprise
1992

Back Against The Wall



1993

Wind Beneath My Wings




Sony Music Special Products

Still Standing Here



Silver City Records
1995

Precious Memories




Warner Bros.

Scenes Of Christmas



Cross Three
1996

B.J. Thomas Sings Hank Williams And Other Favorites



Buckboard
1997

I Believe




Warner Bros.

Christmas Is Coming Home




Warner Resound
1998

Sounds Of Christmas



Kardina
2000

You Call That A Mountain



2005

That Christmas Feeling




Madacy
2006

We Praise: Glorify Thy Name



Braun Media

We Praise: Just as I Am



2007

Home For Christmas



Lifestyles

Love To Burn



BJ Thomas Music
2009

Once I Loved




Universal Music
2012

The Complete Scepter Singles




Real Gone Music
2013

The Living Room Sessions

39


Wrinkled


  • AShining also peaked at No. 17 on the RPM Country Albums chart in Canada.


Singles


Note: Singles without indicated B-sides may have been only released as promotional copies with stereo and mono versions of the same song.





































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Year
Titles (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated



Peak chart positions[13]
Album

US AC

US

US Country

US Christian (CHR)[14]

CAN AC

CAN

CAN Country
1966
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"
b/w "Candy Baby" (from Tomorrow Never Comes)

8



2


I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
"Mama"
b/w "Wendy"

22



12

"Billy and Sue"
b/w "Never Tell"

34



23


The Very Best of B.J. Thomas
"Bring Back the Time"
b/w "I Don't Have A Mind of My Own" (from Tomorrow Never Comes)

75



53


I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
"You'll Never Walk Alone"
b/w "Chains of Love"








The Very Best of B.J. Thomas
"Tomorrow Never Comes"
b/w "Your Tears Leave Me Cold" (Non-album track)

80



89


Tomorrow Never Comes
"Plain Jane"
b/w "My Home Town"

129





1967
"I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)"
b/w "Baby Cried" (from Tomorrow Never Comes)

94






B.J. Thomas Sings For Lovers and Losers
"Treasure of Love"
b/w "Just The Wisdom of a Fool"







"Human"
b/w "Just The Wisdom of a Fool" (from B.J. Thomas Sings For Lovers and Losers)







Non-album tracks
"The Girl Can't Help It"
b/w "Walkin' Back" (from Tomorrow Never Comes)







1968
"The Eyes of a New York Woman"
b/w "I May Never Get To Heaven" (Non-album track)

28



29


On My Way
"Hooked on a Feeling"
b/w "I've Been Down This Road Before"

5



3

1969
"It's Only Love"
b/w "You Don't Love Me Anymore" (Non-album track)
37
45



24


Young and In Love
"Pass the Apple Eve"
b/w "Fairy Tale of Time" (Non-album track)

97



78

"Skip a Rope"
b/w "You Don't Love Me Anymore" (Non-album track)(







"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
b/w "Never Had It So Good" (from Young and In Love)
1
1


1
1


Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head
1970
"Everybody's Out of Town"
b/w "Living Again" (from Young and In Love)
3
26



18


Everybody's Out Of Town
"I Just Can't Help Believing"
b/w "Send My Picture To Scranton, PA"
1
9



18

"Most of All"
b/w "The Mask" (from Everybody's Out of Town)
2
38


13
20


Most Of All
1971
"No Love At All"
b/w "Have a Heart" (Non-album track)
4
16


12
16

"Mighty Clouds of Joy"
b/w "Life"
8
34


25
26


Greatest Hits Volume Two
"Long Ago Tomorrow"
b/w "Burnin' a Hole in My Mind" (Non-album track)
13
61



57

1972
"Rock and Roll Lullaby"
b/w "Are We Losing Touch"
1
15


8
7


Billy Joe Thomas
"That's What Friends Are For"
b/w "I Get Enthused"
38
74





"Happier Than the Morning Sun"
b/w "We Have Got To Get Our Ship Together"
31
100





1973
"Sweet Cherry Wine"
b/w "Roads"







"Songs"
b/w "Goodbye's a Long, Long, Time"
41







Songs
"Early Morning Hush"
b/w "Sunday Sunrise"







1974
"Play Something Sweet"
b/w "Talkin' Confidentially" (from Songs)








Longhorns & Londonbridges
1975
"(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song"
b/w "City Boys"
1
1
1

1
3
2

Reunion
"Help Me Make It (To My Rockin' Chair)"
b/w "We Are Happy Together"
5
64
37

9
67


Help Me Make It (To My Rockin' Chair)
1977
"Home Where I Belong"
b/w "Hallelujah"


98
21




Home Where I Belong
"Without A Doubt"
B-side unknown







"Don't Worry Baby"
b/w "My Love"
2
17


1
12


B.J. Thomas
"Still The Lovin' Is Fun"
b/w "Play Me A Little Traveling Music"
8
77


13
86

1978
"I Want To Be More Like Jesus"
B-side unknown








Happy Man
"Everybody Loves a Rain Song"
b/w "Dusty Roads"
2
43
25

11
43
34

Everybody Loves A Rain Song
"Sweet Young America"
b/w "Aloha"







1979
"We Could Have Been the Closest of Friends"
b/w "In My Heart"


86




Non-album tracks
"God Bless the Children"
b/w "On This Christmas Night"
38







On This Christmas Night (Various artists)
"Happy Man"



5




Happy Man
"What a Difference You've Made"



6



"He's Got It All In Control"



18



"From the Start"
B-side of the above four tracks unknown



20



1980
"Jesus on My Mind"
b/w "Using Things and Loving People"



1




You Gave Me Love (When Nobody Gave Me A Prayer)
"The Faith of a Little Child"
B-side unknown



7



"Walkin' on a Cloud" /
30







For The Best
"Nothin' Could Be Better"



19



"Everything Always Works Out for the Best"
b/w "No Limit"



10



1981
"Unclouded Day"
b/w "Amazing Grace"








Amazing Grace
"Some Love Songs Never Die"
b/w "There Ain't No Love"
34

27





Some Love Songs Never Die
"I Recall a Gypsy Woman"
b/w "The Lovin' Kind"


22



47
1982
"Satan, You're A Liar"
B-side unknown



6




Miracle
"But Love Me"
b/w "I Really Got the Feeling"
27







As We Know Him
"I'm in Tune (Finding How Good Life Can Be)"








Miracle
1983
"Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned Love"
b/w "I Just Sing"
13
93
1



1

New Looks
"New Looks from an Old Lover"
b/w "You Keep the Man in Me Happy"



1



6
"Pray For Me"
B-side unknown



4




Love Shines
"Two Car Garage"
b/w "Beautiful World"
44

3



1

The Great American Dream
1984
"The Whole World's in Love When You're Lonely"
b/w "We're Here To Love"


10



15

Shining
"The Girl Most Likely To"
b/w "From This Moment On"


17



5
1985
"The Part of Me That Needs You Most"
b/w "Northern Lights"


61



57

Throwin' Rocks at the Moon
1986
"America Is"
b/w "Broken Toys"


62




"Night Life"
b/w "Make the World Go Away"


59





Night Life
1988
"As Long As We Got Each Other" (with Dusty Springfield)
7







Midnight Minute
1989
"Don't Leave Love (Out There All Alone)"
b/w "One Woman"
39






2000
"You Call That a Mountain"


66





You Call That a Mountain
2013
"I Just Can't Help Believing" (with Vince Gill)








The Living Room Sessions


Guest singles






















Year
Single
Artist
Chart positions
Album

US Country

CAN Country
1984
"Rock and Roll Shoes"[15]

Ray Charles
14
15

Friendship


Other album appearances



  • 1980: "Hallowed Be Thy Name"; The Lord's Prayer

  • 1999: "Suspicious Minds"; Remembering Elvis: Louisiana Hayrides & Tribute

  • 2003: "Let There Be Peace on Earth"; Inspirations, George Foreman

  • 2004: "Tomorrow Never Comes"; Ernest Tubb's Special Guests

  • 2007: "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head"; Good Times Again, Glen Campbell

  • 2008: "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head"; Even More One Hit Wonders, Lynn Anderson

  • 2012: "100% Chance of Pain"; Partners, Vol. 2, T.G. Sheppard

  • 2014: "Sunny"; Duets with My American Idols, Oleg Frish



Awards and nominations























































































Year
Association
Category
Work
Result

Ref.
1970

Grammy Awards

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
Nominated
[13]
1975

Country Music Association
Single of the Year
"(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song"
Nominated
[16]
1976

GMA Dove Awards
Album by a Secular Artist

Home Where I Belong
Won
[17]
1977
Grammy Awards

Best Inspirational Performance

Home Where I Belong
Won
[13]
1978

Best Inspirational Performance

Happy Man
Won
[13]
1979

Best Inspirational Performance

You Gave Me Love (When Nobody Gave Me a Prayer)
Won
[13]
1980

Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary
With Reba Rambo, Dony McGuire, The Archers, Cynthia Clawson, Andrae Crouch, Tramaine Hawkins & Walter Hawkins

The Lord's Prayer
Won
[13]
1981

Best Inspirational Performance

Amazing Grace
Won
[13]
1981

GMA Dove Awards
Album by a Secular Artist

Amazing Grace
Won
[17]
2014

NARAS

Grammy Hall of Fame Award
"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"
Won
[6]


References





  1. ^ Wirt, John (February 9, 2007). "The music never gets old for Thomas". The Advocate (Online). p. 2. Retrieved 2007-02-20..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  2. ^ abcd Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. pp. 213, 250, 268 & 365. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.


  3. ^ Uncredited, Profile of B.J. Thomas Archived March 7, 2016, at the Wayback Machine.; www.xentel.com.


  4. ^ Gary James, Interview with B.J. Thomas Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine., 2005; www.classicbands.com.


  5. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2013). "B.J. Thomas The Living Room Sessions". The Living Room Sessions. AllMusic. Retrieved December 3, 2013.


  6. ^ ab "2014 Grammy Hall of Fame". Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head. The Recording Academy. December 3, 2013. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013.


  7. ^ "Gloria Thomas". AllMusic. Retrieved August 7, 2014.


  8. ^ ab Jenkins, B.J. Thomas as told to Jerry B. (1982). Home where I belong ([Repr.] ed.). Waco, Texas: Word Books. ISBN 0849929059.


  9. ^ "Billy Joe Thomas: From Then to Now".


  10. ^ Kennedy, John W. "Conversation: B.J. Thomas". Archived from the original on March 13, 2014.


  11. ^ Rick, Coates (August 22, 2011). "BJ Thomas". Northern Express. Retrieved August 7, 2014. Recommitting himself to his religious upbringing in 1976 Thomas pursued Christian music, finding success on the charts but challenges on the road. Often blending his concerts with his Christian and pop songs, his Christian music didn't sit well with some in the audience.


  12. ^ Howard, Kerbel (August 6, 2014). "A Conversation With BJ Thomas: Love, Near Tragedy And A Song That Saved". The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 7, 2014.


  13. ^ abcdefgh "Awards: B.J. Thomas". Allmusic. Retrieved 19 April 2016.


  14. ^ "Christian CHR National Airplay". The Nielsen Company. Archived from the original on August 26, 2012. Retrieved July 9, 2012.


  15. ^ "The top 20 pop singles, based on Billboard's survey..." UPI. 12 October 1984. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.


  16. ^ "Top CMA Award Nominees" (PDF). Academy of Country Music. p. 99. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 27, 2013. Nominated 1975 Single of the Year


  17. ^ ab "Artist"s Bio: BJ Thomas". Grand Ole Opry. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.




External links











  • Official website


  • B.J. Thomas on IMDb











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