Classic stars of the Day | IRMA THOMAS

 Not sure why these have popped up on my scanning horizon but she has been a favourite since discovering her early on after Dr John’s album Gumbo made me really look at Nawleans R n B! From Professor Longhair to Archibald, historian producers like Allen Toussaint, Huey ‘Piano’ Smith, the bands like The Meters, the Neville Brothers et al then I discovered the beauty of the women singers of the region. She is in my opinion, the Queen of New Orleans and her attempt at cross over from RnB to more commercial Soul Music meant she was overlooked at times and never achieved the fame she deserved and her It’s Raining is a stone classic, she was the first to sing Time is On My Side before the Stones cover and 'I’ve Been Loving You Too Long' before Otis covered it. (about whom more later) The rivalry between Stax and Nawleans meant that the R n B stars of Louisiana were often over looked by the much more commercial savvy producers behind the music of Stax for example . . . . . . I’ll shut up now and folks will disagree I am sure but just dig in here and enjoy! I know you will

Irma Thomas - Time is On My Side (Jools' Annual Hootenanny 2005)

Irma Thomas - I've been loving you too long

Forgotten Sixties Classics - IRMA THOMAS : Yours Until Tomorrow 1967 (released 1984)

• Track Name

  Yours Until Tomorrow

• Artist

  Irma Thomas

Irma Thomas - Yours Until Tomorrow (1967)

"Written by Goffin-King and recorded at Muscle Shoals in 1967, Chess records foolishly didn’t release this until 1984.  Incredible southern soul - Irma just kills it."

from the brilliant and always fascinating Guess I’m Dumb

This is what Irma and lots of New Orleans greats were up against and the politics of why you would sit on this and not release it for nearly twenty years is beyond me! 

Here’s a song to bid you Good Night then . . . . . cuddle up!

Irma Thomas - Jazz & Heritage Festival New Orleans LA 1998 - FLOPPY BOOT STOMP

 So some really nice posts over at HQ the last day or so . . . . first the Queen of Nawleans Soul herself Irma Thomas live! Over at Floppy Boot Stomp from Jeremiah who found some sterling stuff . . . . . . I discovered Irma through Dr John of course and have most officially released stuff so her live performances are always worth checking out apart from being a stone cold fox her entire life she was blessed with the most beautiful voice

Irma Thomas

Fair Grounds Race Course

Jazz & Heritage Festival

New Orleans LA

1998-05-02 

Digital Soundboard @320

01. Chicken Shack

02. To Be Real---Irma Thomas Intro

03. Love Makes a Woman

04. The Story of My Life

05. Love Don't Get Better Than This

06. Hold Me While I Cry

07. You Can Have My Husband

08. Hip Shakin' Mama

09. I Did My Part

10. Ruler of My Heart

11. Breakaway

12. It's Raining

13. I Done Got Over It---Iko Iko---Hey Pocky Way)

14. Band Introductions---Simply the Best

15. Sing It

Irma Thomas - Vocals

Warner Williams - Keyboards, Vocals

Kim Phillips - Keyboards

Arthur Bell - Guitar

Robert Harvey - Bass

Wilbert Widow - drums

Emile Hall - Saxophone, Vocals

Charles Earland III - Saxophone, Vocals

Frank Parker - Trumpet, Vocals

with

Marcia Ball - Vocals (Track 15) 

I might start another occasional series of great singles from Nawleans! Now it is undoubtedly the wonderful Dr John who turned me on to all things New Orleans Rhythm and Blues music with special attention to the syncopated piano players and hence my moderate (Moderate? are you sure? ED) obsession with music of the area and Professor Long-hair especially. It led via Henry Roeland Byrd (Fess) to Tuts Washington, Archibald, James Booker, Dave Bartholomew, Robert Palmer, Huey Piano Smith, The Neville Brothers, Chris Kenner, Allen Toussaint, Champion Jack Dupree, Fats Domino, The Meters, Irma Thomas, Shirley and Lee et al. The list and the beat of Nawleans R 'n' B goes on . . . . . .