James Thomas (blues musician)
Encyclopedia
James "Son" Thomas was an American
Delta blues
musician, gravedigger and sculptor from Leland, Mississippi
.
, United States
, Thomas was known as a folk artist for his sculptures made from un-fired clay which he dug out of the banks of the Yazoo River
. His most famous sculpted images were skulls (often featuring actual human teeth) which mirrored his job as a gravedigger and his often stated philosophy that "we all end up in the clay". In 1985, Thomas had his work featured in the prestigious Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C.
where he was introduced to Mrs. Nancy Reagan
then First Lady. Thomas' skulls can also be found on display in several blues museums throughout Mississippi including the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale and the small Leland Blues Museum in Leland. Thomas played at numerous blues festivals and private parties throughout the area including the Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival in Greenville
.
His later performances saw him accompanied by Swiss harmonica
player Walter Liniger. Thomas was recorded by several small record labels and is probably best known for his album Gateway to the Delta which was recorded by Rust College
in Holly Springs, Mississippi
, although he remains an obscure figure outside of dedicated blues communities.
He appeared in the films Delta Blues Singer: James "Sonny Ford" Thomas in 1970 and Give My Poor Heart Ease: Mississippi Delta Bluesmen in 1975, plus the short Mississippi Delta Blues in 1974.
He died in 1993 in Greenville, Mississippi
, from a combination and emphysema
and a stroke
.
Thomas is buried in Leland and memorialized by a headstone placed in 1996 by the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund
and paid for by John Fogerty
. His epitaph consists of lyrics from one of his songs. His son, Pat Thomas, continues to play and perform his father's songs.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Delta blues
Delta blues
The Delta blues is one of the earliest styles of blues music. It originated in the Mississippi Delta, a region of the United States that stretches from Memphis, Tennessee in the north to Vicksburg, Mississippi in the south, Helena, Arkansas in the west to the Yazoo River on the east. The...
musician, gravedigger and sculptor from Leland, Mississippi
Leland, Mississippi
Leland is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,790 at the 2008 census.The town is located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta on the banks of Deer Creek, which is decorated each Christmas season with floats that bring visitors from afar to view the...
.
Life and career
Born in Eden, MississippiEden, Mississippi
Eden is a village in Yazoo County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 126 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Eden is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Thomas was known as a folk artist for his sculptures made from un-fired clay which he dug out of the banks of the Yazoo River
Yazoo River
The Yazoo River is a river in the U.S. state of Mississippi.The Yazoo River was named by French explorer La Salle in 1682 as "Rivière des Yazous" in reference to the Yazoo tribe living near the river's mouth. The exact meaning of the term is unclear...
. His most famous sculpted images were skulls (often featuring actual human teeth) which mirrored his job as a gravedigger and his often stated philosophy that "we all end up in the clay". In 1985, Thomas had his work featured in the prestigious Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
where he was introduced to Mrs. Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
then First Lady. Thomas' skulls can also be found on display in several blues museums throughout Mississippi including the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale and the small Leland Blues Museum in Leland. Thomas played at numerous blues festivals and private parties throughout the area including the Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival in Greenville
Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
.
His later performances saw him accompanied by Swiss harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
player Walter Liniger. Thomas was recorded by several small record labels and is probably best known for his album Gateway to the Delta which was recorded by Rust College
Rust College
Rust College is a historically black liberal arts college located in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Located approximately 35 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, it is the second-oldest private college in the state...
in Holly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
, although he remains an obscure figure outside of dedicated blues communities.
He appeared in the films Delta Blues Singer: James "Sonny Ford" Thomas in 1970 and Give My Poor Heart Ease: Mississippi Delta Bluesmen in 1975, plus the short Mississippi Delta Blues in 1974.
He died in 1993 in Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
, from a combination and emphysema
Emphysema
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary...
and a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
.
Thomas is buried in Leland and memorialized by a headstone placed in 1996 by the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund
Mt. Zion Memorial Fund
The Mt. Zion Memorial Fund is a Mississippi non-profit corporation formed in 1989 and named after the 101 year old Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Morgan City, Mississippi...
and paid for by John Fogerty
John Fogerty
John Cameron Fogerty is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his time with the swamp rock/roots rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival and as a #1 solo recording artist. Fogerty has a rare distinction of being named on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest...
. His epitaph consists of lyrics from one of his songs. His son, Pat Thomas, continues to play and perform his father's songs.
Discography
- The Blues are Alive and Well (1969) anthology
- Mississippi Delta & South Tennessee Blues (1979) Italian anthology (only on LP)
- I got the Blues this Morning (1979) Italian anthology (only on LP)
- Highway 61 Blues 1968-82 - LP edit from Center for the Study of Souther Culture
- Gateway to the Delta 1986-87 - LP edit from Center for the Study of Souther Culture
Sources
- William FerrisWilliam FerrisWilliam Ferris may refer to:*William H. Ferris , African American journalist and author*William R. Ferris , folklorist and scholar of the U.S. South, former chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities...
- Give My Poor Heart Ease: Voices of the Mississippi Blues 2009 The University of North Carolina Press, ISBN 0807833258 (with CD and DVD with field recordings and video of James Son Thomas) - Robert Nicholson; Mississippi Blues Today ! Da Capo Press (1999) ISBN 0306808838