Billy Joe Thomas, professionally known as B.J. Thomas, was born on August 7, 1942, in Hugo, Oklahoma. He grew up in the Houston area, developing an early passion for music influenced by his father and artists like Little Richard and Jackie Wilson. Thomas began his music career in 1957 with the local band The Triumphs. His breakthrough came in 1966 with a cover of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," which sold over a million copies and earned him a gold disc.

Thomas achieved significant success with hits like "Hooked on a Feeling" (1968) and "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (1969), the latter winning an Academy Award and topping the Billboard Hot 100. His career spanned multiple genres, including country, pop, and contemporary Christian music, earning him five Grammy Awards and two Dove Awards.

Despite professional success, Thomas struggled with drug addiction in the early 1970s but overcame it after becoming a Christian in 1976. He married Gloria Richardson in 1968, with whom he had three daughters. B.J. Thomas passed away on May 29, 2021, due to lung cancer, leaving behind a legacy of influential music and philanthropy, particularly in addiction recovery programs.