James Ingram is dead at 66. This is the sad news that greeted me Wednesday morning when I turned on the TV set.
Unlike other singers, James decided to delve more into the lonely side of music. RnB or Rhythm n Blues is how they call this genre and James established a successful career in this field that spanned more than a decade.
In many of his songs, James expressed mostly sad and lonely feelings. Thus, tnere’s a song about losing a love that could still be saved if given one last chance (Just Once); a song about break-ups that never comes easy (There’s No Easy Way to Break Somebody’s Heart); a song on not wanting to hurt someone because you don’t share the same feelings (I Don’t Have The Heart); and a song about a lost love and how it will take time before getting to smile again (Where Did My Heart Go).
Even in the songs that he performed alongside other artists, James remained melancholic. In a duet with Patti Austin, he talked about love not lasting forever and how it can fade away too fast (How Do You Keep The Music Playing).
In a song he sang with Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes, James dealt with the problem of a three-way love affair ad how it could all be just a waste of time (What About Me).
Indeed, James Ingram was one-of-a-kind, a rarity that comes “just once” in the music scene. Music lovers like me will surely miss him. Don’t worry, James, we’ll “keep the music playing”.
My favorite James Ingram song is this one because it captures perfectly the pain that naturally comes with a break-up. Here it is:
AKA Music 