Life and career

Born Irma Lee, as a teenager she sang with a Baptist church choir. She auditioned for Specialty Records at the age of 13. By the time she was 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 "Wish Someone Would Care”, her biggest national hit; its B-side "Breakaway", written by Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheely (later covered by Tracey Ullman, among others); "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is", co-written by a young Randy Newman and future country star Jeannie Seely, among others; and "Time Is on My Side", a song previously recorded by Kai Winding and later by the Rolling Stones).

Her first four Imperial singles all charted on Billboard's pop chart, but her later releases were less successful. 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; her version of the Otis Redding song "Good to Me" reached 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.

Down By Law, the 1986 independent film by Jim Jarmusch features "It's Raining" in the soundtrack. The film's actors Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi, whose characters fall in love in the movie, dance to this song.

After several years’ break from recording, she was signed by Rounder Records, and in 1991 earned her first Grammy Award 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, but it went out of business due to Hurricane Katrina, which caused her to relocate to Gonzales, Louisiana, 60 miles (97 km) from New Orleans. According to her website she is now back in her home in New Orleans.

Thomas and her husband owned the Lion's Den Club near the French Quarter of New Orleans.

In April 2007, Thomas was honored for her contributions to Louisiana music with induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Also in 2007, Thomas accepted an invitation to participate in Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino where, singing with Marcia Ball, she contributed "I Just Can't Get New Orleans Off My Mind".

In August 2009, a compilation album with three new songs titled The Soul Queen of New Orleans: 50th Anniversary Celebration was released from Rounder Records to commemorate Thomas' 50th year as a recording artist.

Thomas was the subject of the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival poster. She was chosen as the subject before the painting was chosen for the poster. Artist Douglas Bourgeois painted the singer in 2006. In 2010, Thomas rode in the New Orleans parade "Grela". In April that year, Thomas performed at the Corner Hotel, Richmond.

In 2011, Thomas performed twice at the Bluesfest music festival in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. On April 24, she performed on the Crossroads stage, coming on after Mavis Staples; then on April 25, she headlined the Crossroads stage, coming on after Jethro Tull and Osibisa.

In December 2011, Thomas' track "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)" was featured in Charlie Brooker's TV series Black Mirror, in the second installment, entitled "15 Million Merits". The song was also featured in a karaoke segment in the seventh episode, "White Christmas", in December 2014.

In 2013, Thomas was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the "Soul Blues Female Artist" category, which she duly won. She won the same award in 2014.

Artists worked with

• Tommy Ridgley
• Eddie Bo
• Edgar Blanchard
• Bill Sinigal
• Irving Banister
• Patsy Valdalia
• Marcia Ball
• Dr. John
• Skip Easterling

Influences

• Etta James
• Mahalia Jackson
• Pearl Bailey
• Nancy Wilson
• Brook Benton
• John Lee Hooker
• Percy Mayfield

Discography

Singles

• "(You Can Have My Husband But) Don't Mess with My Man" / "Set Me Free" (Ron 328) (#22 R&B, 1960)
• "A Good Man" / "I May Be Wrong" (Ron 330)
• "Cry On" / "Girl Needs Boy" (Minit 625) (1961)
• "It's Too Soon To Know" / "That's All I Ask" (Minit 633) (1961)
• "I Done Got Over It" / "Gone" (Minit 642) (1962)
• "It's Raining" / "I Did My Part" (Minit 653) (1962)
• "Two Winters Long" / "Somebody Told You" (Minit 660) (1963)
• "Ruler of My Heart" / "Hittin' on Nothing" (Minit 666) (1963)
• "For Goodness Sake" / "When Ever" (Bandy 368)
• "Wish Someone Would Care" / "Break-a-Way" (Imperial 66013) (#17 pop, 1964)
• "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)" / "Time Is on My Side" (Imperial 66041) (#52 pop, 1964)
• "Times Have Changed" / "Moments to Remember" (Imperial 66069) (#98 pop, 1964)
• "He's My Guy" / "(I Want A) True, True Love" (Imperial 66080) (#63 pop, 1964)
• "Some Things You Never Get Used To" / "You Don't Miss a Good Thing" (Imperial 66095) (#109 pop, 1965)
• "I'm Gonna Cry Till My Tears Run Dry" / "Nobody Wants to Hear Nobody's Troubles" (Imperial 66106) (#130 pop, 1965)
• "It's Starting to Get to Me Now" / "Hurt's All Gone" (Imperial 66120)
• "Take a Look" / "What Are You Trying to Do" (Imperial 66137) (#118 pop, 1965)
• "It's a Man's-Woman's World (parts 1 and 2)" (Imperial 66178) (#119 pop, 1966)
• "Somewhere Crying" / "Cheater Man" (Chess 2010) (1967)
• "A Woman Will Do Wrong" / "I Gave You Everything" (Chess 2017)
• "Good to Me" / "We Got Something Good" (Chess 2036) (#42 R&B, 1968)
• "Save a Little Bit For Me" / "That's How I Feel About You" (Canyon 21) (1970)
• "I'd Do It All Over You" / "We Won't Be in Your Way Anymore" (Canyon 31) (1971)
• "These Four Walls" / "A Woman's Viewpoint" (Roker 502) (1971)
• "Full Time Woman" / "She's Taking My Part" (Cotillion 41444) (1972)
• "She'll Never Be Your Wife" / "You're the Dog" (Fungus 15119) (1973)
• "In Between Tears" (Fungus 15141)
• "Coming from Behind (parts 1 and 2)" (Fungus 15353) (1974)
• "Don't Blame Him" / "Breakaway" (Maison de Soul 1012) (1977)
• "Hip Shakin'" / "Hittin' on Nothin'" (Maison de Soul 1058) (1977)
• "Safe with Me" / "Zero Willpower" (RCS 1006) (1979)
• "Take What You Find" / I Can't Help Her" (RCS 1008)
• "A Woman Left Lonely" / "Dance Me Down Easy" (RCS 1010)
• "Looking Back" / Don't Stop" (RCS 1013)
• "Mardi Gras Manbo" / "I Believe Saints Go All the Way" (Sound of New Orleans 10311) (1988)

Albums

• 1964: Wish Someone Would Care (Imperial)
• 1966: Take a Look (Imperial)
• 1973: In Between Tears (Fungus)
• 1976: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Island)
• 1977: Irma Thomas Live (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)
• 1993: Turn My World Around (Shanachie)
• 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)

Compilation albums

• 1980s: Irma Thomas Sings (Bandy) Bandy/Minit
• 1986: Break-A-Way: The Best of Irma Thomas (Legendary Masters Series) (EMI-USA)
• 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
• 2009: The Soul Queen of New Orleans: 50th Anniversary Celebration (Rounder) Rounder

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, duet with Marcia Ball on "Look Up", from Sing Me Back Home (Burgundy Records/Honey Darling Records)
• 2007: Various artists, Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard), singing "I Can't Get New Orleans Off My Mind" with Marcia Ball
• 2010: Galactic, Ya-Ka-May (Anti), vocals on "Heart of Steel"
• 2011: Hugh Laurie, Let Them Talk

Filmography

• 1978: Always for Pleasure
• 2006: New Orleans Music in Exile
• 2010: Treme (TV series)

[ Source: Wikipedia ]