Carla Thomas

Infobox musical artist

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Name = Carla Thomas
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Background = solo_singer
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Born = Birth date and age|1942|12|21|mf=y in Memphis, TN, U.S.
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Instrument = Vocals
Genre = Memphis soul Southern soul Soul
Occupation = Vocalist
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Label = Stax
Associated_acts = Rufus Thomas, Otis Redding
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Carla Thomas (born December 21 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee) is often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul.

Career

At the age of 17, she recorded a duet with her father Rufus Thomas, "Because I Love You," which became a Southern hit and gave the Satellite record label (later Stax Records) its first real success. In 1961 she rose to national prominence with "Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)," which reached #5 on the R&B chart and #10 on the Pop chart, became the first Memphis soul record to have an impact nationwide and insuring the success of the Stax Records label.

In the next ten years, she had twenty two singles on the national charts, including "I’ll Bring It on Home to You" (an answer to Sam Cooke’s "Bring It on Home to Me"), "Let Me Be Good To You" (not to be confused with a Lou Rawls track of the same name), and Isaac Hayes’ "B-A-B-Y." She is well-known for her duets with Otis Redding, from the album "King & Queen", including the recordings of the Lowell Fulson composition "Tramp" and the Steve Cropper/Eddie Floyd song, "Knock on Wood".

In 1993 Carla Thomas received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Carla Thomas co-starred in the 2003 D.A. Pennebaker directed documentary "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of both the Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals.

Discography

Albums

*1961: "Gee Whiz" (Atlantic)
*1966: "Carla" (Stax) - US #130, R&B #7
*1966: "Comfort Me" (Stax) - US #134, R&B #11
*1967: "King & Queen" (with Otis Redding) (Stax) - US #36, R&B #5
*1967: "The Queen Alone" (Stax) - US #133, R&B #16
*1969: "Memphis Queen" (Stax) - US #151, R&B #26
*1969: "The Best of Carla Thomas" (Stax) - US #190
*1971: "Love Means..." (Stax) - R&B #42
*1994: "Carla Thomas" (Castle)
*1994: "Gee Whiz: The Best of Carla Thomas" (Rhino)
*2002: "Live in Memphis" (Memphis Int'l)
*2007: "Bohemian Cavern" (Stax)

ingles

Atlantic Record releases

*1961: "Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)" - US Pop #10, US R&B #5
*1961: "A Love of My Own" - US Pop #56, US R&B #20
*1962: "I'll Bring It Home to You" - US Pop #41, US R&B #9
*1963: "What a Fool I've Been" - US Pop #93, US R&B #28
*1964: "I've Got No Time to Lose" - US Pop #67, US R&B #67
*1964: "A Woman's Love - US Pop #71, US R&B #71
*1965: "How Do You Quit (Someone You Love)" - US R&B #39

Stax Record releases

*1965: "Stop! Look What You're Doing" - US Pop #92, US R&B #30
*1966: "Let Me Be Good to You" - US Pop #62, US R&B #11
*1966: "B-A-B-Y" - US Pop #14, US R&B #3
*1967: "Something Good (Is Going to Happen to You)" - US Pop #74, US R&B #29
*1967: "When Tomorrow Comes" - US Pop #99
*1967: "Tramp" ("with Otis Redding") - US Pop #26, US R&B #2
*1967: "I'll Always Have Faith in You" - US Pop #85, US R&B #11
*1967: "Knock on Wood" ("with Otis Redding") - US Pop #30, US R&B #8
*1968: "Pick Up The Pieces" - US Pop #68, US R&B #16
*1968: "Lovey Dovey" ("with Otis Redding") - US Pop #60, US R&B #21
*1968: "Where Do I Go" - US Pop #86, US R&B #38
*1969: "I've Fallen In Love" - US R&B #36
*1969: "I Like What You're Doing to Me" - US Pop #49, US R&B #9
*1970: "Guide Me Well" - US R&B #41

External links

* [http://staxrecords.free.fr/carla.htm Stax Records fansite with Carla Thomas discography]
* [http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/Carla-Thomas.html Carla Thomas biography at Oldies.com]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:6q5tk6ax9krg~T1 Carla Thomas] at Allmusic website

ee also

* Rufus and Carla

Notes