James Bonamy
Encyclopedia
James Michael Bonamy is an American country music
artist. He released two studio albums (1996's What I Live to Do
and 1997's Roots and Wings
, both on the Epic Records
Nashville label. These albums produced seven singles on the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
) charts, of which the highest-peaking was "I Don't Think I Will
" at number 2.
in 1972. Growing up around the beach as well as around dirt car-racing tracks near his home, he played outside linebacker and fullback in high school football. He graduated from Mainland High School
in Daytona Beach, Florida
in 1990. After graduating in the fall of 1990, he followed his brother to the University of Alabama. He spent most of his freshman year sitting in the off-campus apartment he and his brother shared, playing guitar and trying to write country songs. After performing on a local radio show in Alabama
, he quit school to work at a gift shop in Orlando, Florida
. Later, he performed in a program called "Country Music USA" at the Opryland USA
theme park in Nashville, Tennessee
. Bonamy also competed on Star Search
.
, and his debut album, What I Live to Do
, was released in 1996 under the production of Doug Johnson. The first single, "Dog on a Toolbox," peaked at number 64 on the Hot Country Songs
charts, having been withdrawn as a single because label staff thought that there were too many songs about dogs at the time. After this song was withdrawn, its original b-side, "She's Got a Mind of Her Own" was shipped as the second single. This song peaked at 26 on the country music charts, followed by the number 2 hit "I Don't Think I Will
" and the number 27 "All I Do Is Love Her." At the 1997 Country Music Association
awards, Bonamy was nominated as Top New Male Vocalist, and TNN
Music City News nominated him as Star of Tomorrow. In addition, he toured in 1997 with Emilio
, Clay Walker
and Terri Clark
.
Dan Kuchar of Country Standard Time
gave the album a mixed review, praising Bonamy's voice but criticizing the songwriting on most of the tracks and saying that the album did not have a distinctive sound.
, followed in 1997. Its lead-off single "The Swing" was his last top 40 hit at number 31; the other two singles were "Naked to the Pain" and "Little Blue Dot", reaching numbers 65 and 63 respectively. Bonamy wrote one of the cuts on it with Johnson and Pat Bunch, and chose the title track (which was written by Skip Ewing
and Bill Anderson and previously recorded by Doug Supernaw
) at the suggestion of Epic's A&R director, Debbie Zavitson.
This album also received a mixed review from Country Standard Time, with Larry Stevens praising "Daddy Never Had a Chance in Hell" but criticizing the rest of the album for having a more pop-oriented sound. Thom Owens of Allmusic gave a three-star rating out of five, saying that he considered it an improvement over the debut. Bonamy has not recorded since Roots and Wings. He currently works as a worship leader at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist. He released two studio albums (1996's What I Live to Do
What I Live to Do
What I Live to Do is the debut album of American country music artist James Bonamy. Released in February 1996, it features the single "I Don't Think I Will", a #2 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, as well as the hits "She's Got a Mind of Her Own" and "All I Do Is Love...
and 1997's Roots and Wings
Roots and Wings (James Bonamy album)
Roots and Wings is the second and final studio album released by American country music artist James Bonamy. It was released June 24, 1997 on Epic Records Nashville. The single "The Swing" was a #31 on the Billboard country charts in 1997. "Naked to the Pain" and "Little Blue Dot" were both...
, both on the Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
Nashville label. These albums produced seven singles on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
) charts, of which the highest-peaking was "I Don't Think I Will
I Don't Think I Will
"I Don't Think I Will" is the title of a song written by Doug Johnson and recorded by American country music artist James Bonamy. It was released in April 1996 as the third single from the album, What I Live to Do...
" at number 2.
Early life
Bonamy was born in Winter Park, FloridaWinter Park, Florida
Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in 1972. Growing up around the beach as well as around dirt car-racing tracks near his home, he played outside linebacker and fullback in high school football. He graduated from Mainland High School
Mainland High School
Mainland High School is a public high school located in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is attended by 1,979 students of grades nine through twelve. The mascot is a Buccaneer and strongly resembles the old logo of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.-Daytona Public School:...
in Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
in 1990. After graduating in the fall of 1990, he followed his brother to the University of Alabama. He spent most of his freshman year sitting in the off-campus apartment he and his brother shared, playing guitar and trying to write country songs. After performing on a local radio show in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, he quit school to work at a gift shop in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Later, he performed in a program called "Country Music USA" at the Opryland USA
Opryland USA
Opryland USA was an amusement park located in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally from 1972 until 1997...
theme park in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. Bonamy also competed on Star Search
Star Search
Star Search is a television show that was produced from 1983-95, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Alfred Masini. A relaunch was produced in 2003-04. The show was originally filmed at the old Earl Carroll Theatre at 6230 Sunset Blvd...
.
1995–1996: What I Live to Do
In 1995, he was signed to Epic RecordsEpic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
, and his debut album, What I Live to Do
What I Live to Do
What I Live to Do is the debut album of American country music artist James Bonamy. Released in February 1996, it features the single "I Don't Think I Will", a #2 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, as well as the hits "She's Got a Mind of Her Own" and "All I Do Is Love...
, was released in 1996 under the production of Doug Johnson. The first single, "Dog on a Toolbox," peaked at number 64 on the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts, having been withdrawn as a single because label staff thought that there were too many songs about dogs at the time. After this song was withdrawn, its original b-side, "She's Got a Mind of Her Own" was shipped as the second single. This song peaked at 26 on the country music charts, followed by the number 2 hit "I Don't Think I Will
I Don't Think I Will
"I Don't Think I Will" is the title of a song written by Doug Johnson and recorded by American country music artist James Bonamy. It was released in April 1996 as the third single from the album, What I Live to Do...
" and the number 27 "All I Do Is Love Her." At the 1997 Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
awards, Bonamy was nominated as Top New Male Vocalist, and TNN
The Nashville Network
The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows...
Music City News nominated him as Star of Tomorrow. In addition, he toured in 1997 with Emilio
Emilio
Emilio Navaira III is an American musician of Mexican descent, who performs both Country and Tejano music. Known to most by the mononym Emilio, he has charted more than ten singles on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks charts, in addition to six singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks...
, Clay Walker
Clay Walker
Ernest Clayton "Clay" Walker Jr. is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1993 with the single "What's It to You," which reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, as did its follow-up, 1994's "Live Until I Die." Both singles were included on...
and Terri Clark
Terri Clark
Terri Lynn Sauson , known professionally as Terri Clark, is a Canadian country music artist who has had success in both Canada and the United States. Signed to Mercury Records in 1995, she released her self-titled debut that year...
.
Dan Kuchar of Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time is a website dedicated to country music and related genres such as Bluegrass and Rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1992 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a print magazine, which was first published only in New England but went...
gave the album a mixed review, praising Bonamy's voice but criticizing the songwriting on most of the tracks and saying that the album did not have a distinctive sound.
1997: Roots and Wings
A second album, Roots and WingsRoots and Wings (James Bonamy album)
Roots and Wings is the second and final studio album released by American country music artist James Bonamy. It was released June 24, 1997 on Epic Records Nashville. The single "The Swing" was a #31 on the Billboard country charts in 1997. "Naked to the Pain" and "Little Blue Dot" were both...
, followed in 1997. Its lead-off single "The Swing" was his last top 40 hit at number 31; the other two singles were "Naked to the Pain" and "Little Blue Dot", reaching numbers 65 and 63 respectively. Bonamy wrote one of the cuts on it with Johnson and Pat Bunch, and chose the title track (which was written by Skip Ewing
Skip Ewing
Donald Ralph "Skip" Ewing is an American country music singer and songwriter. Active since 1988, Ewing has recorded nine studio albums, and has charted fifteen singles on the Billboard country charts.-Career:...
and Bill Anderson and previously recorded by Doug Supernaw
Doug Supernaw
Douglas Anderson "Doug" Supernaw is an American country music artist. After several years performing as a local musician throughout the state of Texas, he signed with BNA Records in 1993, releasing his debut album that year.Supernaw has released four studio albums: Red and Rio Grande , Deep...
) at the suggestion of Epic's A&R director, Debbie Zavitson.
This album also received a mixed review from Country Standard Time, with Larry Stevens praising "Daddy Never Had a Chance in Hell" but criticizing the rest of the album for having a more pop-oriented sound. Thom Owens of Allmusic gave a three-star rating out of five, saying that he considered it an improvement over the debut. Bonamy has not recorded since Roots and Wings. He currently works as a worship leader at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida. The city is in the center of a rapidly-developing area north of West Palm Beach in the northern part of the county and the South Florida metropolitan area. , the population was 48,452...
.
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
||
| What I Live to Do What I Live to Do What I Live to Do is the debut album of American country music artist James Bonamy. Released in February 1996, it features the single "I Don't Think I Will", a #2 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, as well as the hits "She's Got a Mind of Her Own" and "All I Do Is Love... |
|
16 | 112 | 1 |
| Roots and Wings Roots and Wings (James Bonamy album) Roots and Wings is the second and final studio album released by American country music artist James Bonamy. It was released June 24, 1997 on Epic Records Nashville. The single "The Swing" was a #31 on the Billboard country charts in 1997. "Naked to the Pain" and "Little Blue Dot" were both... |
|
25 | — | 11 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
CAN Country RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
|||
| 1995 | "Dog on a Toolbox" | 64 | — | What I Live to Do |
| 1996 | "She's Got a Mind of Her Own" | 26 | 20 | |
| "I Don't Think I Will I Don't Think I Will "I Don't Think I Will" is the title of a song written by Doug Johnson and recorded by American country music artist James Bonamy. It was released in April 1996 as the third single from the album, What I Live to Do... " |
2 | 8 | ||
| "All I Do Is Love Her" | 27 | 22 | ||
| 1997 | "The Swing The Swing (song) "The Swing" is the title of a song written by Robert Ellis Orrall and Bob Regan and recorded by American country music artist James Bonamy. It was released in March 1997 as the lead single from the album, Roots and Wings... " |
31 | 16 | Roots and Wings |
| "Naked to the Pain" | 65 | 70 | ||
| "Little Blue Dot" | 63 | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Dog on a Toolbox" | John Lloyd Miller |
| 1996 | "I Don't Think I Will" | Greg Crutcher |
| "All I Do Is Love Her" | Michael Salomon Michael Salomon Michael Salomon is a music video/film director, who has directed many music videos, including many of Toby Keith's music videos... |
|
| 1997 | "The Swing" | chris rogers |
| "Naked to the Pain" |