James Ingram
A soulful baritone whose smooth, emotive voice became the heart of countless 80s and 90s R&B ballads and duets.
1952–2019 (age 67)·American singer, songwriter, and record producer·Birthday: February 16·Baby Boomers
Biography
James Ingram's voice was an instrument of pure, unvarnished emotion—a rich baritone that could convey heartache or joy with a single, resonant note. He emerged from the Los Angeles music scene, first catching major attention with his vocal performance on Quincy Jones's 'The Dude,' which earned him his first Grammy. Throughout the 1980s, his voice became a staple on the airwaves, whether on his own hits like 'Just Once' and 'I Don't Have the Heart,' or in unforgettable duets with partners like Patti Austin on 'Baby, Come to Me' and Linda Ronstadt on 'Somewhere Out There.' More than just a singer, Ingram was a gifted songwriter and producer, co-writing Michael Jackson's 'P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing).' His music, often exploring themes of love and longing, provided the warm, human soundtrack to an era, making him one of adult contemporary and R&B's most trusted voices.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
James was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When James Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
James's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2019Died at 67
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Won two Grammy Awards, including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for 'One Hundred Ways' in 1981.
- Received two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song for 'The Day I Fall in Love' and 'Look What Love Has Done.'
- Scored eight Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the number-one duet 'Baby, Come to Me' with Patti Austin.
- Co-wrote the hit song 'P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)' for Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' album.
Did You Know?
He provided the singing voice for the character of Ray in the Disney animated film 'The Princess and the Frog.'
His first major break came when Quincy Jones heard a demo tape Ingram had sent him and invited him to sing on the album 'The Dude.'
He was the first artist to have two consecutive number-one hits on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart as a lead artist ('I Don't Have the Heart' and 'Baby, Come to Me').
“Music is the heart of life. Without it, there is no soul.”
