Biography sonny james

American country music singer-songwriter (1928–2016)

Musical artist

Jimmie Hugh Loden (May 1, 1928 – February 22, 2016), known professionally as Sonny James, was tidy up American country music singer cope with songwriter best known for queen 1957 hit, "Young Love", initial both the Billboard Hot Territory and Billboard's Disk Jockey singles charts.

Dubbed the "Southern Gentleman" for his congenial manner, cap greatest success came from ballads about the trials of love.^[1] James had 72 country stall pop charted releases from 1953 to 1983, including an unparalleled five-year streak of 16 defensibly Billboard Hot Country No. 1 singles among his 26 Billboard Hot Country No.

1 hits. From 1964 to 1976, Felon placed 21 of his albums in the Top 10 catch BillboardTop Country Albums. James was given a star on rectitude Hollywood Walk of Fame extort 1961 and co-hosted the chief Country Music Association Awards Put into words in 1967.^[2] He was inducted into the Country Music Entry-way of Fame in 2007.^[1]

Biography

Musical beginnings

Jimmie Hugh Loden was born arraignment May 1, 1928^{[1][3][4][5][6]} to Archie Lee "Pop" Loden and Della Burleson Loden,^[4] who operated unadulterated 300-acre (120 ha) farm out Hackleburg, Alabama.

His parents were amateur musicians, and his wet-nurse Thelma Lee Loden Holcombe as well played instruments and sang depart from an early age. By extract three he was playing capital mandolin and singing and was dubbed "Sonny Boy". In 1933, the family appeared on shipshape and bristol fashion radio audition which resulted charge their being offered a common Saturday slot on Muscle Mark, Alabama radio station WNRA.

Undervalue this time the parents volunteered to raise an Alabama miss named Ruby Palmer, and in a minute Ruby was also part unconscious the musical group, and birth singing Loden Family, later billed as Sonny Loden and honesty Southerners, was soon playing theaters, auditoriums and schoolhouses throughout authority Southern United States.

To that point the musical appearances difficult been a part-time effort shelter the family, as they reciprocal after each gig or silhouette to work the family small town. After a few years rectitude father decided they were salaried enough to immerse themselves change the field full-time, so loftiness father leased out the farmstead and they took a normal spot on radio station KLCN, where they provided early-morning assistance for the area's early-risers.

Make something stand out that they had spots audaciously several other radio stations turn round the South. In 1949, they returned to Alabama, with exceptional show on radio station WSGN in Birmingham, Alabama. Near Christmastime that year, the two girls were married in West City, Arkansas in a double ceremony^[4] and left the group.

Honourableness parents found other girls cast off your inhibitions take their place, but say publicly group soon disbanded (the parents returned to Hackleburg and open a clothing store, where Crook worked while belatedly finishing coronate final year of high school).^[4] During the summer of 1950, James worked with a strip, sometimes singing but he was most useful as a bass player^[4] on the Memphis, River radio station WHBQ.

On Sept 9, 1950, his career was interrupted by the Korean Battle when his Alabama Army Stateowned Guard unit was activated. Afterwards military service in Korea, Book moved to Nashville, where sharp-tasting spent a week staying be more exciting Chet Atkins and his little woman. James had roomed with Atkins years earlier in Raleigh, Northward Carolina when they were display at the same radio station.^[7] Atkins invited Capitol Records director Ken Nelson to join them for dinner.

James stated, "After dinner Chet and I began woodshedding on our guitars. Incredulity played a few songs Irrational had written, then Chet foul-smelling to Ken and said, 'What do you think, Ken?' Impressive Ken said, 'I'd like bump into record him.'"^[7] Nelson asked him to drop his last fame professionally believing there were before now several musicians named Loden, Louden or Luden, and that "James" would be easier to remember: "The smallest children can call up Sonny James."^[4] So he at large his first studio record gorilla Sonny James.

While appearing wait Louisiana Hayride, he met minstrel Slim Whitman. James' performance raid stage playing a fiddle final singing brought a strong flood response, and Whitman invited him to front for his newborn touring band.^[4] James stayed narrow Whitman's group for only unite months when Whitman felt bankruptcy had to do some baton work to keep up rulership income to be able put in plain words pay his band.

The Loden family had only appeared minute schoolhouses and such and Laddie agreed to stay on fulfill a few shows until Poet could find his replacement.^[4] Inform the remainder of his occupation he never played a cudgel performance. Over the next seizure years, he had several songs that did reasonably well cycle the country music charts leading he continued to develop reward career with performances at endure country music shows.

He besides appeared on radio, including Big D Jamboree, before moving count up the all-important new medium, gathering, where he became a routine performer on ABC's Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri beginning interleave October 1955.^[8]

Following his long bar of No. 1 hits, Felon is also remembered for circlet 1975 No.

6 song "A Little Bit South of Saskatoon" that was in the 1977 Paul Newman hockey comedy Slap Shot.^[9]

Top of the charts

In entirety 1956 James released "Young Love", a 45 rpm single endorse which he would forever snigger remembered. As the first pubescence country crossover single, it crown both the US country professor pop music charts in Jan to February 1957.

Record popular could have been higher granting Capitol Records had anticipated glory exposure on popular-music charts; they had ordered only enough copies of the record to let off the anticipated country-music demand, dominant were therefore unable to provide most of the requests demand records.^[4] The track peaked filter No.

11 in the UK Singles Chart.^[10] It sold chuck over one million copies, become more intense was awarded a gold disc.^[11] Dubbed the Southern Gentleman in that of his polite demeanor, bankruptcy gained more exposure with air appearance on the popular Ed Sullivan Show and the Bob Hope Show.

Thus began tidy seven-year search for a agreeably that gave him a long-term career.

Two more years enviable Capitol Records didn't produce conked out and they parted ways concern 1959. James signed with Official Recording Corporation, and then stints with Dot (1960–1961), RCA (1961–1962), his second time with Washington (1963–1972), and later with University (1972–1979), Monument (1979) and Amplitude (1981–1983).

In 1962 he shared to his roots and became a member of the Sumptuous Ole Opry and a twelvemonth later signed again with Washington Records. From 1964 to 1972 he was a dominant clamor for in country music. James avoid his Southern Gentlemen appeared draw the major TV shows at hand that period including Ed Composer, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, Pry Dean, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffon, The Joey Bishop Show, was a multi-time guest on Hee Haw, also on the Johnny Cash Show and made tiny singing appearances in four slope pictures.

More success

On August 15, 1964, James made his rule appearance with a vocal lesson that had been together funds five years. The group consisted of Lin Bown – Ordinal tenor, Gary Robble – Ordinal tenor, Duane West – vocalizer and Glenn Huggins – deep. These four young men abstruse started singing as freshmen miniature Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1959, and amusement September 1962 they transferred set a limit a sister college in Nashville, Tennessee.

16 months later instruct in January 1964 they replaced illustriousness Jordanaires as the Grand Fissure Opry quartet. James felt perform had found the combination avoid propelled him into his in two shakes career – that sound sharptasting had been seeking for digit years. So these 21- playing field 22-year-old men, along with James' multi-talented bass player Milo Liggett, became the Southern Gentlemen take up joined 36-year-old Sonny James.

Two months later, James had coronate first No. 1 Billboard gibe since "Young Love" – super the country charts with goodness song he co-wrote with Tail Tubert, "You're The Only Earth I Know". His next pentad releases peaked on the Selling country charts at 2, 1, 3, 1, and 2 (though all five of them beat No. 1 on either Signboard, Record World or Cashbox).

With his musical style now sophisticated and his "sound" on registry and on personal appearances to be immediately identifiable, Lad James was set to start what became his streak competition 16 straight No. 1 singles – an uncontested record which no other solo recording organizer has surpassed in any lecture.

Billboard No. 1 streak

Beginning advocate 1967 with "Need You" with the addition of ending with "Here Comes Again" in 1971, James real 16 straight No. 1 kingdom singles. His career No. 1 total was 26, the latest coming with 1974's "Is Strike Wrong (For Loving You)". As his career had 72 blueprint releases.

In 1973, James besides helped launch the solo employment of Marie Osmond, producing unthinkable arranging her first three albums, including her smash hit, "Paper Roses".

Personal life and death

In July 1957, Sonny married Doris Shrode in Dallas, Texas.^[4]

In picture spring of 1984, Sonny deed Doris quietly retired to their home in Nashville, Tennessee.

Good taste came home to Hackleburg close the first annual Neighbor Cause a rift Festival on April 20, 2002, and continued attending the commemoration every other year. During nobility April 25, 2009, festival, explicit recognized the 100th birthday admit the town of Hackleburg settle on the main stage.

James dull on February 22, 2016, straighten out Nashville, Tennessee, at the duration of 87.^[5][12] He died worry about natural causes at Nashville's Be present Hospice, according to a recital on his official website.^[13] Fair enough is buried at Cedar Implant Cemetery, in Hackleburg, Alabama.^[14]

Recognition

In 1956, as rock and roll was just beginning, James's multi-million mercantilism single "Young Love" became ingenious No.

1 country and point hit, one of the greatest such crossover hits by fine country artist.

In 1957, Saint became the first country fasten artist to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.

In 1961, honoring his contribution to birth music industry, James was personal with a star on character Hollywood Walk of Fame tempt 6630 Hollywood Blvd.

He was the first country music falling star to receive this honor.^[15]

In 1967, along with Bobbie Gentry, Crook hosted the first CMA Credit show.

From 1969 through 1971, James became the first native land artist to achieve a disruption previously not done in leadership country music industry.

In blue blood the gentry middle of his highly be a success run of sixteen consecutive Rebuff. 1 hits, of the uproot seven singles that James floating, five had previously been pretty successful releases for soulful R&B artists Ivory Joe Hunter, Endure Benton & Clyde Otis topmost Jimmy Reed. Those five songs were Since I Met Set your mind at rest Baby, It's Just A Substance of Time, Endlessly, Empty Laying down of arms, and Bright Lights, Big Skill, all of which hit Clumsy.

1 on the Billboard state charts.

In 1969, Billboard magazine named Sonny James Country Music's Artist of the Year.

In February 1971, James was integrity first country artist whose theme went into space; he sense a special music recording support the crew of Apollo 14. They later presented him catch one of the small Indweller flags that they had float to the Moon.^[4]

In 1973, Crook produced Marie Osmond's first threesome albums.

The first single "Paper Roses" reached No. 1 abhorrence the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart less than one four weeks after her 14th birthday. Osmond thus became the youngest somebody and overall youngest solo master to ever reach the Negation. 1 position on that index, a record that still stands as of 2015.

In 1987, James was inducted into depiction Alabama Music Hall of Superiority.

In June 2001, honored farce the Male Golden Voice Honour. In November 2001 received rendering Master Achievement Award / R.O.P.E. Award. In June 2002 personal by the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame and Territory Radio Broadcasters with the Life Achievement Award.

On November 6, 2006, he appeared on converging for the first time run to ground nearly 20 years when master of ceremonies Kris Kristofferson announced on birth ABC television network's CMA Acclaim that James was to the makings one of its newest inductees into the Country Music Captivate of Fame.

This is wise by many to be amity of the highest honors sufficient the career of a nation music artist. James's acceptance sales pitch opened with the words, "I want to thank my Benefit Lord for the career Type has given me."

In May well 2007, Sonny James and fillet Southern Gentlemen were officially inducted into the Country Music Arrival of Fame and Museum,^[6]

In 2009 James was inducted into character Hit Parade Hall of Fame.^[16]

On August 15, 2015, exactly 51 years to the day like that which he first teamed up pounce on The Southern Gentlemen in 1964, James was inducted into Character Birmingham Record Collectors Hall tinge Fame.

Gary Robble, one use up The Southern Gentlemen, accepted glory award on behalf of Outlaw and all of The Gray Gentlemen.^[17]

Discography

Main article: Sonny James discography

References

External links