to perform at Oxford
Performing Arts
Center on July 19th
A
true American institution whose
iconic pop, country and gospel hits
defined their respective generations
and now transcend them, B.J. Thomas has
found a unique way to celebrate an incredible half a century in music and some 47 years
since his first gold selling hit on Scepter Records. The singer, a five time Grammy and
two time Dove Award winner who has sold
more than 70 million records and is ranked
in Billboard’s Top 50 most played artists
over the past 50 years, invites longtime fans
and newcomers alike to his living room—or
more accurately, The Living Room Sessions,
his debut recording for Wrinkled Records
featuring intimate acoustic re-imaginings
of 12 of his most renowned songs.
Working with famed veteran country music
producer Kyle Lehning (Randy Travis, George
Strait, Willie Nelson) at Sound Stage Studio
in Nashville and backed by a host of Music
City’s finest sessions musicians, Thomas recorded many of these as duets with a perfectly fulfilled “wish list” of guest artists from
different genres. These include pop great
Richard Marx “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another
Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song”,
country legend Vince Gill (“I Just Can’t Help
Believing”), bluesman Keb’ Mo’ (“Most of All”),
Lyle Lovett (“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My
16
Head”), rocker Isaac Slade, lead singer of The
Fray (“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”) and producer/songwriter turned popular contemporary standards singer Steve Tyrell (“Rock and
Roll Lullaby”).
Inviting Tyrell to the “living room” for a duet
not only leads to some of the album’s most
compelling vocal moments, but has rich historical implications that take both singers
back to the beginnings of their careers—an
era that included Tyrell managing Thomas
and being the producer on Thomas’ original
recording of “Rock and Roll Lullaby.”
Thomas also vibes on The Living Room Sessions with two lesser known powerhouses, labelmate and renowned Nashville touring and
session singer) Etta Britt (“New Looks From
An Old Lover”) and–consistent with his ongo-
July 2014
INSIGHT