NEW YORK, Jan 30, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – James Ingram, a Grammy winner known for
his soulful R&B hits, has died, his friends and colleagues said Tuesday. He
was 66 years old.
“I have lost my dearest friend and creative partner James Ingram to the
Celestial Choir,” performer Debbie Allen tweeted. “He will always be
cherished, loved and remembered for his genius, his love of family and his
humanity.”
A native of the US state of Ohio, Ingram launched his music career with
the band Revelation Funk and later played keyboard for soul pioneer Ray
Charles.
His rise to fame came after he lent his smooth vocals to the songs “Just
Once” and “One Hundred Ways” on an album recorded by industry legend Quincy
Jones.
Ingram earned three Grammy nominations for the works, including Best New
Artist, winning for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 1981.
With Jones, he also co-wrote Michael Jackson’s hit “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young
Thing).”
“There are no words to convey how much my <3 aches,” tweeted Jones. “With
that soulful, whisky sounding voice, James was simply magical.”
“He was, & always will be, beyond compare.”
Over his career, Ingram was nominated for 14 Grammys along with two Golden
Globes and two Oscars, one for his duet with singer Patti Austin, “How Do you
Keep the Music Playing?” that was featured in the movie “Best Friends.”
Ingram also joined singer Linda Ronstadt to perform the song “Somewhere
Out There” from the 1986 animated musical adventure film “An American Tail,”
which sees a family of Jewish Russian mice flee to the United States.
He also collaborated with high-profile artists including Donna Summer,
Viktor Lazlo and Natalie Cole.
“Ingram’s rich voice and masterful songwriting has made a lasting impact
on the music industry,” the Recording Academy, the organization behind the
Grammys, said in a statement. “Our thoughts go out to his loved ones during
this difficult time.”