Jimmie Hugh Loden, known professionally as Sonny James, was an American country music singer and songwriter best known for his 1957 hit, "Young Love", topping both the Billboard Hot Country and Billboard's Disk Jockey singles charts.
28 Facts About Sonny James
2.
Brom 1964 to 1976, Sonny James placed 21 of his albums in the Top 10 of Billboard Top Country Albums.
3.
Sonny James was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1961 and co-hosted the first Country Music Association Awards Show in 1967.
4.
Sonny James was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007.
5.
Sonny James's parents were amateur musicians, and his sister Thelma Lee Loden Holcombe played instruments and sang from an early age.
6.
Sonny James had roomed with Atkins years earlier in Raleigh, North Carolina when they were playing at the same radio station.
7.
Sonny James stayed with Whitman's group for only two months when Whitman felt he had to do some club work to keep up his income to be able to pay his band.
8.
The Loden family had only appeared in schoolhouses and such and Sonny James agreed to stay on for a few shows until Whitman could find his replacement.
9.
Sonny James appeared on radio, including Big D Jamboree, before moving to the all-important new medium, television, where he became a regular performer on ABC's Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri beginning in October 1955.
10.
In late 1956 Sonny James released "Young Love", a 45 rpm single for which he would forever be remembered.
11.
Sonny James signed with National Recording Corporation, and then stints with Dot, RCA, his second time with Capitol, and later with Columbia, Monument and Dimension.
12.
Sonny James and his Southern Gentlemen appeared on the major TV shows during that period including Ed Sullivan, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, Jimmy Dean, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, The Joey Bishop Show, was a multi-time guest on Hee Haw, on the Johnny Cash Show and made minor singing appearances in four motion pictures.
13.
In 1973 Sonny James helped launch the solo career of Marie Osmond, producing and arranging her first three albums, including her smash hit, "Paper Roses".
14.
In July 1957, Sonny James married Doris Shrode in Dallas, Texas.
15.
Sonny James came home to Hackleburg during the first annual Neighbor Day Festival on April 20,2002, and continued attending the festival every other year.
16.
Sonny James died on February 22,2016, in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 87.
17.
Sonny James died of natural causes at Nashville's Alive Hospice, according to a statement on his official website.
18.
Sonny James is buried at Cedar Tree Cemetery, in Hackleburg, Alabama.
19.
In 1956, as rock and roll was just beginning, Sonny James's multi-million selling single "Young Love" became a No 1 country and pop hit, one of the first such crossover hits by a country artist.
20.
In 1957, Sonny James became the first country recording artist to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.
21.
In 1961, honoring his contribution to the music industry, Sonny James was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6630 Hollywood Blvd.
22.
Sonny James was the first country music star to receive this honor.
23.
In 1967, along with Bobbi Gentry, Sonny James hosted the first CMA Awards show.
24.
From 1969 through 1971, Sonny James became the first country artist to achieve a feat previously not done in the country music industry.
25.
In February 1971, Sonny James was the first country artist whose music went into space; he made a special music recording for the crew of Apollo 14.
26.
In 1987, Sonny James was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
27.
On November 6,2006, he appeared on television for the first time in nearly 20 years when presenter Kris Kristofferson announced on the ABC television network's Country Music Association Awards that Sonny James was to be one of its newest inductees.
28.
In 2009 Sonny James was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.