Famous Oklahomans: BJ Thomas was born in OK

One of the most exciting parts about Indian Country andOklahomaisthefactthat so many famous artists, philanthropists, businesspeople and creative geniuses have emerged on this great soil. When one is seventh generation of Indian Territory, it makes it even more exciting to dig a little deeper into the vast amount. That points to Billy Joe Thomas and more widely recognized as B.J. Thomas,bornAugust7,1942, in Hugo, Okla.

Thomas was born on Oklahoma soil but spent his younger years in Houston, Texas. Thomas, like many successful musicians, grew up performing in church that proved to be as anchoring in his growth as any other training. Early on in his career, Thomasteamedupwith the Triumphs in 1966 and released an album featuring the cover of the Hank Williams song “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” selling over a million copies.

This was only the beginning for the Oklahoma boy as he went on to create some of the famous songs that almost everyone remembers. “Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head”, “Hooked On A Feeling”, “Rock and Roll Lullaby”, “I Just Can’t Help Believing, and “Hey Won’t You Play” are a few of his well-known hits. These tunes dominated the radio air and were most likely playing in the 8-track players in most vehicles in 1960’s and 1970’s.

As if these hits were not enough, Thomas went on in the 1980’s to blast out many more mainstream hits topping the country singles charts. Some of the well known hits that many sang along with are; “What Ever Happened To Old Fashioned Love”, “New Looks From An Old Lover”, and “Two Car Garage”. Thomas went on fromtheretobecomethe60th memberofthegrandoleopry. He also sported some other interesting talents including author,actorandwrotemany of the television commercials that many can still recall for Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Not only was Thomas born here in Oklahoma, but his impact on the world also encouraged Oklahoma State senate to declare February 21 as B.J. Thomas Day. One of the most interesting parts ofThomas’ssuccessstemmed from the origination of his greatest hits “Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head”. He merely lent his voice and song for the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford which in return sent Thomas into an exploding hit.

Thomas may not have spent too many of his early yearsinOklahoma,butmany interviewsnotedthathecommonly referred to Oklahoma as his roots. Ancestry search doesn’t show Thomas’s residence when he lived in Oklahoma due to his birth being in between census years, but in 1950 the census states he was seven years old and living in Bowie County, Texas. This means his parents remained close to Oklahoma for a few years. Thomas also performed many times across the state throughout his career.

As in the case of many great artists Thomas had his share of ups and downs. It seems he overcame the most of them and certainly did his ample part in contributing to humanity through his music and songs. Thomas passed awayMay29,2021andisone of those people whose impact will not soon be forgotten if ever. His songs are truly timeless,onemightsaymagical in that they have a spirit all their own that seems to be as monumental as the great state in which he was born.