Sonny James, a prominent country music artist, was celebrated on his 101st birthday, honoring the legacy of a songwriting partner who contributed to hits for James, the Everly Brothers, and Roy Clark. In 1969, James reached number one with a tragic love song originally written by the Big Bopper and previously recorded by George Jones. A longtime member of the influential A-Team, known for collaborations with Kenny Rogers and Hank Snow, passed away 16 years ago.