B.J. Thomas

B.J. THOMAS
The Living Room Sessions

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 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 ongoing appeal to younger audiences as well as lifelong fans–20-year-old Broadway and soundtrack phenom Sara Niemetz, who joins Thomas on “Hooked on a Feeling.” The Living Room Sessions also includes four solo performances by Thomas that represent a several decade swing in his earlier career: the opening track “Don’t Worry Baby” (a Beach Boys classic first covered by the singer in 1977), “Eyes of a New York Woman” (1968) “Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned Love” (a #1 country hit in 1983) and “Everybody’s Out of Town” (1970).