<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><div>Courtesy of today's (February 23, 2016) Spokesman-Review.</div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------------</div><div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Chronicle Display A', 'Chronicle Display B', serif; font-size: 48px; font-weight: 600; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Country singer Sonny James dies at age 87</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Country singer Sonny James, who recorded romantic ballads like “Young Love” and turned pop songs into country hits, has died. He was 87. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">James, whose given name was James Loden, died Monday in a Nashville hospice facility, according to a family friend, Gary Robble, who was the lead singer of James’ backing band, the Southern Gentlemen</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The singer born in Hackleburg, Alabama, was known as the “Southern Gentleman” because of his gentle, respectful demeanor. He was also a songwriter as well as a guitarist and fiddler. He started his music career with his family’s band with his parents and his sister, Thelma. Before he reached high school age, he already had performed on several country music radio shows. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As he started his own musical career, Capitol producer Ken Nelson suggested he use a combination of his nickname, “Sonny Boy,” with his first name as his professional name. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In 1956, James scored his biggest hit, “Young Love,” which sold 3 million copies and became a No. 1 hit on the country and pop charts. A decade later, he started an impressive run on top of the country charts with 16 consecutive No. 1 songs between 1967 and 1971. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">His hits included “It’s the Little Things,” “You’re the Only World I Know,” “I’ll Never Find Another You,” “Empty Arms,” “Behind the Tear,” “Take Good Care of Her,” “When the Snow Is on the Roses,” “That’s Why I Love You Like I Do” and “Here Comes Honey Again.” </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Robble said James invited the Southern Gentlemen to record and tour with him during this period, which created a vocal-driven sound based on hit songs from the R&B and pop genre. Some of his popular covers included “Since I Met You Baby,” “Endlessly,” “Running Bear,” “It’s Just a Matter of Time,” “Only the Lonely” and “Only Love Can Break a Heart.” </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Sonny made country music more commercial,” Robble said. “He wasn’t trying to. He was singing what he enjoyed singing.” </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">James was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the 1960s, he made several motion pictures, including “Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar,” “Las Vegas Hillbillies” (with Jayne Mansfield) and “Hillbilly in a Haunted House” (with Basil Rathbone and Lon Chaney Jr.). He then went on to produce Marie Osmond’s first records, including her biggest country hit, “Paper Roses.” </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He was the first co-host of the Country Music Association Awards show with Bobbie Gentry in 1976. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He recorded some pioneering albums: “200 Years of Country Music” in 1976 chronicled country music and took more than a year to plan, research and record. “Sonny James In Prison, In Person” was recorded in 1977 with inmates at the Tennessee State Prison, while “The Astrodome Presents the Southern Gentlemen” in 1969 was the first live album recorded there. His “Little Bit South of Saskatoon,” which he wrote, was used as theme music for the movie “Slap Shot” starring Paul Newman. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 17.6px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He retired in the mid-1980s, because of vocal issues, according to Robble. He is survived by his wife, Doris</span></p></div><div>---------------------------------</div><div><br></div><div>"Young Love" by Sonny James</div><div><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/Young_Love.mp3">http://www.TomandRodna.com/Songs/Young_Love.mp3</a></div><div><br></div><div>Rest well, Mr. James.<br><br><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares"</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>