Carla Thomas
Carla Venita Thomas (born December 21, 1942 in Memphis , Tennessee ) is an American soul singer . She is considered the "Queen of Memphis Soul" (Queen of the "Memphis Soul", also called " Southern Soul ").
Life
At the age of 17, Thomas recorded the duet Because I Love You with her father Rufus Thomas , which became a hit in the south of the United States and gave the record label Satellite (which later became the legendary soul label Stax Records ) its first major success.
In 1961 her song Gee Whiz (Look in His Eyes) reached the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B and Pop charts , making it the first Memphis Soul record to be a US-wide success. By 1971, a total of 24 songs by Thomas made it to American hit lists, including I'll Bring It on Home to You (an answer to Sam Cooke's Bring It on Home to Me ), Let Me Be Good to You and BABY (by Isaac Hayes ) .
Her duets with soul singer Otis Redding , which include the hits Tramp (composed by Lowell Fulson ) and Knock on Wood (by Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd ), were particularly successful .
In 1993 Carla Thomas received a "Pioneer Award" from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation .
Discography
Studio albums
| year | Title music label |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 UK
|
 US
|
R&B
|
|||
| 1966 | Comfort Me Stax 706 |
- |
US134 (10 weeks) US |
R&B11 (10 weeks) R&B |
First published: February 1966
Supervisor: Jim Stewart |
| Carla stax 709 |
- |
US130 (5 weeks) US |
R&B7 (16 weeks) R&B |
First published: October 1966
Supervisor: Jim Stewart |
|
| 1967 | King & Queen Stax 716 |
UK18 (17 weeks) UK |
US36 (31 weeks) US |
R&B5 (25 weeks) R&B |
|
| The Queen Alone Stax 718 |
- |
US133 (6 weeks) US |
R&B16 (8 weeks) R&B |
First published: June 1967
Supervisor: Jim Stewart |
|
| 1969 | Memphis Queen Stax 2019 |
- |
US151 (5 weeks) US |
R&B26 (8 weeks) R&B |
First published: June 1969
Producers: Al Bell, Don Davis |
| 1971 | Love Means ... Stax 2044 |
- | - |
R&B42 (3 weeks) R&B |
First published: August 1971
Producers: Marvell Thomas, Don Davis |
More studio albums
- 1961: Gee Whiz ( Atlantic 8057)
- 1991: Hidden Gems (Stax 8568-2)
Live albums
- 1967: On Stage Live (with Booker T. & the MG's , Sam & Dave , The Mar-Keys , Eddie Floyd and Otis Redding; 2 LPs; Atco 228009/228010)
- 2001: Live in Memphis (Recording: Art Village, Memphis , February 10, 2001; Memphis International 0202)
- 2007: Live at the Bohemian Caverns (Recording: The Bohemian Caverns, Washington, DC , May 25, 1967; Stax 0888072303287)
Compilations
| year | Title music label |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UK
|
US
|
R&B
|
|||
| 1969 | The Best of Carla Thomas Atlantic 8232 |
- |
US190 (4 weeks) US |
- |
First published: July 1969
|
More compilations
- 1979: Chronicle: Their Greatest Stax Hits ( split album with Rufus Thomas ; Stax 4124)
- 1980: The Best of Carla Thomas (Atlantic 50 800)
- 1993: The Best of Carla Thomas: The Singles Plus! 1968–1973 (Stax 093)
- 1994: Sugar (Stax 8587)
- 1994: Gee Whiz: The Best of Carla Thomas ( Rhino 71633)
- 1997: Gee Whiz and Other Hits ( Flashback 72669)
- 2006: Stax Profiles (Stax 0025218862127)
- 2007: The Platinum Collection ( Warner Platinum / Rhino 8122-79995-4)
- 2013: Sweet Sweetheart, The American Studio Sessions and More (Ace UK 012)
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UK
|
US
|
R&B
|
|||
| 1961 | Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes) Gee Whiz |
- |
US10 (14 weeks) US |
R&B5 (14 weeks) R&B |
First published: October 1960
Author: Carla Thomas |
| A Love of My Own Gee Whiz |
- |
US56 (6 weeks) US |
R&B20 (3 weeks) R&B |
First published: April 1961
Author: Carla Thomas |
|
| 1962 | I'll bring it home to you |
- |
US41 (8 weeks) US |
R&B9 (5 weeks) R&B |
|
| 1963 | What a Fool I've Been |
- |
US93 (2 weeks) US |
R&B28 (2 weeks) R&B |
First published: May 1963
Authors: Steve Cropper , William Bell |
| 1964 | That's Really Some Good |
- |
US92 (2 weeks) US |
R&B30 (5 weeks) R&B |
|
| Night time is the right time |
- |
US94 (1 week) US |
- |
B-side of That's Really Some Good
as Rufus and Carla, with Rufus Thomas Authors: Lattimore Brown, Ozzie Cadena , Lew Herman Original: Ray Charles with the Raylettes , 1959 |
|
| I've Got No Time to Lose |
- |
US67 (9 weeks) US |
R&B13 (10 weeks) R&B |
First published: July 1964
Authors: Deanie Parker, Steve Cropper |
|
| A woman's love |
- |
US71 (4 weeks) US |
R&B29 (11 weeks) R&B |
First published: October 1964
Authors: Carla Thomas, Steve Cropper |
|
| 1965 | How Do You Quit (Someone You Love) |
- | - |
R&B39 (3 weeks) R&B |
First published: January 1965
Authors: David Porter, Ed Lee , Raymond Moore |
| Stop! Look what you're doing |
- |
US92 (3 weeks) US |
R&B30 (7 weeks) R&B |
First published: May 26, 1965
Authors: Alvertis Isbell, Eddie Floyd |
|
| 1966 | Let Me Be Good to You Carla |
- |
US62 (6 weeks) US |
R&B11 (16 weeks) R&B |
First published: March 22, 1966
Authors: David Porter, Isaac Hayes , Carl Wells |
| BABY Carla |
- |
US14th  (16 weeks)US |
R&B3 (15 weeks) R&B |
First published: July 18, 1966
Authors: David Porter, Isaac Hayes |
|
| 1967 | Something Good (Is Going To Happen to You) The Queen Alone |
- |
US74 (7 weeks) US |
R&B29 (7 weeks) R&B |
First published: December 1966
Authors: David Porter, Isaac Hayes |
| When Tomorrow Comes The Queen Alone |
- |
US99 (1 week) US |
- |
First published: March 21, 1967
Authors: David Porter, Isaac Hayes |
|
| Tramp King & Queen |
UK18 (11 weeks) UK |
US26 (9 weeks) US |
R&B2 (13 weeks) R&B |
First published: April 13, 1967
with Otis Redding Authors: Lowell Fulson , Jimmy McCracklin Original: Lowell Fulson, 1966 |
|
| I'll Always Have Faith in You The Queen Alone |
- |
US85 (4 weeks) US |
R&B11 (6 weeks) R&B |
First published: May 29, 1967
Authors: Alvertis Isbell, Eddie Floyd |
|
| Knock on Wood King & Queen |
UK35 (5 weeks) UK |
US30 (9 weeks) US |
R&B8 (8 weeks) R&B |
First published: July 28, 1967
with Otis Redding Authors: Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper Original: Eddie Floyd , 1966 |
|
| Pick Up the Pieces The Best of Carla Thomas |
- |
US68 (6 weeks) US |
R&B16 (7 weeks) R&B |
First published: December 1, 1967
Authors: Don Davis, Fred Briggs, Kent Barker |
|
| 1968 | Lovey Dovey King & Queen |
- |
US60 (6 weeks) US |
R&B21 (7 weeks) R&B |
First published: January 24, 1968
with Otis Redding Authors: Ahmet Ertegün , King Curtis Original: The Clovers , 1957 |
| I've Fallen in Love (With You) Memphis Queen |
- | - |
R&B36 (4 weeks) R&B |
First published: September 1968
Author: Carla Thomas |
|
| Where Do I Go Memphis Queen |
- |
US86 (2 weeks) US |
R&B38 (4 weeks) R&B |
B-side of I've Fallen in Love
from Off-Broadway - Musical Hair Authors: Galt MacDermot , James Rado , Gerome Ragni Original: Walker Daniels & the Company, 1967 |
|
| 1969 | I Like What You're Doing (To Me) Memphis Queen |
- |
US49 (11 weeks) US |
R&B9 (11 weeks) R&B |
First published: February 1969
Authors: Bettye Crutcher, Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson |
| 1970 | Guide Me Well Memphis Queen |
- | - |
R&B41 (5 weeks) R&B |
First published: April 1970
Authors: David Porter, Isaac Hayes, Don Davis |
| 1971 | You've Got a Cushion to Fall On Love Means ... |
- | - |
R&B49 (2 weeks) R&B |
|
More singles
- 1960: Cause I Love You (as Rufus and Carla, with Rufus Thomas ; release: August)
- 1961: I Didn't Believe (as Rufus and Friend, with Rufus Thomas)
- 1961: (Mama, Mama) Wish Me Good Luck (Release: August)
- 1962: I Kinda Think He Does (release: January)
- 1963: Gee Whiz, It's Christmas (released November)
- 1965: When You Move You Lose (as Rufus and Carla, with Rufus Thomas; release: August 2nd)
- 1965: Comfort Me (release: December 3rd)
- 1966: Birds and Bees (as Rufus and Carla, with Rufus Thomas; release: January 17th)
- 1966: All I Want for Christmas Is You (release: November 18th)
- 1968: A Dime a Dozen (release: March 29th)
- 1969: Ooh Carla, Ooh Otis (with Otis Redding; release: April)
- 1969: Just Keep On Loving Me (with Johnnie Taylor ; released June)
- 1969: I Need You Woman (with William Bell ; release: June)
- 1969: Some Other Man (Is Beating Your Time) (November release)
- 1970: The Time for Love (released January)
- 1970: I Loved You Like I Love My Very Life (release: September)
- 1972: Sugar
- 1971: Daughter, You're Still Your Daddy's Child (released October)
- 1972: I May Not Be All You Want (But I'm All You Got) (release: November)
- 1973: Love Among People (release: August)
- 1994: Things Ya Make Me Do Remixes
literature
- Stambler, Irwin: The Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock and Soul . 3rd revised edition, New York City, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989, pp. 681 ISBN 0-312-02573-4 .
swell
- ↑ a b c Chart sources: UK Billboard Hot 100 Billboard 200 Billboard 200 (Otis & Carla)
- ↑ a b c gold / platinum database US
- ^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .
- ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .
Web links
- Works by and about Carla Thomas in the catalog of the German National Library
- Carla Thomas at Allmusic (English)
- Carla Thomas at Discogs (English)
- Carla Thomas at 45cat.com
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Thomas, Carla |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Thomas, Carla Venita (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American soul singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | December 21, 1942 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Memphis (Tennessee) |