 |
| Please Enter A Valid Email Address |
|
|
|
 |
BJ Thomas Biography |
|
With one of the most distinctive voices in music, B.J. Thomas seamlessly crossed over many musical genres and indelibly made his mark as a superb vocalist and song stylist.
Born Billy Joe Thomas on August 7, 1942 in Hugo, Oklahoma, B.J. Thomas started singing at an early age. He grew up singing in church, and when he was a teenager he sang with a group called The Triumphs. Initially billed as B.J. Thomas and The Triumphs, the group's cover of the Hank Williams' classic "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" became a Top-10 hit on the Sceptor label.
With three subsequent Top-40 hits and a few more low-level pop hits, B.J. Thomas grew more popular, and he was ultimately named "Most Promising Vocalist" by both Cash Box and Billboard. In 1968 B.J. struck gold with the #5 pop hit, "Hooked on a Feeling," which paved the way for his biggest hit on the Burt Bacharach/Hal David classic "Raindrops Keep Falling My Head," B.J.'s first #1 hit. "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" came from the successful 1969 film Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
During the next couple of years, B.J. Thomas enjoyed a number of crossover hits, including "Everybody's Out of Town," "I Just Can't Help Believing," "No Love At All" and "Rock and Roll Lullaby".
After the Top-15 success of 1971's "Rock and Roll Lullaby," Scepter Records folded, and B.J. Thomas was left looking for a new label. Along came Paramount, which in short order proved a bust. B.J. then signed with ABC, and he made the fateful decision to pursue the other side of the musical spectrum: Country.
B.J.'s first charting single with ABC proved to be one of the biggest hits of his career. "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" shot to #1 on both the Country and pop charts. B.J. followed that success with another crossover hit, the heartfelt "Don't Worry Baby."
The 1980s proved a somewhat turbulent time for the career of B.J. Thomas. He was frequently forced to switch record labels, but that didn't stop him from churning out the hits. In 1983 and '84 B.J. enjoyed two #1 hits with "Whatever Happened to Old Fashioned Love" and "New Looks From An Old Love." He has also enjoyed a number of very successful gospel albums on the Myrrh Records label.
As the 1980s wound down, so did the number of songs B.J. Thomas landed on the charts. But his diehard fans never abandoned him, and to this day B.J. Thomas remains a very successful touring artist and a big draw in concert.
BJ Thomas Discography |
|
|
