Grammy-winner and Songwriters Hall of Fame member Mark James has died. James, the songwriter behind hits like Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” and Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind,” passed away on Saturday, June 8 at his home in Nashville, according to the Houston Chronicle. He was 83. A cause of death was not disclosed.
“Mark’s legacy and zest for life will live on in the hearts of those who loved him, and through his timeless lyrics and melodies that have been the soundtrack of lovers for generations,” his family said in a statement. “He was a captivating storyteller who had the sweetest smile, the most infectious laugh and a twinkle in his eye that never dimmed.”
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Born Francis Zambon on Nov. 29, 1940, in Houston, Texas, James changed his name when he began performing guitar in public since the city’s club owners didn’t like the sound of Francis Zambon. He went on to launch his music career with the 1959 release of his debut single, “Jive Note,” before eventually forming his own project, The Mark James Trio.
After serving in Vietnam, he relocated to Memphis, where he signed to a music publishing company and connected with B.J. Thomas. He helped pen Thomas’ breakout hit “The Eyes of a New York Woman,” “It’s Only Love,” and later, the chart-topping “Hooked On a Feeling.” Although originally penned for Thomas, that single later became a No. 1 single when Blue Swede covered it in 1974. The song was also covered by the Hives, and it later appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
James was also the songwriter behind “Suspicious Minds.” Originally released to little fanfare in 1968, the song became an era-defining classic and a No. 1 single, going on to make Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time, when Presley recorded it in ’69. Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter later turned it into a country hit in 1976, and The Fine Young Cannibals made the track a Brit-pop success in 1986.
James won two Grammy Awards – song of the year and best country song – in 1983 for “Always on My Mind,” recorded by Willie Nelson and co-written by Wayne Carson and Johnny Christopher. The song was originally written for and recorded by Presley in 1972 before Nelson took it on. “Always on My Mind” was also named song of the year by the Country Music Association in both 1982 and 1983, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008, nearly a decade after “Suspicious Minds” was inducted in 1999.
James wrote more than 200 songs throughout his career, scoring other notable hits with Brenda Lee’s “Sunday Sunrise,” which hit the top 10 in 1973, and Blood Sweat & Tears’ single “Roller Coaster” that same year. He was named in BMI’s list of the Songwriters of the Century in 2000 alongside Paul McCartney and Elton John, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014. He also entered the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame, the New York Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Karen; his daughters, Sammie and Dana; and grandchildren.
