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 Vocalion Records between 1927 and 1929, 23 of which were released.[3][5] They include reels, gospel songs, minstrel songs, ragtime numbers, and blues.[4] Besides guitar, Thomas accompanied himself on quills, a folk instrument fabricated from cane reeds whose sound is similar to the 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]
LegacyEdit
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]
"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 Wingy Manone, who recorded two versions titled "Up the Country" in December 1927 for Columbia and September 1930 for Champion Records.[15][16] Except in jazz circles, it remained an obscure blues number until blues-rock group Canned Heat recorded "Going Up the Country". Though rearranged, the Canned Heat song is musically the same, down to a faithful rendition of Thomas's quill solos by Jim Horn. The lyrics also borrow from Blind Willie McTell's "Statesboro Blues" (1928). Fellow band member Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson rewrote the lyrics entirely and received credit on the song's original release in 1968 on Canned Heat's third album, Living the Blues. The next year, the group played at the 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.
In 2018, Charley Crockett dedicated his album, Lonesome as a Shadow, to Thomas.[17]
RecordingsEdit
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.
1927 – "John Henry" / "Cottonfield Blues", June 30, 1927, in Chicago, Vocalion 1094
1927 – "The Fox and the Hounds" / "Red River Blues", October 5, 1927, in Chicago, Vocalion 1137
1927 – "The Little Red Caboose" / "Bob McKinney", October 5, 1927, in Chicago, Vocalion 1138
1927 – "Shanty Blues" / "Woodhouse Blues", October 7, 1927, in Chicago, Vocalion 1139
1927 – "Jonah in the Wilderness" / "When the Train Comes Along", October 7, 1927 in Chicago, Vocalion 1140
^ abcShadwick, Keith (2001). "Henry Thomas". Encyclopedia of Jazz & Blues. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Quintet Publishing. p. 650. ISBN1-86155-385-4.
^Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music. Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN1-904041-96-5.
^ abc"Henry Thomas Discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
^ abJohnson, Greg (February 1999). . BluesNotes. Cascade Blues Association. Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
^ abPearson, Barry Lee. "Henry Thomas: Biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
^Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p. 176. ISBN1-85868-255-X.
^Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger. p. 310. ISBN978-0313344237.
^ abTrager, Oliver (2004). Keys to the Rain. Billboard Books. pp. 256–258. ISBN0-8230-7974-0.
^Henry Thomas – Sings the Texas Blues 1927–28 at Discogs (list of releases)
^Harvey, Todd (October 1, 2001). The Formative Dylan: Transmission and Stylistic Influences, 1961–1963. Scarecrow Press. ISBN978-0810841154.
^Ruhlmann, William. "Lovin' Spoonful, Do You Believe in Magic?". Allmusic.com. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
henry, thomas, blues, musician, henry, thomas, 1874, 1930, american, country, blues, singer, songster, musician, although, recording, career, late, 1920s, brief, thomas, influenced, performers, including, dylan, mahal, lovin, spoonful, grateful, dead, canned, . Henry Thomas 1874 1930 was an American country blues singer songster and musician Although his recording career in the late 1920s was brief Thomas influenced performers including Bob Dylan Taj Mahal The Lovin Spoonful 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 Henry ThomasBackground informationAlso known asRagtime TexasBorn1874Big Sandy Texas U S Died1930 aged 55 56 GenresCountry bluesragtimegospelOccupation s SingersongstermusicianInstrument s GuitarvocalsquillsYears activeRecording career 1927 29 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Legacy 3 Recordings 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksLife and career EditThomas 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 Vocalion Records between 1927 and 1929 23 of which were released 3 5 They include reels gospel songs minstrel songs ragtime numbers and blues 4 Besides guitar Thomas accompanied himself on quills a folk instrument fabricated from cane reeds whose sound is similar to the 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 EditThomas 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 Fishing Blues was recorded by the 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 Wingy Manone who recorded two versions titled Up the Country in December 1927 for Columbia and September 1930 for Champion Records 15 16 Except in jazz circles it remained an obscure blues number until blues rock group Canned Heat recorded Going Up the Country Though rearranged the Canned Heat song is musically the same down to a faithful rendition of Thomas s quill solos by Jim Horn The lyrics also borrow from Blind Willie McTell s Statesboro Blues 1928 Fellow band member Alan Blind Owl Wilson rewrote the lyrics entirely and received credit on the song s original release in 1968 on Canned Heat s third album Living the Blues The next year the group played at the 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 Recordings EditThomas 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 1927 John Henry Cottonfield Blues June 30 1927 in Chicago Vocalion 1094 1927 The Fox and the Hounds Red River Blues October 5 1927 in Chicago Vocalion 1137 1927 The Little Red Caboose Bob McKinney October 5 1927 in Chicago Vocalion 1138 1927 Shanty Blues Woodhouse Blues October 7 1927 in Chicago Vocalion 1139 1927 Jonah in the Wilderness When the Train Comes Along October 7 1927 in Chicago Vocalion 1140 1927 Honey Won t You Allow Me One More Chance Run Mollie Run October 7 1927 in Chicago Vocalion 1141 1928 Don t Ease Me In Texas Easy Street Blues June 13 1928 in Chicago Vocalion 1197 1928 Bull Doze Blues Old Country Stomp June 13 1928 in Chicago Vocalion 1230 1928 Texas Worried Blues Fishing Blues June 13 1928 in Chicago Vocalion 1249 1928 Arkansas July 1 1927 in Chicago b w Georgia Tom and Tampa Red Lonesome Man Blues Vocalion 1286 1929 Railroadin Some Don t Leave Me Here October 7 1929 in Chicago Vocalion 1443 1929 Charmin Betsy Lovin Babe October 7 1929 in Chicago Vocalion 1468See also EditAnthology of American Folk Music Origins of the bluesReferences Edit a b c Shadwick Keith 2001 Henry Thomas Encyclopedia of Jazz amp Blues Ann Arbor Michigan Quintet Publishing p 650 ISBN 1 86155 385 4 Du Noyer Paul 2003 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music Fulham London Flame Tree Publishing p 181 ISBN 1 904041 96 5 a b c Henry Thomas Discography Wirz de Retrieved September 13 2015 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 a b Pearson Barry Lee Henry Thomas Biography Allmusic com Retrieved January 29 2012 Russell Tony 1997 The Blues From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray Dubai Carlton Books p 176 ISBN 1 85868 255 X Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Santa Barbara California Praeger p 310 ISBN 978 0313344237 a b Trager Oliver 2004 Keys to the Rain Billboard Books pp 256 258 ISBN 0 8230 7974 0 Henry Thomas Sings the Texas Blues 1927 28 at Discogs list of releases Harvey Todd October 1 2001 The Formative Dylan Transmission and Stylistic Influences 1961 1963 Scarecrow Press ISBN 978 0810841154 Ruhlmann William Lovin Spoonful Do You Believe in Magic Allmusic com Retrieved January 29 2012 Planer Lindsay Taj Mahal Giant Step Allmusic com Retrieved January 29 2012 Planer Lindsay Taj Mahal Fishin Blues Allmusic com Retrieved January 29 2012 Doerschuk Robert L Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Will the Circle Be Unbroken Vol 3 Allmusic com Retrieved January 29 2012 Champion 40000 Series 78rpm Numerical Listing Discography 78discography com January 4 2010 Retrieved June 14 2014 Up the Country Music 1937 WorldCat org February 22 1999 OCLC 182721103 Darling Cary May 8 2018 Talking music race and Texas with Charley Crockett Houston Chronicle Retrieved February 14 2019 1000 1500 1926 1930 78discography com Retrieved September 13 2015 External links EditHenry Thomas from the Handbook of Texas Online Henry Thomas biography at Allmusic com Illustrated Henry Thomas discography Henry Thomas discography at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henry Thomas blues musician amp oldid 1170958368, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
