Sonny James and Karla Taylor

Sonny James, the Southern Gentleman, used the popular Nashville sound of the '60s to countrify pop hits of the past into a form accessible to many, broadening country music's appeal across the nation. James even moved over to the pop charts for a time in the late '50s but found the secret of his success by the time he returned to country. During the late '60s, he scored an incredible five-year run of number one singles which locked up the top spot for a combined 45 weeks during the late '60s. Born James Loden on May 1, 1929, he began performing with his show-business family a...