Ramblin' Thomas

{{short description|American blues singer, guitarist and songwriter (1901/2–1944/5)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Ramblin' Thomas

| birth_name = Willard Thomas

| birth_date = 1901 or 1902

| birth_place = Logansport, Louisiana, United States

| death_date = 1944 or 1945 (aged 41–44)

| death_place = Memphis, Tennessee, United States

| instrument = {{flatlist|

Vocals
Guitar

}}

| genre = {{flatlist|

}}

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Singer-songwriter
Musician

}}

| label = Paramount, Victor

}}

Willard "Ramblin'" Thomas (1901 or 1902 – 1944 or 1945){{Cite web |last=Chadbourne, Eugene |title=Ramblin' Thomas: Biography |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p32702/biography|pure_url=yes}} |publisher=Allmusic.com |accessdate=January 30, 2010}}{{Cite book |last1=Eagle |first1=Bob L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ZNfAQAAQBAJ&dq=Ramblin'%20Thomas&pg=PA303 |title=Blues: A Regional Experience |last2=LeBlanc |first2=Eric S. |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2013 |isbn=9780313344244 |pages=303}} was an American country blues singer, guitarist and songwriter.{{Cite book |last=Du Noyer |first=Paul |title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music |publisher=Flame Tree Publishing |year=2003 |isbn=1-904041-96-5 |location=Fulham, London |page=181}} He is best remembered for his slide guitar playing and for several recordings he made in the late 1920s and early 1930s.{{Cite book |last=Russell |first=Tony |title=The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray |publisher=Carlton Books |year=1997 |isbn=1-85868-255-X |location=Dubai |page=110}} Blues scholars seem undecided if his nickname referred to his style of playing or to his itinerant nature.{{Cite book |last=Evans |first=David |title=Ramblin' on My Mind: New Perspectives on the Blues |publisher=University of Illinois Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-252-03203-5 |location=Champaign |page=195}} He was the brother of the blues musician Jesse Thomas.

Biography

Thomas was born in Logansport, Louisiana, one of nine children in his family. His father played the fiddle, and Willard and his brothers Joe L. and Jesse learned to play the guitar, with Willard particularly practicing slide guitar techniques.

Thomas relocated to Deep Ellum, Dallas, Texas, in the late 1920s and was influenced by the playing of Lonnie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Blind Blake.{{Cite book |last1=Eagle |first1=Bob |title=Blues: A Regional Experience |last2=LeBlanc |first2=Eric S. |publisher=Praeger |year=2013 |isbn=978-0313344237 |location=Santa Barbara, California |pages=303}} He performed in San Antonio, Oklahoma and possibly St. Louis, Missouri, in his subsequent travels. He recorded in Dallas and Chicago between 1928 and 1932, for Paramount Records and Victor Records.{{Cite web |title=Ramblin' Thomas Discography |url=http://www.wirz.de/music/thorafrm.htm |publisher=Wirz.de |accessdate=2014-01-28}}{{Cite web |date=August 15, 1952 |title=Blues & Gospel – Sonny Terry – Ramblin' Thomas |url=http://www.rootsandrhythm.com/roots/BLUES%20&%20GOSPEL/blues_t3.htm |publisher=Rootsandrhythm.com |accessdate=2014-01-28}} His playing is said to have influenced Black Ace and Robert Johnson.

Thomas reportedly died of tuberculosis in 1944 or 1945 in Memphis, Tennessee.{{Cite book |title=The Guinness Who's Who of Blues |date=1995 |publisher=Guinness Publishing |isbn=0-85112-673-1 |editor-last=Colin Larkin |edition=Second |page=347}}

Compilations of his work have been released on CD by various record companies, including Document Records, in addition to LPs previously issued by Heritage, Biograph, and Matchbox Records.

Discography

Ramblin' Mind Blues: Chicago Blues, 1928{{Cite web |last=Chadbourne, Eugene |title=Ramblin' Thomas, Ramblin' Mind Blues: Chicago Blues, 1928: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ramblin-mind-blues-chicago-blues-1928-mw0000892795 |publisher=AllMusic.com |accessdate=2014-01-28}}
Complete Recorded Works 1928–1932 in Chronological Order, Ramblin' Thomas and the Dallas Blues Singers, compilation album (Document, 1992){{Cite web |title=Ramblin' Thomas, 1928–1932: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/1928-1932-mw0000616451 |publisher=AllMusic.com |accessdate=2014-01-28}}

His known recorded songs are the following:

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