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Biography
Infobox musical artist|image=| name = B. J. Thomas| image_size =| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Billy Joe Thomas| birth_date = Birth date and age|mf=y|1942|8|7|| birth_place = Hugo, Oklahoma|Hugo , Oklahoma , United States| origin =| genre = Country music|Country , Pop music|pop , Contemporary Christian music|contemporary Christian | occupation = Singer| instrument = Vocals| years_active = 1966& ndash;present| label = Scepter Records|Scepter , Myrrh Records|Myrrh , Columbia Records|Columbia | associated_acts =| website = URL| http://www.bjthomas.com Billy Joe "B. J." Thomas (born August 7, 1942, Hugo, Oklahoma|Hugo , Oklahoma ) is an United States|American popular singer known for his chart-topping hits in the 1960s and 1970sappearing on the pop, adult contemporary, country and Hot 100 charts.
Career
Thomas was raised in and around Houston, Texas|Houston , Texas , graduating from Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg, Texas|Rosenberg . Before his solo (music)|solo career, Thomas sang in a church choir as a teenager then joined the musical group The Triumphs.cite news | first=John | last=Wirt | coauthors= | title=The music never gets old for Thomas | date=2007-02-09 | publisher= | url = http://www.2theadvocate.com/entertainment/music/5691606.html | work =The Advocate (Online) | page =2 | accessdate = 2007-02-20 | language = 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 featuring Head and Thomas.
In 1966, B. J. Thomas and The Triumphs released the album , ''I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry'' (Pacemaker Records). The album featured a Chart-topper|hit cover version|cover of the Hank Williams song , " I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry ". It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a music recording sales certification|gold disc .cite book| first= Joseph| last= Murrells| year= 1978| title= The Book of Golden Discs| edition= 2nd| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd| location= London| pages= 213, 250, 268 & 365| isbn= 0-214-20512-6 In the same year, Thomas released a solo (music)|solo album of the same name ( Scepter Records ).
Thomas achieved Mainstream (terminology)|mainstream success again in 1968, with the single (music)|single " Hooked on a Feeling ", which featured the sound of an electric sitar , first released on the album On My Way (Scepter Records). "Hooked on a Feeling" became Thomas's second million-selling gramophone record|record . The 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid featured Thomas performing the Burt Bacharach / Hal David song " Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head ", which won the Academy Award for best original song that year, became the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1970. Sales of this disc also exceeded one million copies, with Thomas being awarded his third gold record. The song was also released on an album of the same name. Other hits of the 1970s were "Everybody's Out of Town", "I Just Can't Help Believing" (Billboard No. 9 in 1970, covered by Elvis Presley ), "No Love At All", "Mighty Clouds of Joy", and "Rock and Roll Lullaby".
Thomas' earlier hits were with Scepter Records, with which he was associated for six years. He left Scepter Records in 1972 and spent a short period, in 1973 and 1974, with Paramount Records (1969)|Paramount Records , during which time he released two albums, Songs (1973) and Longhorns & London Bridges (1974).
In 1975 Thomas released the album Reunion ( ABC Records , which had absorbed the Paramount label), which 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' first big hit since 1972 and secured him his fourth gold record. On ABC he also charted with "Songs" and " Dont Worry Baby ".
In 1976 Thomas released Home Where I Belong on Myrrh Records , the first of several gospel albums to be recorded by Thomas. The album went platinum record|platinum , and Thomas became the biggest contemporary Christian artist of the period.Uncredited, http://www.xentel.com/xentel/events/thomas.htm Profile of B.J. Thomas; www.xentel.com.
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 charts, 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 on the country singles chart. In 1981, on his 39th birthday, Thomas became the 60th member of the Grand Ole Opry .Gary James, http://www.classicbands.com/BJThomasInterview.html Interview with B.J. Thomas, 2005; www.classicbands.com.
Thomas scored another hit, recording "As Long As We Got Each Other," the theme to Growing Pains with Jennifer Warnes . A later version, used for the show's fourth season, was recorded with the United Kingdom|British singer Dusty Springfield . Thomas first released this track on his 1985 album Throwing Rocks at the Moon ( Columbia Records ).
Thomas has also authored two books including the autobiography Home Where I Belong , and starred in the motion picture|movie Jory . Several commercial jingles, to include Coca-Cola , Pepsi , and Bell phone systems, have featured his human voice|singing voice and music .
On December 31, 2011, Thomas was the featured halftime performer at the 2011 Sun Bowl|2011 Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas .
Discography
Albums
Year
Album
Chart Positions
Label
US
US Country
CAN
1966
''I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Scepter Records
Tomorrow Never Comes
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
''Rock'n'Roll Lullaby
1973
Songs
221
Paramount
1974
Longhorns & Londonbridges
1975
Reunion
59
2
40
ABC
''Help Me Make It (To My Rockin' Chair)
26
1977
B. J. Thomas
114
39
MCA
Home Where I Belong
Myrrh
1979
Happy Man
You Gave Me Love (When Nobody Gave Me a Prayer)
Word
1980
The Best Of B.J. Thomas
Myrrh
In Concert
MCA
1981
Amazing Grace
Word
Some Love Songs Never Die
MCA
1982
Peace in the Valley
Word
1983
Love Shines
Epic
New Looks
193
13
Columbia
The Great American Dream
27
1984
Shining A
40
1985
''Throwin' Rocks at the Moon
You Gave Me Love
Myrrh
1986
Night Life
Columbia
All Is Calm, All Is Bright
1987
''Hey Won't You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song
MCA
1989
Midnight Minute
Reprise
1991
As We Knew Him
MCA
Jesus Hearted People
1992
Rock Against the Wall
Reprise
Rock & Roll Lullaby
Trace
1994
Still Standing Here
Laurie
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
A Shining also peaked at No. 17 on the RPM (magazine)|RPM Country Albums chart in Canada.
Singles
Year
Single
Chart Positions
Album
US AC
US
US Country
CAN AC
CAN
CAN Country
1966
" I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry "
8
2
''I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
"Mama"
22
12
-
"Billy and Sue"
34
23
-
Greatest Hits, Volume 1
"Bring Back the Time"
75
53
''I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
"Tomorrow Never Comes"
80
89
Tomorrow Never Comes
"Plain Jane"
129
-
Greatest Hits, Volume 1
1967
"I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)"
94
-
Greatest Hits, Volume 1
1968
"The Eyes of a New York Woman"
28
29
On My Way
" Hooked on a Feeling "
5
3
1969
"It's Only Love"
37
45
24
Young and in Love
"Pass the Apple Eve"
97
78
" Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head "
1
1
1
1
''Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head
1970
"Everybody's Out of Town"
3
26
18
''Everybody's Out of Town
"I Just Can't Help Believing"
1
9
18
"Most of All"
2
38
13
20
Most of All
1971
"No Love at All"
4
16
12
16
"Mighty Clouds of Joy"
8
34
25
26
Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
"Long Ago Tomorrow"
13
61
57
1972
Rock and Roll Lullaby "
1
15
8
7
Billy Joe Thomas
"That's What Friends Are For"
38
74
"Happier Than the Morning Sun"
31
100
1973
"Songs"
41
Songs
1975
(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song "
1
1
1
1
3
2
Reunion
"Help Me Make It (To My Rockin' Chair)"
5
64
37
9
67
''Help Me Make It (To My Rockin' Chair)
1977
"Home Where I Belong"
98
Home Where I Belong
" Don't Worry Baby "
2
17
1
12
B. J. Thomas
"Still the Lovin' Is Fun"
8
77
13
86
1978
"Everybody Loves a Rain Song"
2
43
25
11
43
34
Singles only
1979
"We Could Have Been the Closest of Friends"
86
"God Bless the Children"
38
1980
"Walkin' On a Cloud"
30
1981
"Some Love Songs Never Die"
34
27
Some Love Songs Never Die
" I Recall a Gypsy Woman "
22
47
1982
"But Love Me"
27
Single only
1983
" Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned Love "
13
93
1
1
New Looks
" New Looks from an Old Lover "
1
6
" Two Car Garage "
44
3
1
The Great American Dream
1984
"The Whole World's in Love When You're Lonely"
10
15
Shining
"The Girl Most Likely To"
17
5
1985
"The Part of Me That Needs You Most"
61
57
''Throwin' Rocks at the Moon
1986
"America Is"
62
"Night Life"
59
Night Life
1988
"As Long As We Got Each Other" (with Dusty Springfield )
7
Midnight Minute
1989
"Don't Leave Me Love (Out There All Alone)"
39
Single only
2000
"You Call That a Mountain"
66
You Call That a Mountain
Guest singles
Year
Artist
Single
Chart Positions
Album
US Country
CAN Country
1984
"Rock and Roll Shoes"
Ray Charles
14
15
Friendship
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.bjthomas.com/ B.J. Thomas official website
IMDB name|0858504
Persondata | NAME =Thomas, B. J. | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =1942-08-07 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Hugo, Oklahoma|Hugo , Oklahoma , United States | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, B. J. Category:1942 births Category:Living people Category:People from Hugo, Oklahoma Category:Country musicians from Oklahoma Category:American country singers Category:American gospel singers Category:Grand Ole Opry members Category:People from Houston, Texas Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Gold Star Records artists
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