Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, he co-authored Always On Mind and wrote Hooked On A Feeling.
The Houston Chronicle, James’ local newspaper, was the first to report his death on June 8 at his Nashville home.
The family released the following statement: “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.”
Broadcast Music (BMI), which named songwriter of the century in 2000, also included Suspicious Minds, Hooked On A Feeling, and Always On My Mind on it.
James, along with co-writers Wayne Carson and Johnny Christopher, shared the 1983 Grammy Award for Best Song.
Willie Nelson and the Pet Shop Boys also recorded it, although Elvis Presley is most commonly linked with it. In 2008, the song was admitted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
James wrote the original version of “Suspicious Minds,” which became one of Elvis Presley’s signature songs, for his own recording career in the late 1960s.
James’s memories of a childhood sweetheart—both of whom were married to other people—served as inspiration.
