James G. Photoglo is an American soft rock singer and songwriter from Inglewood, California. He released two charting albums in the early 1980s and had two hit singles, "We Were Meant to Be Lovers" (No. 31, 1980) and "Fool in Love with You" (No. 25, 1981).[1] He has also performed simply as Photoglo.

Jim Photoglo
Jim Photoglo playing a bass guitar.
Jim Photoglo playing with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 2024.
Background information
OriginInglewood, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer-songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • bass guitar
  • acoustic guitar
Years active1980-present
Labels20th Century Fox, Casablanca
Member ofNitty Gritty Dirt Band
Formerly ofRun C&W
Websitejimphotoglo.com

After his career as a pop artist, he became a successful country music songwriter in Nashville. He wrote songs for Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, the Everly Brothers, Dusty Springfield, Lee Roy Parnell, Patty Loveless, Highway 101, the Oak Ridge Boys, Pam Tillis, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Neal McCoy, John Anderson, and Kathy Mattea. Four recordings made the top ten of Billboard's country chart, and two went to No. 1: "Fishin' in the Dark" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and "Hometown Honeymoon" by Alabama. In addition, his song "She Loves Me (The Best That I Can Be)" was covered by pop/R&B singer James Ingram.

He released solo albums again in the 1990s and 2000s. Photoglo was also one of four members of a short-lived novelty country band called Run C&W, which recorded two albums for MCA between 1993 and 1995. He had a long-running association with Dan Fogelberg, serving as bass player and backup vocalist in Fogelberg's touring band for much of the 1980s and 1990s.

His most recent folk album, Halls of My Heart, was released in July 2014. It is the first album on which Photoglo wrote nearly all of its songs single-handedly.

Since 2016, Photoglo has been touring as a sideman with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, playing bass guitar and acoustic guitar, as well as adding background vocals.

Discography

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Albums

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  • 1980 – Photoglo (U.S. #194)[2]
  • 1981 – Fool in Love with You (U.S. #119)[2]
  • 1983 – The Thin Man
  • 1993 – Pure Love
  • 1996 – Passage
  • 2000 – Fly Straight Home
  • 2005 – Sparks in the Radio
  • 2009 – Is It Me?
  • 2014 – Halls of My Heart

Singles

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  • 1980 – "We Were Meant to Be Lovers" - U.S. Billboard #31,[3] U.S. AC #14[4]
  • 1980 – "When Love Is Gone" - U.S. AC #44[5]
  • 1981 – "Fool in Love with You" - U.S. Billboard #25,[6] U.S. AC #12,[7] Cash Box #23; CAN AC #11[8]
  • 1981 – "More to Love" - U.S. AC #36[9]
  • 1981 - "Don't Play Another Sad Song"
  • 1981 – "Tonight Will Last Forever"
  • 1983 - "I Think We're Alone Now"
  • 1983 – "Don't Say Goodnight"
  • 1993 - "Will of the Wind"
  • 1993 - "Pure Love"
  • 2000 - "Fly Straight Home"
  • 2005 - "Sparks in the Radio"
  • 2009 - "Is It Me"
  • 2014 - "Halls of My Heart"

References

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  1. ^ Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. 7th ed., 2000
  2. ^ a b Chart Positions, Allmusic.com
  3. ^ "Photoglo We Were Meant To Be Lovers Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 10, 2018.
  4. ^ "Photoglo We Were Meant To Be Lovers Adult Contemporary Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 12, 2018.
  5. ^ "Photoglo When Love Is Gone Adult Contemporary Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 12, 2018.
  6. ^ "Jim Photoglo Fool In Love With You Chart History". Billboard.
  7. ^ "Jim Photoglo Fool In Love With You Adult Contemporary Chart History". Billboard.
  8. ^ Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". Library and Archives Canada.
  9. ^ "Jim Photoglo More To Love Adult Contemporary Chart History". Billboard.
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