ShockHound

b. Billy Joe Thomas, 7 August 1942, Hugo, Oklahoma, USA. B.J. Thomas maintained a sturdy career in the USA in both the pop and country fields from the mid-60s into the late 80s. After getting experience by singing in church during his youth, Thomas joined the Triumphs in Houston, Texas, who released a number of unsuccessful singles on small labels. Collaborating with songwriter Mark Charron, a member of the Triumphs, the group recorded an original song, "Billy And Sue", and released it on the Bragg label without national success (it was re-released on Warner Brothers Records in 1964 but again failed to take off).
Thomas then recorded a cover version of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" for Texas producer Huey P. Meaux. It was released on Scepter Records, a New York company and vaulted to number 8 on the national singles chart in the USA. Thomas enjoyed further Top 40 hits with "Mama" (also recorded successfully by Dave Berry), "Billy And Sue" and "The Eyes Of A Woman". In 1968, Thomas returned to the US Top 10 with the soft-rock "Hooked On A Feeling", written by Mark James, who also penned "Suspicious Minds" and "Always On My Mind" for Elvis Presley. In late 1969, Thomas reached number 1 in the USA with "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head", a song by Burt Bacharach and Hal David that was featured in the hit movie Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid. The following year ended with another Top 10 success, "I Just Can't Help Believing', written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Thomas' last significant single for Scepter was 1972"s "Rock And Roll Lullaby", another Mann and Weil composition, which reached number 15 and featured Duane Eddy on guitar and the Blossoms on backing vocals. After that, the company folded, and it was not until 1975, now signed to ABC Records (after a brief, unproductive stint at Paramount), that Thomas enjoyed another hit. "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" provided his second number 1 and also topped the country charts.
That record provided a second career for Thomas as a country star. Although he switched record company affiliations frequently, moving from ABC to MCA in 1978, to Cleveland International in 1983, and to Columbia Records in 1985, Thomas maintained his status in that field until the late 80s. Featuring gospel material in his act as well as straight country, he drew a new audience and continued to sell records. Thomas enjoyed a particularly strong string of country singles in 1983-84, beginning with two number 1 records, "Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned Love" and "New Looks From An Old Lover". "Two Car Garage" and "The Whole World's In Love When You're Lonely" also made the Top 10, while a duet with Ray Charles, "Rock And Roll Shoes", reached number 15. Simultaneous with his country career, Thomas recorded a number of gospel-inspired albums for the Myrrh label. He was firmly seen as a Christian artist in the following decades.
DISCOGRAPHY: I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (Pacemaker/Scepter 1966)***, The Very Best Of B.J. Thomas (Hickory 1966)***, Sings For Lovers And Losers (Scepter 1967)***, On My Way (Scepoter 1968)***, Young And In Love (Scepter 1969)***, Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head (Scepter 1969)****, Everybody's Out Of Town (Scepter 1970)***, Most Of All (Scepter 1970)***, Billy Joe Thomas (Scepter 1972)***, Country (Scepter 1972)****, B.J.! (Scepter 1973)***, Songs (Paramount 1973)***, Longhorns And London Bridges (Paramount 1974)**, Help Me Make It (To My Rockin' Chair) (ABC 1975)**, Reunion (ABC 1975)**, Home Where I Belong (Myrrh 1977)***, B.J. Thomas (MCA 1977)***, Everybody Loves A Rain Song (MCA 1978)**, Happy Man (Myrrh 1978)***, You Gave Me Love (When Nobody Gave Me A Prayer) (Myrrh 1979)**, For The Best (Songbird 1980)**, In Concert (Songbird 1980)**, Amazing Grace (Myrrh 1981)***, Some Love Songs Never Die (MCA 1981)**, As We Know Him (MCA 1982)***, Miracle (Myrrh 1982)***, Peace In The Valley (Myrrh 1982)***, The Great American Dream (CBS 1983)***, Love Shines (CBS 1983)***, New Looks (CBS/Cleveland International 1983)****, Shining (CBS/Cleveland International 1984)***, All Is Calm, All Is Bright (CBS 1985)***, Throwin' Rocks At The Moon (CBS 1985)****, Night Life (CBS 1986)***, Midnight Minute (Reprise 1989)**, Back Against The Wall (Reprise 1992)**, Still Standing Here (Silver City 1993)***, Back Forward (Disa 1994)**, I Believe (Starland 1995)***, Precious Memories (Warners 1995)***, Scenes Of Christmas (Cross Three 1995)***, Our Recollections (Word 1997)***, Christmas Is Coming Home (Warner Resound 1997)**, I Believe (Warner Resound 1997)***, You Call That A Mountain (Kardina 2000)***, Fireside Christmas (Sugo 2001)**, Greatest & Latest (Cleopatra 2002)***, Have A Heart: The Love Songs Collection (Varèse Sarabande 2005)***.
COMPILATIONS: Greatest Hits, Volume 1 (Scepter 1969)****, Greatest Hits, Volume 2 (Scepter 1971)***, The Best Of B.J. Thomas: The Scepter Citation Series (Scepter 1972)***, All-Time Greatest Hits (Scepter 1973)****, The ABC Collection (ABC 1977)***, The Best Of B.J. Thomas (Myrrh 1980)***, The Best Of B.J. Thomas, Volume 2 (Myrrh 1983)***, 16 Greatest Hits (Trip 1986)***, Greatest Hits i (Rhino 1990)****, Greatest Hits ii (Rhino 1990)****, Golden Collection (American Classics 1992)***, More Greatest Hits (Varèse Sarabande 1995)****, The Very Best Of B.J. Thomas (Varèse Sarabande 1997)****, The Inspirational Collection (Varèse Sarabande 1998)***, The Best Of B.J. Thomas: New Looks And Old Fashioned Love: (Razor & Tie 2000)***, The Scepter Hits And More (Ace 2004)****.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Home Where I Belong, B.J. Thomas and Jerry B. Jenkins. In Tune: Finding How Good Life Can Be, Gloria and B.J. Thomas.
FILMOGRAPHY: Jory (1972).

Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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