INTERVIEW: B.J. Thomas
- Al Muzer
Those of a "certain" age know the song by heart. A No. 1 smash for four weeks back in November, 1969, and a Top 40, oldies and karaoke favorite ever since, B.J. Thomas' version of Burt Bacharach's and Hal David's "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" is one of the most instantly-recognizable tunes ever recorded.
Fifteen Top 40 Pop hits, 15 Gold or Platinum records, 10 Top 40 Country hits, five Grammy's, two Dove Awards, and more than 34 years after he entered the public conscious with a soaring, Top 10 cover of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" finds B.J. Thomas back in action with the 11-song You Call That A Mountain on Nashville's, Kardina Records.
Highlighted by the gorgeous, steel-drenched title track; a lush, 1 a.m.-rendition of Michael Martin Murphey's "What's Forever For"; the bracingly honest "Somebody's Gonna Lose"; and solid remakes of "Don't Worry Baby," "Another Done Somebody Wrong Song," "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and, of course "Raindrops" - the album is something for everyone that somehow manages to satisfy all.
A catchy, radio-worthy, comfortable combination of pop and country, past and present -- You Call That A Mountain also serves as a showcase for what is, remarkably, still one of the richest, smoothest, mellowest, most distinctive voices in music.
"I redid a few of the old songs to get people to listen to my new music," offers the tanned, fit and very relaxed 57-year-old singer during a Fan Fair 2000 interview in Nashville. "I'd been listening to the radio a lot over the last few years and decided that it was time to put out an album of 'songs.' Real songs," Thomas says in his rich Texas drawl.
"One of the things, I think, that shapes why certain artists have longer careers than others or why some are able to cross over into other genres more readily is the music they grew up listening to," he says of his three-plus decades in the business. "What were their inspirations and influences? How broad are their musical roots?"
"I was lucky when I was young," he continues, "because radio was all Top 40 back then. There were no 'Rap' or 'Rock' or 'Easy Listening' stations. Someone listening to the radio was exposed to pop, folk, soul, R&B, dance, countryeven Montovani. Radio was all about 'songs' and everything got played on the same station."
"I've always looked for songs that suited my voice with messages I could believe in and identify with," Thomas adds. "Pop, country, gospel, soulas long as it's a great song, none of that, really, should matter."
"I've been pretty lucky and got to record a few great songs over the years," he concludes modestly. "You know, you really couldn't ask for a better signature tune than 'Raindrops' It was a real career song, one of the Top 25 cuts of the '60s and '70s, and I'm real proud that people are still moved by it and still call radio stations to request it."
Thomas can be reached via: http://www.kardina.com.
