Lillo Thomas
Encyclopedia
Lillo Thomas. is an American
former Olympic
-qualifying athlete and later a soul
musician
. He reached the peak of his success as a recording artist in the 1980s. His most famous song
s include "Sexy Girl" and "I'm in Love."
career he was on the U.S.
track and field team. As an athlete he set the world record
for the 200 meters at the age of sixteen with the help of his volunteer coach Jeremiah Armour. He qualified for the 1984 Olympics
, however he was unable to attend after being involved in a car accident in Brazil
.
Thomas left athletics behind for music
, and toured with comedian
Eddie Murphy
in 1985. He became a successful session
vocalist
, doing vocals
on releases by Evelyn "Champagne" King
, Kashif
, James Ingram
, George Benson
, and Melba Moore
, among others, while also writing
"Mind Up Tonight" for Moore.
Thomas released his first album
in 1983. His albums were produced
by Kashif and Paul Laurence Jones III. He landed his own solo
recording contract
with Capitol Records
, and began getting singles
on the charts
. "Your Love's Got a Hold on Me" was his first Top 20 R&B
single in 1984, and Thomas enjoyed his biggest year in 1987 with three Top Ten R&B hits. "I'm in Love" reached number two and remains his most successful single. Thomas collaborated with Laurence on songs recorded by Freddie Jackson
and Moore.
In 2010 he released his first album of all new material since 1987, "Come And Get It" on the Fitingo Music label
. He has also successfully acted
and painted
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
-qualifying athlete and later a soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He reached the peak of his success as a recording artist in the 1980s. His most famous song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s include "Sexy Girl" and "I'm in Love."
Career
Prior to his recordingSound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
career he was on the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
track and field team. As an athlete he set the world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
for the 200 meters at the age of sixteen with the help of his volunteer coach Jeremiah Armour. He qualified for the 1984 Olympics
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, however he was unable to attend after being involved in a car accident in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Thomas left athletics behind for music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, and toured with comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
in 1985. He became a successful session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, doing vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
on releases by Evelyn "Champagne" King
Evelyn King (singer)
Evelyn "Champagne" King is an American R&B, disco and post-disco singer. Some of her best-known songs are "Shame", "Love Come Down," and "I'm in Love."-Biography:...
, Kashif
Kashif (musician)
Kashif Saleem is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and record producer.-Career:Kashif became well-known from playing keyboards in the renowned funk band B.T. Express. He played synthesizer bass using the miniMoog while touring with the group...
, James Ingram
James Ingram
James Ingram is an American soul musician. He is best known as a vocalist. He is also a self-taught musician who plays piano, guitar, bass, drums and keyboards...
, George Benson
George Benson
George Benson is a ten Grammy Award winning American musician, whose production career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist....
, and Melba Moore
Melba Moore
Beatrice Melba Smith , known by her stage name, Melba Moore is an American disco, R&B singer and actress. She is the daughter of saxophonist Teddy Hill and R&B singer Bonnie Davis.-Early life:...
, among others, while also writing
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
"Mind Up Tonight" for Moore.
Thomas released his first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
in 1983. His albums were produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Kashif and Paul Laurence Jones III. He landed his own solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, and began getting singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on the charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. "Your Love's Got a Hold on Me" was his first Top 20 R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
single in 1984, and Thomas enjoyed his biggest year in 1987 with three Top Ten R&B hits. "I'm in Love" reached number two and remains his most successful single. Thomas collaborated with Laurence on songs recorded by Freddie Jackson
Freddie Jackson
Frederick Anthony "Freddie" Jackson is an American soul singer. He was an important figure in R&B during the 1980s and early 1990s...
and Moore.
In 2010 he released his first album of all new material since 1987, "Come And Get It" on the Fitingo Music label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. He has also successfully acted
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and painted
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
.
Albums
| Year | Album | Label | U.S. R&B Albums Chart Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
U.S. Billboard 200 Chart Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Let Me Be Yours | Capitol Records Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... |
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| 1984 | All Of You | Capitol Records | |
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| 1987 | Lillo | Capitol Records | |
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| 2001 | The Very Best Of Lillo Thomas | Capitol Records | |
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| 2010 | Come And Get It | Fitingo Music | |
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Singles
| Year | Album | Label | U.S. R&B Singles Chart Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | "You're A (Good Girl)" | Capitol Records Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... |
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| 1983 | "Who Do You Think You Are?" | Capitol Records Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... |
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| 1984 | "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) "Just My Imagination " is a song by American soul group The Temptations. Released on the Gordy label, and produced by Norman Whitfield, it features on the group's 1971 album, Sky's the Limit. When released as a single, "Just My Imagination" became the third Temptations song to reach number one on... " |
Capitol Records | |
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| 1984 | "Your Love's Got A Hold On Me" | Capitol Records | |
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| 1984 | "(Can't Take Half) All Of You" (with Melba Moore) | Capitol Records | |
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| 1985 | "Settle Down" | Capitol Records | |
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| 1987 | "Downtown" | Capitol Records | |
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| 1987 | "I'm in Love" | Capitol Records | |
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| 1987 | "Sexy Girl" | Capitol Records | |
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| 1987 | "Wanna Make Love (All Night Long)" | Capitol Records | |
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| 2010 | "Rubbing Your Body" | Fitingo Music | |
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