Henry Thomas (blues musician)

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Henry Thomas
Vocalion Records promotional photo of Thomas c. 1927
Vocalion Records promotional photo of Thomas c. 1927
Background information
Also known asRagtime Texas
Born1874
Big Sandy, Texas, U.S.
Died1930 (aged 55–56)
Genres
  • Country blues
  • ragtime
  • gospel
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songster
  • musician
Instrument(s)
  • Guitar
  • vocals
  • quills
Years active1927–29 (recording career)
LabelsVocalion

Henry Thomas (1874 – 1930) was an American

the Grateful Dead, and Canned Heat.[1][2] Often billed as "Ragtime Texas",[3] Thomas's style is an early example of what later became known as Texas blues guitar.[4]

Life and career

Thomas was born into a family of freed slaves in Big Sandy, Texas, in 1874.[5] He began traveling the Texas railroad lines as a hobo after leaving home in his teens. He eventually earned his way as an itinerant songster, entertaining local populaces as well as railway employees.[1]

He recorded 24 sides for

zampona played by musicians in Peru and Bolivia. His style of playing guitar was probably derived from banjo-picking styles.[6]

His life and career after his last recordings in 1929 have not been chronicled. Although the blues researcher Mack McCormick stated that he saw a man in Houston in 1949 who met Thomas's description,[7] most biographers indicate that Thomas died in 1930, when he would have been 55 or 56 years old.[1][8]

Legacy

Thomas's legacy has been sustained by his songs, which were revived by musicians beginning in the folk music revival of the early 1960s. Among the first of these was "Honey, Won't You Allow Me One More Chance", which was reinterpreted by Bob Dylan on the album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963 under the title "Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance". Dylan may have been introduced to Thomas through Harry Smith's 1952 compilation Anthology of American Folk Music, which includes two of Thomas' songs, "Old Country Stomp" and "Fishing Blues". Dylan may have heard Thomas's song on the 1962 album Henry Thomas Sings the Texas Blues.[9][10]: 43  Dylan reworked the melody and almost totally rewrote the lyrics, but he credited Thomas as co-writer on his album Freewheelin'.[8]

Thomas's song "

folk-rock group the Lovin' Spoonful in 1965, for their hit debut album Do You Believe in Magic.[11] The song was recorded two years later by Jim Kweskin and members of his band, who had been playing it for several years. It was a staple in the early set-lists of the blues musician Taj Mahal and appeared on one of his first albums, De Old Folks at Home, and has since been released on Mahal's compilation albums.[12][13] John Martyn included the song on his 1968 album The Tumbler. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band also covered the song on their album Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Volume III in 2002.[14]

"Bull-Doze Blues", another of Thomas's Vocalion recordings, was reworked by the pianist Johnny Miller in 1927, who rewrote the words and gave it to

Woodstock Festival. The live performance of "Going Up the Country" was featured in the motion picture Woodstock and appeared as the second cut on the soundtrack album
.

"Don't Ease Me In" was covered by the Grateful Dead on their first single in 1966, and on their album Go to Heaven. Thomas's recording of "Don't Ease Me In" is included on the compilation album The Music Never Stopped: Roots of the Grateful Dead.

Thomas's arrangement of "Cottonfield Blues" was performed by the early Delta blues musicians Garfield Akers and Mississippi Joe Callicott in 1929.[citation needed]

In 1966, the Lovin' Spoonful included an original song entitled "Henry Thomas" on their album, Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful.

In 1987, the band

Brendan Croker and The 5 O'Clock Shadows
included a song entitled "Henry Thomas (Deceased)" on their album, Boat Trips in the Bay.

In 1993, the band Deacon Blue included a song entitled "Last Night I Dreamed of Henry Thomas" on their album, Whatever You Say, Say Nothing.

In 2018, Charley Crockett dedicated his album, Lonesome as a Shadow, to Thomas.[17]

In 2023, "Bull Doze Blues" was featured in Martin Scorsese's film Killers of the Flower Moon in an early scene where the Osage community is having their pictures taken.

Recordings

Thomas recorded 24 sides for Vocalion Records,[3] 23 of which were released.[18] The following list is ordered by date of release; dates of recording are given after the song titles.

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 1-86155-385-4
    .
  2. ISBN 1-904041-96-5
    .
  3. ^ a b c "Henry Thomas Discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Johnson, Greg (February 1999). "Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas". BluesNotes. Cascade Blues Association. Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  5. ^ a b Pearson, Barry Lee. "Henry Thomas: Biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  6. ISBN 1-85868-255-X
    .
  7. ISBN 978-0313344237
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 0-8230-7974-0
    .
  9. ^ Henry Thomas – Sings the Texas Blues 1927–28 at Discogs (list of releases)
  10. ISBN 978-0810841154
    .
  11. Allmusic
    .com. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  12. Allmusic
    .com. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  13. Allmusic
    .com. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  14. Allmusic
    .com. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  15. ^ "Champion 40000-Series 78rpm Numerical Listing Discography". 78discography.com. January 4, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  16. OCLC 182721103
    .
  17. ^ Darling, Cary (May 8, 2018). "Talking music, race and Texas with Charley Crockett". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  18. ^ "1000–1500 (1926–1930)". 78discography.com. Retrieved September 13, 2015.

External links

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