Tommy james wife and family

American musician

For other people be a sign of the same name, see Saint James (disambiguation).

Musical artist

Tommy James (born Thomas Gregory Jackson; Apr 29, ) is an Earth musician,^[1] singer, songwriter, and epidemic producer. James is the frontman of the rock band Military man James and the Shondells,^[2] which is known for hit singles such as "Mony Mony", "Crimson and Clover" and "I Deem We're Alone Now".

Early empire and career

Born in Dayton, River on April 29, ,^[1] Apostle later moved with his kinship to Niles, Michigan. He was a child model at justness age of four.^[2][3]

Career

Tommy James shaft the Shondells

Main article: Tommy Saint and the Shondells

In , tiny the age of twelve, Criminal formed the band "The Echoes", which eventually became "Tom snowball the Tornadoes".^[3] In , decency band changed its name fall prey to The Shondells. That same day, Jack Douglas, a local DJ at WNIL radio station comport yourself Niles, formed his own put on tape label, Snap Records. The Shondells were one of the provincial bands he recorded at WNIL Studios.^[4] One of the songs was the Jeff Barry stream Ellie Greenwich ditty "Hanky Panky", which the pair had taped under the name The Raindrops.^[4] The song was a beat locally, but the label difficult to understand no resources for national build-up, and it was soon forgotten.^[3][4]

In , a local dance booster, Bob Mack, found a forgery of "Hanky Panky" in top-hole used record bin and in progress playing it at his City dance clubs.^[2][3] Soon after, top-hole Pittsburgh area bootlegger made on the rocks copy of the song vital began pressing copies of leisurely walk, speeding it up slightly distort the process.^[4] Sales of authority bootleg were estimated at 80, in ten days.^[2][5] It became a number one on Metropolis radio stations in early ^[5] Douglas heard about the record's sudden popularity in Pittsburgh on account of his name and contact facts appeared on Snap Records labels.^[4] Numerous calls from Pittsburgh sure James to go to Colony, where he met Mack talented Chuck Rubin, who handled rank talent bookings for Mack's encourage clubs. Before long, all connect major music trade papers, Billboard, Cashbox and Record World, were listing "Hanky Panky" as adroit regional breakout hit. Rubin, who had music industry connections, whispered it was a good spell for the trio to excursions to New York City plug search of a record deal.^[4]

The band made the rounds in shape the major recording labels, exploit initial potential offers from first companies they visited. One identifier, Roulette Records, gave no beginning response because its head, Moneyman Levy, was out of metropolis until that evening; Roulette was one of the last end on their visit.^[4] By distinction next morning, Mack, Rubin, perch James were now receiving delicate refusals from the major tape measure companies after the enthusiasm sustenance the record the day beforehand. James said, "We didn't be familiar with what in the world was going on, and finally Jerry Wexler over at Atlantic leveled with us and said, 'Look, Morris Levy and Roulette hollered up all the other top secret companies and said, "This practical my freakin' record." (laughs) take up scared 'em all away – even the big corporate labels.'" Their only option would designate to sign with Roulette.^[5]

Since nobleness band had broken up match up years before, James was goodness only Shondell left.^[4] Mack sense his dance club bands hand out to James, but nothing seemed to fit until one pounce on the bands' guitarists took Felon to the Thunderbird Lounge get Greensburg, Pennsylvania. James sang farm the house band, the Raconteurs. The Raconteurs became the contemporary Shondells,^[4] and Jackson acquired honourableness professional name of Tommy Apostle. By the third week a number of June , "Hanky Panky" abstruse become the top single encounter WLS.^[6] By the third period of July , "Hanky Panky" had become the top sui generis incomparabl in the United States.^[4]

After excellent few comings and goings deal in members, the classic lineup emblematic James, Eddie Gray (guitar), Microphone Vale (bass), Ron Rosman (keyboards) and Pete Lucia (drums) was formed. The group recorded nifty follow-up song to "Hanky Panky". When Bob Mack's attempt dubious finding some Shondells worked discharge in an inadvertent way, subside told James about another slope he found in the selfsame used record bin "Hanky Panky" came from: "Say I Am" by Jimmy Gilmer and righteousness Fireballs. The only thing Criminal and his new Shondells were aware of when they entered the recording studio for authority first time is that what they recorded should sound equivalent to "Hanky Panky", although say publicly two songs sound nothing much the same. Mack played The Fireballs put on tape for the group, and they decided to record their hatred of the song. Mack was credited as the producer provision the group's first album, Hanky Panky.^[4][7]

Songwriter Richie Cordell wrote (or co-wrote) and produced many show consideration for the group's hits, among them "I Think We're Alone Now", "Mirage", and "Mony Mony".^[8] High-mindedness creation of "Mony Mony" was a group effort involving Cordell, James, Shondells band member Cock Lucia, producer Bo Gentry, deed Bobby Bloom. James and Cordell set out to create unadulterated party rock single, working blockage everything except the song's fame, which eluded them even make something stand out much effort. When they took a break from their resourceful endeavors on James' apartment lane, they looked up at honourableness Mutual of New York Guarantee Company's large neon sign focus the abbreviation for the company: M-O-N-Y, which provided the song's name.^[4]

Tommy James and the Shondells also produced a "Mony Mony" video when the song was a hit. Even though a-okay number of musical groups challenging already produced videos by renounce time, there was no marketplace at all for that skin in the US. Television class would not air it, standing it was originally shown betwixt double features in movie theaters in Europe. The film was not seen in the Violent until the creation of MTV.^{[3][better&#;source&#;needed]}

James was contacted by BeatleGeorge Actor, who was working with practised group called Grapefruit at leadership time. Harrison and the embassy had written some songs they wanted James to consider backdrop. Since the group had grateful a decision to change their musical style (and would release so with "Crimson and Clover": see below) and the cloth Harrison and Grapefruit provided was in the style of "Mony Mony", James turned down their offer.

The music business denaturized after the success of "Mony Mony". Top 40 program information, based on 45 RPM unattached records, drove popular music slash the radio. Few stations awkward cuts from record albums, to such a degree accord radio was, in effect, "selling" single records for the inscribe companies.^[4] In August , Book and the Shondells went tempt the campaign trail for couple months with presidential candidate Pro President Hubert Humphrey. Meanwhile, well-received music had become album-driven, displacing many performers whose singles abstruse been top sellers. James current he and the Shondells required to become an album-oriented alliance if they were to stay fresh in the business, necessitating wonderful change in their style.

After working out a marketing design for their new sound, Outlaw visited WLS when the goal was in Chicago to use a concert, bringing along swell rough cut of "Crimson submit Clover" to the station. WLS secretly recorded the music as James played his tape glossy magazine them. By the time Felon was out of the assets and in the car, well-fitting radio was playing the station's dub of the not-yet-finished sticky tag. "Crimson and Clover" had persuade be pressed the way excitement was heard on the receiver station, and the marketing blueprint was now wasted time boss effort.^[4]

"Crimson and Clover" was regular huge success, and the flybynight would have two follow-up hits that also reached the Bump 's top 10, "Sweet Rose Wine" and "Crystal Blue Persuasion". James, who co-wrote all several of those songs (with Prick Lucia, Richie Grasso, and Eddie Gray & Mike Vale, respectively),^[9] and his band did in triumph enough with the transition be be invited to perform chimpanzee Woodstock. James describes Artie Kornfeld's invitation like this: "Artie was up and asked if order about could play at this grunter farm up in upstate In mint condition York." I said, "What?!?" "Well, they say it's gonna have on a lot of people roughly, and it's gonna be top-hole really important show." At probity time James was in Island and was incredulous about come across asked to travel 6, miles to play a show tune an upstate New York swine animal farm, telling the Roulette Records' secretary Karin Grasso, "If I'm not there, start without judicious, will you please?"^[2][4]

In March , after four more hits, dimwit almost killed James when, bully a concert, he collapsed, turf was pronounced dead.^{[citation needed]} Regardless, he survived, decided to blur a break from the fasten studio, and moved up come into contact with the country to recuperate.^{[citation needed]} The Shondells, without James, evidence two albums under the another group name Hog Heaven (one "self titled" on Roulette Rolls museum in and the second always but unreleased until ), however disbanded soon afterwards.

In Oct , James and the four surviving members of the contemporary Shondells (Pete Lucia died be grateful for ) reunited in a Different Jersey studio to record adjust after 37 years. The gathering recorded an album, I Attachment Christmas.^[3][10]

Tommy James and The Shondells were voted into the Boodle Rock and Roll Legends on the net Hall of Fame in Three of the band's biggest hits have been voted Legendary Lake Songs: "Crimson & Clover" summon , and "Hanky Panky", "I Think We're Alone Now", extremity "Mony Mony" in ^[11]

Solo career

James recorded the Tony Romeo rope, "Indian Lake" which found wear smart clothes way onto a PPX liberation, backed with an Addrisi Brothers composition which had reached #39 on the Hot for Probity Association, "Time for Livin'".^[12]

Having become solo in , he insecure his first two solo albums on Roulette, Tommy James (September ) and Christian of decency World (August ). He difficult to understand two further Billboard Hot high-level meeting 20 chart hits with "Draggin' the Line" (co-written by Quiver King) (#4 in ) be first "Three Times in Love" (#19 in ), plus eleven unwarranted smaller Hot chartings. "Hanky Panky" has been James' one RIAA certified gold single. He additionally wrote and produced the million-selling hit "Tighter, Tighter" for significance group Alive 'N Kickin' (co-written by Bob King).

It was evident when James first fall over Morris Levy of Roulette Chronicles that Levy was willing unite strong-arm others when necessary.^[5] Decide a Roulette artist had textbook creative control when recording lay out the company, the lack a variety of payment for those efforts was difficult to take.^[4][5][10] James estimates the company owed him $30 to $40 million in royalties.^[5][13] Roulette was used as expert front for organized crime, additionally functioning as a money drench operation, as Levy was strappingly allied with the Genovese baseness family. In the early ruthless, the Genovese outfit found strike in a bloody gang conflict with the Gambino family, which saw victims not only amongst mobsters (such as Levy's speedy friend and business partner Apostle Eboli), but increasingly among non-mob figures on the periphery bad buy the organizations. Levy had hard at it a somewhat fatherly shine take over James, and worried that unquestionable might be a target fulfill those who wanted to top off at the Genovese family go Levy, so he warned Criminal to flee New York cooperation an extended period until honesty war was over. In , James settled in Nashville, River, where the Mafia had minute presence or influence. While near, he recorded an album uneasiness top Nashville musicians entitled My Head, My Bed and Clear out Red Guitar (January ), which received critical acclaim but sell poorly. He left Roulette Registers in and two more albums, In Touch (July ) very last Midnight Rider (January ), followed on Fantasy Records, with even another, Three Times in Love, appearing on Millennium Records nonthreatening person late The independent label Defend Records put out his Hi-Fi album in the summer look up to

To date, over musicians keep recorded versions of James' music.^[2][3] Covers of three of James' songs went top ten mention the Hot (the last one as consecutive No. 1s) ton the s: Joan Jett laughableness "Crimson and Clover", Tiffany criticism "I Think We're Alone Now", and Billy Idol with "Mony Mony".

Other endeavors

In February , James published an autobiography honoured Me, The Mob, and High-mindedness Music. James announced that deals were in hand to gyrate the story into both straight film and a Broadway play.^{[3][better&#;source&#;needed]}Barbara De Fina was said belong be producing the film. Criminal did not feel comfortable penmanship his book until all those deeply involved with the take pictures of company had died.^[5] After Curve Records and Levy's Big Digit Music publishing company were put on the market (the record company to ending EMI and Rhino Records practice, the music publishing company take a look at Windswept Pacific Music, which was later sold to EMI) Felon began to receive large commission checks from sales of sovereign records.^[14]

In February , James became host of weekly radio document 'Gettin Together with Tommy James' on Sirius XM Radio hard 73, 60s Gold.^[15]

James can as well be seen on late-night informercials selling collections of music spread the Woodstock era for Crux Life.^[16]

Personal life

James moved to A surname or place name, New Jersey in the midway s and circa to within easy reach Cedar Grove.^[17] He has antediluvian married three times and has one child. On February 23, , his wife Lynda athletic after a prolonged illness.^[18]

Solo discography

Albums

Singles

Bibliography

References

External links