Jimmy Thomas - A brief historyJIMMY THOMAS was born in Osceola, Arkansas, USA. He called his first band "The Trays" and he formed this whilst still in school, working weekends in the local club. He/they was/were popular.
It was exciting when Albert King, the late eminent blues guitarist/singer, a family friend even before Jimmy was born, arrived in the early hours of one morning, shortly after Jimmy left school, and took him to St Louis to meet Ike Turner. Having enjoyed the meeting, Jimmy stayed in St Louis as one of the male vocalists in Ike's “Kings of Rhythm“.Jimmy was there when the IKE AND TINA TURNER REVIEW was formed. He was the main male vocalist with his own spot in the show. He travelled and recorded extensively with them, touring Britain twice and the USA many times.
It wasn’t long before Ike recognised Jimmy's songwriting talent. "You can Go" was released on Sue Records the label owned by JUGGY MURRAY of New York."Jack Rabbit" (written by Jimmy Thomas and Ike Turner) and "The Darkest Hour" and other of Jimmy's songs were released on some of Ike Turner's labels. "Just Trying to Please You" c/w "Where There's a Will (There's a Way)", as wells as “He’s Alright With Me“ and “ Your Kind (is no good)“ (Jimmy's songs) were released on Mirwood Records. All of these releases did well.During the second UK tour with the Ike and Tina Turner Review, the late DENNY CORDELL, who produced many artists such as Joe Cocker, J J Cale, Procul Harum and others, and TONY VISCONTI, who produced T-Rex, David Bowie and others for Straight Ahead Productions, invited Jimmy to return to London to learn record production under their auspices."They let me loose in the studio" and this resulted in Jimmy producing himself. One of Rick Wakeman’s first recorded performances was on one of the early Jimmy Thomas productions.Another of Jimmy‘s productions and songs topped the NORTHERN SOUL charts. "The Beautiful Night"/"Above a Whisper" single was the first of Jimmy's productions and "Where There's a Will (There's a Way)†also topped the NORTHERN SOUL charts. "The Beautiful Night" was re-recorded for 20th Century Records.Jimmy produced an album of his own work, called "Abyss", on Contempo International, a London label owned by JOHN ABBEY.Since arriving in England, Jimmy has made several singles and has worked vocally with many, many artists - John Lennon, The Rolling Stones, Madness, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions – and the list goes on. He has also performed vocally in many successful TV and Radio advertisements.Jimmy can currently be seen performing with Otis Grand's Blues Band and also with his new line-up - The Jimmy Thomas Band, heard most recently on BBC Radio 2 previewing all new material on Mark Lamarr's show, God's Jukebox.
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Here's Jimmy with Ike Turner in the 50's!!... and again in 2008 recording the new album .....!
