Irma Thomas - A Pair of Recovered Jewels

 In the past couple of years we have been treated to not just one but a pair of lost Irma Thomas albums from the early 70's finally seeing the light of day in the CD era. Irma had left New Orleans and, for a couple years, music following 1969's hurricane Camille. By late 1971 she began a comeback, signing to Atlantic Records, seemingly her shot at the big time. For some reason Jerry Wexler never chose to release Thomas' Atlantic/Cotillion recordings - there is some speculation that Aretha's management may have had some hand in that, but I'd also offer the thought that Wexler may well have been using Irma as leverage with Aretha. Wexler would have done anything to prevent losing Aretha the way he lost Ray Charles. These recordings would be have been made in 1971 & 1972.

As soon as she finished her Atlantic contract Irma signed with Jerry 'Swamp Dogg' Williams to his Fungus label in 1973 and made this strong album of Southern Soul with Duane Allman and others from the Muscle Shoals musician circle. I had heard of this record, but had never seen it until it's reissue a couple years ago.

Irma Thomas - Straight From The Soul

Oh yes! Even more from the classic era of The Queen! Some genius choose to compile the stuff not included on all the other collections and to whoever that person might be, I genuflect in gratitude! A crappy cover no doubt but this stuff is not readily available in any other form that I have seen.

All Killer!

Irma Thomas - Sweet Soul Queen of New Orleans

It is a little difficult to explain to an outsider how we feel about Irma Thomas.  She is The Queen and is as universally beloved as say, Uncle Lionel was. Anyone over 40 has an Irma Thomas story or two, it is just part of New Orleans. I have resisted the temptation to pump this one up beyond the 23 tracks it comes with but I may well have to post a Lagniappe addendum.

    1. Cry On
    2. I Done Got Over It
    3. It's Raining
    4. Hittin' on Nothin'
    5. Ruler of My Heart
    6. Wish Someone Would Care...
    7. Breakaway
    8. I Need Your Love So Bad...
    9. While the City Sleeps
    10. Time Is on My Side
    11. Anyone Who Knows What L...
    12. Moments to Remember

    13. Straight from the Heart...
    14. Take a Look
    15. It's a Man's Woman's Wo...
    16. Long After the Night Is...
    17. Times Have Changed
    18. He's My Guy
    19. What Are You Trying to ...
    20. Nobody Wants to Hear No...
    21. The Hurt's All Gone
    22. I'm Gonna Cry 'Til My T...
    23. It's Starting to Get to...

Irma Thomas (born February 18, 1941, Ponchatoula, Louisiana) is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never experienced their level of commercial success; still, she has a large cult following among soul aficionados. In 2007, she won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album for After the Rain, her first Grammy in a career spanning over 50 years.

Born Irma Lee, as a teen she sang with a Baptist church choir, auditioning for Specialty Records as a 13-year old. By the age of 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 "Break-a-Way" (later covered by Tracey Ullman among others), "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is" (co-written by the 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).

Although her first four Imperial singles all charted on Billboard's pop chart, later releases were less successful, and, 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, the Otis Redding song "Good To Me" reaching the R&B chart. She then relocated to California, releasing records on various small labels, before returning to Louisiana, and in the early 1980s Thomas and her husband opened the Lion's Den Club over near the old Falstaff Brewery on Broad Street (the club that is), Ernie Ladd's Bar-B-Que Joint was neaby.

After several years’ break from recording, she was signed by Rounder Records, and in 1991 earned her first-ever 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, which is now out of business due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Thomas relocated to Gonzales, Louisiana, 60 miles (97 km) from New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina, but she is now back in her home in New Orleans.

I believe  that I promised a Lagniappe post to this = HERE IT IS. 7 more tracks but I am not finished!