NASHVILLE, TN (CelebrityAccess) — Mark James, the country music songwriter who penned hits for artists such as Elvis Presley and B.J. Thomas, has died. He was 83.
His passing was announced by his family, who said that he died at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 8, 2024. A cause of death was not disclosed.
Born in Houston as Francis Rodney Zambon, James took to music at an early age, learning to play multiple instruments and embarking on a career in the local club circuit in Houston before he graduated from high school.
After a stint in Vietnam with the U.S. military, James returned to civilian life and relocated to Memphis where he began collaborating with the influential producer and songwriter Lincoln “Chips” Moman. The collaboration with Moman led to hits such as “Suspicious Minds” which James released as a single under his own name before it was turned into a chart-topper by Elvis Presley the following year.
In 1968, lifelong friend and fellow Houstonian, B.J. Thomas, scored hits with Mark’s songs “The Eyes of a New York Woman” and “Hooked on a Feeling,” which both peaked at #1 on U.S. charts.
Swedish pop group Blue Swede also helped to immortalize “Hooked On A Feeling” by adding the distinctive “ooga-chaka” chant to their own take on the song in 1974.
In 1972, Brenda Lee recorded a top ten single with James’ “Sunday Sunrise,” which was later covered by Anne Murray in 1975. Other notable songs to James’ credit include “Raised on Rock,” “It’s Only Love” and “Moody Blue,” which were recorded by Elvis.
Elvis also recorded what would prove to be one of James’ signature hits, “Always on My Mind,” Mark cowrote with Johnny Christopher and Wayne Carson. The song was also recorded by Willie Nelson in 1983, winning to Grammys that year for Song of the Year and another for Best Country Song.
Other notable songs from James’ catalog include “Roller Coaster,” “Where Do We Go From Here,” “Alone Too Long” and “Blue Suede Heaven,” which he wrote as a tribute to Elvis Presley.
James was inducted into the New York Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014, as well as the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022, among other honors.
James is survived wife of 53 years, Karen Zambon; two daughters and multiple grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, family and friends are encouraged to donate to the Songwriters Hall of Fame to support its essential programs and initiatives benefiting songwriters worldwide.
