Irma Thomas

Infobox musical artist
Name = Irma Thomas

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Img_capt = Irma Thomas (2006)
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Irma Lee
Alias =
Born = Birth date and age|1941|2|18|mf=y
Died =
Origin = Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Instrument = Vocals
Genre = Rhythm and Blues
Occupation = Singer
Years_active = 1960-
Label =
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members =

Irma Thomas (b. February 18, 1941, Ponchatoula, Louisiana) is a Grammy Award winning soul and rhythm and blues singer from New Orleans. She is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans."

Thomas is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never experienced their level of commercial success; still, she has a large cult following among soul aficionados. In 2007, she won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album for "After the Rain", her first Grammy in an acclaimed career spanning over 45 years.

History

Born Irma Lee, as a teen she sang with a Baptist church choir, auditioning for Specialty Records as a 13-year old. By the age of 19 she had been married twice and had four children. Keeping her second ex-husband's surname, she worked as a waitress in New Orleans, occasionally singing with bandleader Tommy Ridgley, who helped her land a record deal with the local Ron label. Her first single, "(You Can Have My Husband but) Don't Mess with My Man," was released in spring 1960, and reached number 22 on the Billboard R&B chart.

She then began recording on the Minit label, working with songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint on songs including “It’s Raining” and “Ruler of my Heart”, which was later reinterpreted by Otis Redding as "Pain In My Heart". Imperial Records acquired Minit in 1963, and a string of successful releases followed. These included "I Wish Someone Would Care” (her biggest national hit), its B-side " Break-a-Way” (later covered by Tracey Ullman among others), "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is”, and "Time Is on My Side" (a song previously recorded by Kai Winding, and later by the Rolling Stones).

Although her first four Imperial singles all charted on Billboard's pop chart, later releases were less successful, and, unlike her contemporaries Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick she never managed to cross over into mainstream commercial success.She recorded for Chess Records in 1967/68 with some success, the Otis Redding song "Good To Me" reaching the R&B chart. She then relocated to California, releasing records on various small labels, before returning to Louisiana, and in the early 1980s opened her own club, the Lion's Den.

After several years’ break from recording, she was signed by Rounder Records, and in 1991 earned her first-ever Grammy nomination for "Live! Simply the Best", recorded in San Francisco. She subsequently released a number of traditional gospel albums, together with more secular recordings. The album "Sing It!" was nominated for a Grammy in 1999.

Thomas is still active as a performer, appearing annually at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. She reigned as Queen of the Krewe du Vieux for the 1998 New Orleans Mardi Gras season. She often headlined at her own club, which is now out of business due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Thomas relocated to Gonzales, Louisiana, 60 miles from New Orleans, after Hurrican Katrina, but, according to her web site, she is now back in her home in New Orleans.

In April 2007, The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame honored Irma Thomas for her contributions to Louisiana music by inducting her into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame.

Irma's 2006 "Big Easy" Award Winning band is named the "Professionals".

Emile Hall-Saxophone/Vocals

Percy Williams-Trumpet/Vocals/Percussion

Arthur Bell-Guitar

Larry Campbell-Drums/Vocals

Kim Phillips-Keyboards

Robert "B.J." Harvey-Bass/Vocals

Noteworthy Songs

*"Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)" (#52 pop) b/w "Time Is on My Side"
*"Wish Someone Would Care" (#17 pop) b/w "Break-A-Way"
*"He's My Guy" (#63 pop)
*"Times Have Changed" (#98 pop)
*"You Don't Miss a Good Thing" (#109 pop)
*"Take a Look" (#118 pop)
*"It's a Man's-Woman's World" (#119 pop)
*"I'm Gonna Cry Till My Tears Run Dry" (#130 pop)
*"Don't Mess with My Man" (#22 R&B)
*"Good to Me" (#42 R&B)
*"Ruler of My Heart"
*"Two Winters Long"2
*"It's Raining"

Discography

*1964 "Wish Someone Would Care" (Imperial)
*1968 "Take a Look" (Imperial)
*1973 "In Between Tears" (Fungus)
*1976 "New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival" (Island)
*1978 "Soul Queen of New Orleans" (Maison De Soul)
*1979 "Safe with Me" (RCS)
*1981 "In Between Tears" (reissue) (Charly) Fungus
*1981 "Hip Shakin' Mama" (reissue of Island LP) (Charly) Island
*1986 "The New Rules" (Rounder)
*1988 "The Way I Feel" (Rounder)
*1991 "Live: Simply the Best" (Rounder)
*1992 "True Believer" (Rounder)
*1993 "Walk Around Heaven: New Orleans Gospel Soul" (Rounder)
*1997 "The Story of My Life" (Rounder)
*1998 "Sing It!" (Rounder) with Marcia Ball & Tracy Nelson
*2000 "My Heart's in Memphis: The Songs Of Dan Penn" (Rounder)
*2006 "After the Rain" (Rounder)
*2008 "Simply Grand" (Decca/Rounder)

Compilations

*1980s "Irma Thomas Sings" (Bandy) Bandy/Minit
*1983 "Time Is on My Side" (Kent) Minit/Imperial
*1984 "Down at Muscle Shoals" (Chess/P-Vine) Chess
*1987 "Breakaway" (Stateside) Minit/Imperial
*1987 "Breakaway" (abridged version of Stateside LP) (EMI-USA) Minit/Imperial
*1990 "Something Good: The Muscle Shoals Sessions" (MCA-Chess) Chess
*1991 "Safe with Me/Irma Thomas Live" (Paula)
*1992 "Time Is on My Side: The Best Of Irma Thomas Volume 1" (EMI-USA) Minit/Imperial
*1996 "Ruler of Hearts" (Charly) Minit/Bandy/Island
*1996 "Sweet Soul Queen of New Orleans: The Irma Thomas Collection" (Razor & Tie) Imperial/Minit
*1996 "Time Is on My Side" (expanded CD reissue of 1983 LP) (Kent) Minit/Imperial
*2001 "If You Want It, Come and Get It" (Rounder) Rounder
*2005 "Straight from the Soul" (Stateside) Imperial/Minit
*2006 "A Woman's Viewpoint" (Ace) Fungus/Canyon/RCS, etc.
*2006 "Wish Someone Would Care/Take A Look" (Collectables) Imperial

Guest Appearances

*1993 B. B. King, "Blues Summit" (MCA) Duet on "We're Gonna Make It"
*2005 "Various Artists/I Believe To My Soul" (Rhino)
*2005 "Various Artists/Our New Orleans" (Elektra/Nonesuch)
*2006 "The New Orleans Social Club/Sing Me Back Home" (Burgundy)

Filmography

*2006 "New Orleans Music in Exile"

External links

* [http://www.irmathomas.com/ Official Site]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo3WJrBpTjg Performance of "You Can Have My Husband" with B. B. King]
* [http://www.helsinki.fi/~ilva/irma.html Fan page, includes extensive bio and discography]
* [http://www.bluesaccess.com/No_41/irma.html Interview with Irma Thomas] by John Sinclair
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:uzanqj4bojsa~T1 Bio from Allmusic.com]
* [http://www.strawberryjam.org/Irma%20Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award]
* [http://kevinallman.typepad.com/ARTICLES/2006/Oregonian-IrmaThomas.pdf Bio from the Oregonian]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5526014 NPR:A visit with the Soul Queen of New Orleans]
* [http://www.soulexpress.net/irmathomas.htm An interview with Irma Thomas at Soul Express]