James Ingram

An accomplished songwriter and keyboardist known most for his rich and smooth tenor voice -- plus an astonishing howl -- James Ingram spent the majority of his five-decade career alternating between the roles of exceptional journeyman and reluctant star solo recording artist. Having spent several years performing in gospel and funk groups and supporting the likes of Ray Charles and Leon Haywood, Ingram inched toward fame in 1980, the year he first hit the Billboard R&B chart as a writer (Carl Carlton's "This Feeling's Rated X-Tra") and vocalist (Zingara's "Love's Calling"). Th...