Earl Thomas, the blues singer and songwriter known for his unique “gospel with a bluesy beat” style, brings a powerful and soul-stirring performance with his latest project, Live in London. Recorded last year at the iconic Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, the album showcases Thomas’ deep, expressive voice alongside powerhouse trio Sister Leola and The Gospel Ambassadors.
Known for his captivating blend of gospel and blues, Earl Thomas has earned widespread acclaim since his debut at the 1992 Montreux Jazz Festival, with songs recorded by legends like Etta James, Solomon Burke, Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Tom Jones. This new live album captures Thomas’ electrifying energy, celebrating the rich history of African American music with foot-stomping, hand-clapping fervour.
He was born into a musical family in rural Tennessee and grew up in a house brimming with music; his father was a bluesman and his mother was a gospel singer so music is in his veins. But his ambitions led elsewhere, as Thomas considered music to be selfexpression, something he did with the family or church. "I could carry a tune and loved singing along with the radio but I never considered music a career path." It seems instead that music found him.
Earl has released an astonishing 20 albums, several having received critical acclaim. He has two Grammy nominations, and four San Diego Music Awards, his songs have also been covered by Sir Tom Jones, Will Wilde, and Shemekia Copeland. His music has been featured in feature films such as '40 Shades of Blue' and ‘In The Mix' and television shows like ER and the Netflix original 'Hacks.'
For Earl Thomas, his highlights have included performing on stage with BB King and Gladys Knight at Montreux Jazz Festival, performing at London's legendary Ronnie Scott's, opening shows for BB King, Etta James, Aretha Franklin and his musical idol Ike Turner. Performing over 200 shows a year he still holds down a 10-year residency at San Francisco's Biscuit & Blues. "A great musician once told me, 'You gotta hustle your gigs man.'"
