- Jesse Thomas (musician)
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Jesse "Babyface" Thomas (February 3, 1911 - August 15, 1995[1][2]) was an American Texas blues guitarist and singer.[3] Known at different times as "Baby Face" or "Mule", and occasionally billed as "The Blues Troubadour", Jesse Thomas popped up all over the blues map in his eight decade career.[4]
Contents
Career
Born in Logansport, Louisiana, United States, Thomas is best known for the song "Blue Goose Blues", which he recorded for Victor in 1929. His clipped, dry-toned guitar-playing, which sound rather meagre on "Blue Goose Blues", gained greatly from amplification, and his 1940s-1950s recordings, mostly made in Los Angeles, California, are fascinatingly varied responses to tradition and innovation.[4]
In 1953, for instance, on a Speciality single, he coupled a minor key blues in the current West Coast idiom, "When You Say I Love You", with a re-examination of the old Texas gambling song, "Jack of Diamonds" - an entirely characteristic gesture.[4]
In 1994 he appeared at the Long Beach Blues Festival.
He had a long musical career spanning over 60 years, continuing to perform until his death. The Texas bluesman, Ramblin' Thomas, was his brother,[5] and fellow Louisiana blues guitar player, Lafayette Thomas, was his nephew.
A longtime resident of the Lakeside neighborhood of Shreveport, Louisiana, Thomas died there on August 15, 1995 at the age of 84.[6]
Discography
References
- ^ Illustrated Jesse 'Babyface' Thomas discography
- ^ Jesse Babyface Thomas on MySpace Music - accessed January 2010
- ^ Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music (1st ed.). Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN 1-904041-96-5.
- ^ a b c Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 176–7. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ^ "Willard Ramblin' Thomas / Jesse Babyface Thomas". Thebluestrail.com. http://www.thebluestrail.com/artists/mus_wthom.htm. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
- ^ Obituary for Jesse Thomas, The Times. 1995-08-17
External links
Categories:- 1911 births
- 1995 deaths
- African American musicians
- American blues guitarists
- American blues singers
- Musicians from Louisiana
- Modern Records artists
- Ace Records artists
- Black Top Records artists
- Specialty Records artists
- People from DeSoto Parish, Louisiana
- Texas blues musicians
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