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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZJAMES, Sonny(b James Hugh Loden, 1 May 1929, Hackleburg AL; d 22 February 2016, Nashville) Pop/country singer, the Southern Gentleman, with no fewer than 23 country no. one hits. He made his stage debut at age four and toured with the Loden Family act. playing fiddle and guitar. He served in Korea, signed with Capitol '55 and was renamed Sonny James by producer Ken Nelson. 'For Rent' '56 made the country chart; he was the first country singer to get a pop no. 1 with 'Young Love' '57: the Tab Hunter cover was no. 1 longer, but it sounded like a better song the way Sonny sang it (also no. 1 country). 'First Date, First Kiss, First Love' made no. 25 pop (9 country) same year; he never made the pop top 40 again despite 16 more Hot 100 entries '57-71. He recorded for NRC '60, RCA '61, went back to Capitol and scored 27 country hits '63-71. Cliff Richard covered 'The Minute You're Gone' (UK top ten '63); the no. 1 hits included 'You're The Only World I Know' '64, 'Behind The Tear' '65, 'Take Good Care Of Her' '66, then 16 consecutive country no. ones '67-71, one of the most remarkable feats in the history of charts. Several of the songs were covers of hits by the Seekers, the Chordettes, Roy Orbison, Brook Benton and others, but fans just liked the way Sonny sang them. He appeared in low-budget films including Second Fiddle To A Steel Guitar and Nashville Rebel '66, Las Vegas Hillbillies and Hillbillys In A Haunted House '68 (the latter with Molly Bee, Merle Haggard, Ferlin Husky). He switched to Columbia '72, continued with hits including 'When The Snow Is On The Roses', 'Is It Wrong (For Loving You)', 'Little Band Of Gold', 'Come On In' '72-6. He recorded for Monument '79, Dimension '82, was still at it in the late '80s. There were CD compilations on Curb and Pair. |