James Hugh Loden was born on May 1, 1928 to Archie Lee 'Pop' Loden and Della Burleson Loden, who operated a 300 acres (120 ha) farm outside Hackleburg, Alabama. His parents were amateur musicians, and his sister Thelma Lee Loden Holcombe also played instruments and sang from an early age. By age three he was playing a mandolin and singing and was dubbed "Sonny Boy". In 1933 the family appeared on a radio audition which resulted in their being offered a regular Saturday slot on Muscle Shoals, Alabama radio station WMSD-AM. About this time the parents volunteered to raise an Alabama girl named Ruby Palmer, and soon Ruby was also part of the musical group, and the singing Loden Family, later billed as Sonny Loden and the Southerners, was soon playing theaters, auditoriums and schoolhouses throughout the Southern United States.
To this point the musical appearances had been a part-time effort for the family, as they returned after each gig or tour to work the family farm. After a few years the father decided they were professional enough to immerse themselves into the field full-time, so the father leased out the farm and they took a daily spot on radio station KLCN, where they provided early-morning accompaniment for the area's early-risers. After that they had spots on several other radio stations around the South. In 1949 they returned to Alabama, with a show on radio station WSGN in Birmingham, Alabama. Near Christmastime that year, the two girls were married in West Memphis, Arkansas in a double ceremony and left the group. The parents found other girls to take their place, but the group soon disbanded (the parents returned to Hackleburg and opened a clothing store, where James worked while belatedly finishing his final year of high school). During the summer of 1950 James worked with a band, sometimes singing but he was most useful as a guitar player on the Memphis, Tennessee radio station WHBQ, but that was interrupted near the end of the summer when James' National Guard unit was activated to participate in the Korean War. On September 9, 1950 his Alabama Army National Guard unit was sent to Korea, returning home in the fall of 1951. Loden was honorably discharged and moved to Nashville, Tennessee where he signed with Capitol Records with the help of Chet Atkins, with whom he had previously roomed. Capitol Records exec Ken Nelson asked him to drop his last name professionally as they believed there were already several musicians named Loden, Louden or Luden, and that "James" would be easier to remember: "The smallest children can remember Sonny James." So he released his first studio record as Sonny James. Later, because of his polite ways, he would be tagged as "The Southern Gentleman".
While appearing on Louisiana Hayride he met musician Slim Whitman. James' performance on stage playing a fiddle and singing brought a strong crowd response, and Whitman invited him to front for his new touring band. James stayed with Whitman's group for only two months when Whitman felt he had to do some club work to keep up his income to be able to pay his band. The Loden family had only appeared in schoolhouses and such and Sonny agreed to stay on for a few shows until Whitman could find his replacement. For the remainder of his career he never played a club performance. Over the next few years, he had several songs that did reasonably well on the country music charts and he continued to develop his career with performances at live country music shows. He also appeared on radio, including Big D Jamboree, before moving to the all-important new medium, television, where he became a regular performer on ABC's Ozark Jubilee in Springfield, Missouri beginning in October 1955.
Following his long streak of #1 hits, James is also remembered for his 1975 #6 song "A Little Bit South of Saskatoon" that was in the 1977 Paul Newman hockey comedy Slap Shot.
Top of the charts
In late 1956 James released "Young Love", a 45 rpm single for which he would forever be remembered. As the first teenage country crossover single, it topped both the US country and pop music charts in January to February 1957. Record sales could have been higher if Capitol Records had anticipated the exposure on popular-music charts; they had ordered only enough copies of the record to satisfy the anticipated country-music demand, and were therefore unable to supply most of the requests for records. The track peaked at No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart. It sold well over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Dubbed the Southern Gentleman because of his polite demeanor, he gained more exposure with an appearance on the popular Ed Sullivan Show and the Bob Hope Show.
Thus began a seven-year search for a sound that would give him a lasting career. Two more years at Capitol Records didn't produce it and they parted ways in 1959. James signed with National Recording Corporation, and then stints with Dot (1960–1961), RCA (1961–1962), his second time with Capitol (1963–1972), and later with Columbia (1972–1979), Monument (1979) and Dimension (1981–1983).
In 1962 he returned to his roots and became a member of the Grand Ole Opry and a year later signed again with Capitol Records. From 1964 to 1972 he was a dominant force in country music. James and his Southern Gentlemen appeared on the major TV shows during that period including (Ed Sullivan, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, Jimmy Dean, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, The Joey Bishop Show, was a multi-time guest on Hee Haw, also on the Johnny Cash Show and made minor singing appearances in four motion pictures.
#1 streak beginnings
On August 15, 1964 James made his first appearance with a vocal group that had been together for five years. The group had started singing as freshmen at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1959, had moved to Nashville in September 1962 and 16 months later in January 1964 they replaced the Jordanaires as the Grand Ole Opry quartet. James felt he finally found the combination that would propel him into his second career - that sound he had been seeking for seven years. So these young 21 and 22 year-old men, along with Sonny's multi-talented bass player Milo Liggett, became The Southern Gentlemen, joined 36-year-old Sonny James and quickly headed into country music history.
Two months later, James had his first #1 Billboard hit since Young Love - topping the country charts with the song he co-wrote with Bob Tubert, You're The Only World I Know. His next five releases peaked on the Billboard country charts at 2, 1, 3, 1, and 2 (though all five of them hit #1 on either Billboard, Record World or Cashbox).
With his musical style now refined and his "sound" on records and on personal appearances produced to be immediately identifiable, Sonny James was set to begin what would become his legendary streak of 16 straight #1 singles - an uncontested record which no other solo recording artist has surpassed in any genre.
Billboard #1 streak
Beginning in 1967 with "Need You" and ending with "Here Comes Honey Again" in 1971, James recorded 16 straight #1 country singles. His career #1 total was 26, the last coming with 1974's "Is It Wrong (For Loving You)". During his career he would have 72 charted releases.
In 1973 James also helped launch the solo career of Marie Osmond, producing and arranging her first three albums, including her smash hit, "Paper Roses".
In July 1957 Sonny married Doris Shrode in Dallas, Texas.
In the spring of 1984, Sonny and Doris quietly retired to their home in Nashville, Tennessee. He came home to Hackleburg during the first annual Neighbor Day Festival on April 20, 2002 and would continue attending the festival every other year. During the April 25, 2009 festival, he recognized the 100th birthday of the town of Hackleburg on the main stage.
James died on February 22, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 87.
In 1956, as rock and roll was just beginning, Sonny's multi-million selling single Young Love became a #1 country and pop hit, one of the first such crossover hits by a country artist.
In 1957, James became the first country recording artist to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.
In 1961, honoring his contribution to the music industry, James was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6630 Hollywood Blvd.
In 1967, along with Bobbi Gentry, James hosted the first CMA Awards show.
From 1969 thru 1971, Sonny became the first country artist to achieve a feat previously not done in the country music industry: In the middle of his highly successful run of sixteen consecutive #1 hits, of the next seven singles that James released, five had previously been moderately successful releases for soulful R&B artists Ivory Joe Hunter, Brook Benton & Clyde Otis and Jimmy Reed. Those five songs were Since I Met You Baby, It’s Just A Matter of Time, Endlessly, Empty Arms, and Bright Lights, Big City, all of which hit #1 on the Billboard country charts.
In 1969, Billboard magazine named Sonny James Country Music's Artist of the Year.
In February 1971, James was the first country artist whose music went into space; he made a special music recording for the crew of Apollo 14. They later presented him with one of the small American flags that they had carried to the Moon.
In 1973, James produced Marie Osmond’s first three albums. The first single “Paper Roses” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart less than one month after her 14th birthday. Osmond thus became the youngest female and overall youngest solo artist to ever reach the No. 1 position on that chart, a record that still stands as of 2015.
In 1987 Sonny was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
In June 2001 honored with the Male Golden Voice Award.
In November 2001 received the Master Achievement Award / R.O.P.E. Award
In June 2002 honored by the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame and Country Radio Broadcasters with the Career Achievement Award.
On November 6, 2006, he appeared on television for the first time in nearly 20 years when presenter Kris Kristofferson announced on the ABC television network's Country Music Association Awards that Sonny was to be one of its newest inductees. Sonny's acceptance speech opened with the words, "I want to thank my Good Lord for the career He has given me."
In May 2007 Sonny James and his Southern Gentlemen were officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum,
In 2009 James was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
On August 15, 2015, exactly 51 years to the day when he first teamed up with The Southern Gentlemen in 1964, Sonny James was inducted into The Birmingham Record Collectors Hall of Fame. Gary Robble, one of The Southern Gentlemen, accepted the award on behalf of Sonny and all of The Southern Gentlemen.
Running Bear
Sonny James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the other side of the river stood his lovely Indian maid
Little White Dove was her name, such a lovely sight to see
But their tribes fought with each other, so their love could never be
CHORUS:
Running Bear loved Little White Dove
With a love big as the sky
With a love that couldn't die
He couldn't swim the raging river 'cause the river was too wide
He couldn't reach the Little White Dove waiting on the other side
In the moonlight he could see her throwing kisses 'cross the waves
Her little heart was beating faster waiting for her Indian brave
(CHORUS)
Running Bear dove in the water, Little White Dove did the same
And they swam out to each other through the swirling stream they came
As their hands touched and their lips met, the raging river pulled them down
Now they'll always be together in their happy hunting ground
(CHORUS)
The lyrics of Sonny James’s hit song “Running Bear” tell a tragic love story between two young Native Americans, Running Bear and Little White Dove. Running Bear is depicted as a brave warrior standing on one bank of a river, while his beloved stands on the other. Their love is portrayed as genuine and true, but it is thwarted by the bitter rivalry between their tribes. Although Running Bear is deeply in love with Little White Dove, his love is forbidden and the divide between them is insurmountable.
The chorus emphasizes the depth of Running Bear’s love for Little White Dove, stating that it was as big as the sky and couldn't die. The tragic nature of their love is highlighted in the final verse: Running Bear and Little White Dove drown in the river while attempting to be together. Despite their tragic fate, the final line of the song notes that they will be together forever in their happy hunting ground.
Overall, the lyrics of “Running Bear” tell a poignant tale of love that is not allowed to flourish due to the destructive force of intertribal conflict. The song portrays the beauty of love alongside the darker aspects of human nature such as hate and war.
Line by Line Meaning
On the bank of the river stood Running Bear, young Indian brave
Running Bear, a young Indian brave, stood on the bank of the river.
On the other side of the river stood his lovely Indian maid
Running Bear's lovely Indian maid stood on the opposite side of the river.
Little White Dove was her name, such a lovely sight to see
His lovely Indian maid's name was Little White Dove and she was a delightful sight to see.
But their tribes fought with each other, so their love could never be
Sadly, their love could never be possible because their tribes were in conflict with each other.
Running Bear loved Little White Dove
Running Bear had strong feelings of love for his Indian maiden, Little White Dove.
With a love big as the sky
Running Bear's love for Little White Dove was as vast and infinite as the sky.
With a love that couldn't die
Their love was so strong that it could never die.
He couldn't swim the raging river 'cause the river was too wide
The river was so wide that Running Bear couldn't swim across it.
He couldn't reach the Little White Dove waiting on the other side
Because of the river's width, Running Bear was unable to reach Little White Dove who waited for him on the other side.
In the moonlight he could see her throwing kisses 'cross the waves
With the aid of the moonlight, he could see her throwing kisses across the water.
Her little heart was beating faster waiting for her Indian brave
Little White Dove's heart was racing with anticipation waiting for Running Bear to reach her.
Running Bear dove in the water, Little White Dove did the same
Running Bear and Little White Dove both jumped into the water and started swimming towards each other.
And they swam out to each other through the swirling stream they came
They eventually managed to meet each other by swimming across the turbulent stream.
As their hands touched and their lips met, the raging river pulled them down
Tragically, as they touched hands and kissed, the raging river pulled them under and they drowned.
Now they'll always be together in their happy hunting ground
Despite their untimely death, they will forever be united in their afterlife in the happy hunting ground.
Contributed by Claire A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jay__atx
I love Sonny James voice 🤠😍
Margie Steele
So many happy memories seeing my brother sing and dance to this song. He has been gone for 35 years and this made me smile.
Loren Robertson
I believe this is the best version I've heard of this tragic love story. Thank you!
anne91276
This is just beautiful. Powerful and full of passion.
Anne Cohen
This is the best sound and the best version!!! WOW!!!!
Thelma Nieto
I grew up with the best version, thanks Sonny for this, God bless you forever.
Richard Carlson
Sonny james hit it right on, he had a wonderful voice like Elvis, and never be matched, he also said a duet with Dale Evans Hadrian wedding song. He was a great country singer.God bless his soul for great memories.
Patrick Flohe
NOBODY does this as well as Sonny James!
bill smallwood
Johnny Preston..........
Colorado Colorado
SPECTACULAR - BEEN LISTENING TO THIS SONG FOR 30 YEARS