James Ingram

James Edward Ingram (February 16, 1952 – January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song. After beginning his career in 1973, Ingram charted eight top 40 hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart from the early 1980s until the early 1990s, as well as thirteen top 40 hits on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In addition, he charted 20 hits on the Adult Contemporary chart (including two number-ones). He had two number-one singles on the Hot 100: the first, a duet with fellow R&B artist Patti Austin, 1982's "Baby, Come to Me" topped the U.S. pop chart in 1983; "I Don't Have the Heart", which became his second number-one in 1990, was his only number-one as a solo artist.

In between these hits, he also recorded the song "Somewhere Out There" with fellow recording artist Linda Ronstadt for the animated film An American Tail. The song and the music video both became hits. Ingram co-wrote "The Day I Fall in Love", from the motion picture Beethoven's 2nd (1993), and singer Patty Smyth's "Look What Love Has Done", from the motion picture Junior (1994), which earned him nominations for Best Original Song from the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Grammy Awards in 1994 and 1995.

Early life Ingram was born in Akron, Ohio, where he attended Akron's East High School and received a track scholarship to the University of Akron. Subsequently, he moved to Los Angeles and played with the band Revelation Funk, which made an appearance in the Rudy Ray Moore film Dolemite. He also later played keyboards for Ray Charles before becoming famous. James Ingram received his first publishing deal with 20th Century Fox publishing company, which is where he sang the $50 demo for "Just Once".

Career

Ingram provided the vocals to "Just Once" and "One Hundred Ways" on Quincy Jones's 1981 album The Dude, which earned Ingram triple Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist. "One Hundred Ways" won him the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his work. On December 11, 1981, Ingram appeared as a guest on the Canadian comedy series SCTV (which aired on NBC), singing "Just Once". Ingram's debut album, It's Your Night, was released in 1983 and included the ballad "There's No Easy Way". from his It's Real album.

In 1984, Ingram received three additional Grammy nominations: "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" (his second duet with recording artist Patti Austin), for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals; the US Top 10 single, "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" for Michael Jackson, which Ingram and Quincy Jones co-wrote, for Best R&B Song; and the track "Party Animal" for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. In early 1985, he was nominated for his debut album (It's Your Night) for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, and for its single, "Yah Mo B There" (a duet with fellow R&B musician Michael McDonald), for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group, and won the latter.

Ingram is perhaps best known for his hit collaborations with other vocalists. He scored a No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 chart in February 1983 with Patti Austin on the duet "Baby, Come to Me", a song made popular on TV's General Hospital. A second Austin–Ingram duet, "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?", was featured in the movie Best Friends (1982) and earned an Oscar nomination. In 1984, he teamed up with Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes for the Top 40 ballad "What About Me?" with "Somewhere Out There", the theme from the animated feature film An American Tail. The song was awarded the 1987 Grammy Award for Song of the Year. It also received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. It was one of the last million-selling Gold-certified 45 RPM singles to be issued by the RIAA.

In the 1990s, Ingram's highest-profile team-up came again with Quincy Jones, on the song "The Secret Garden". This song also featured vocals by Barry White, El DeBarge, and Al B. Sure!. Soundtrack songs were popular for Ingram in the 1990s. From the movie Sarafina! came "One More Time", and from City Slickers came "Where Did My Heart Go?" In 1991, he and Melissa Manchester performed the song "The Brightest Star" in the animated Christmas film Precious Moments Timmy's Gift. In 1993, they performed the song again in the film's sequel Precious Moments Timmy's Special Delivery. Ingram's 1994 composition "The Day I Fall in Love", a duet with Dolly Parton, was the theme song for the movie Beethoven's 2nd and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Ingram and Parton performed the song live on the Oscar broadcast. In 1997, he and Carnie Wilson co-wrote the song "Our Time Has Come" and lent it to the animated film Cats Don't Dance. In 2006, Ingram and neo-soul singer Angie Stone teamed up on "My People". In 2011, Ingram joined Cliff Richard's list of special guest performers on his Soulicious Tour performing at various UK venues during November. He sang two songs from the album with Richard, as well a solo of "Just Once". In 2012, Ingram appeared as himself in the ABC television show Suburgatory, in the episode "The Motherload". Also in 2012, he was a guest vocalist at Debbie Allen's October 13 live show at the corner of Crenshaw Blvd. and Martin Luther King Blvd. celebrating the arrival of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, singing R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly".

Death Ingram died of brain cancer in Los Angeles on January 29, 2019, at the age of 66.

Discography

Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications US US R&B US Gospel AUS UK It's Your NightReleased: 1983 Label: Qwest/Warner Bros. 46 10 — — 25 RIAA: Gold Never Felt So GoodReleased: 1986 Label: Qwest/Warner Bros. 123 37 — 100 72 It's RealReleased: 1989 Label: Qwest/Warner Bros. 117 44 — 99 — Always YouReleased: 1993 Label: Qwest/Warner Bros. — 74 — 195 — StandReleased: 2008 Label: Intering — 63 18 — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums + List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications US US R&B US A/C AUS CAA/C 1982 Donna Summer Donna Summer "We Are the World" "Just Once" (live version) 1994 Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume III "Wish You Were Here" 1997 If I Had My Way Nancy Wilson "Our Time Has Come" 1997 Cats Don't Dance: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Carnie Wilson "What U Give U Get Back" 1999 Eye II Eye Scorpions "What About Me?" Michael McDonald "If You Really Need Me Now" 2001 On the Way to Love Patti Austin

Filmography 1981 - SCTV "3D House of Beef" sketch, as himself 1997: The Fearless Four as Buster (voice – English version) 2012: Suburgatory; himself (episode: "The Motherload")

Year Nominated work Category Result James Ingram Best New Artist "Just Once" Best Male Pop Vocal Performance "One Hundred Ways" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance "How You Do Keep the Music Playing?" (with Patti Austin) Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" Best R&B Song (songwriting with Quincy Jones) "Party Animal" Best Male R&B Vocal Performance "Yah Mo B There" (with Michael McDonald) Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Best R&B Song (songwriting with Quincy Jones, Rod Temperton and Michael McDonald) It's Your Night Best Male R&B Vocal Performance "Somewhere Out There" (with Linda Ronstadt) Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals "I Don't Have the Heart" Best Male Pop Vocal Performance "The Secret Garden" (with Al B. Sure, El DeBarge and Barry White) Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals "The Day I Fall in Love" Best Song Written for Visual Media (songwriting with Cliff Magness and Carole Bayer Sager) "When You Love Someone" (with Anita Baker) Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals

Academy Award nominations 1994: Best Original Song for "The Day I Fall in Love" from the motion picture Beethoven's 2nd (shared with Cliff Magness and Carole Bayer Sager)

Golden Globe Award nominations 1994: Best Original Song for "The Day I Fall in Love" (shared with Cliff Magness and Carole Bayer Sager) 1995: Best Original Song for "Look What Love Has Done" (shared with Carole Bayer Sager, James Newton Howard, and Patty Smyth)