B.J. Thomas, the Grammy Award-winning vocalist best known for singing “Hooked on a Feeling” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”, has died at the age of 78 from complications due to stage four lung cancer.
Thomas shared news of his diagnosis in March and immediately began treatment at a local health cary facility in Texas. “I’m so blessed to have had the opportunity to record and perform beautiful songs in pop, country, and gospel music, and to share those wonderful songs and memories around the world with millions of you,” he said in a statement at the time. “I ask all of you for your prayers during this time and that my music can live on with you.”
A five-time Grammy Award winner and Grammy Hall of Fame inductee, Thomas sold over 70 million albums worldwide, with a total of eight No. 1 hits and 26 Top 10 singles to his name. He’s perhaps best known for his version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”, which was featured in the 1969 Western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and went on to win Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.
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Throughout the 1970s, Thomas recorded and released a number of gospel albums, landing him four Grammy Awards for Best Inspirational Performance and a fifth for “Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary”. His 1976 album, Home Where I Belong, also made history as the first Christian album to go platinum.
Thomas also sang the theme song to Growing Pains, “As Long as We Got Each Other”.
