Irma Thomas

Biography

Irma Thomas (née Lee; born February 18, 1941) is an American singer from New Orleans. She is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans×Soul Queen of New Orleans1978 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Breakaway2:302Ruler of My Heart2:353Hittin’ on Nothin’2:384Hip Shakin’ Mama3:165For the Good Times3:156Don’t Blame Him4:107Friendly2:518It’s Raining3:099Wish Someone Would Care7:06".
Thomas is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never experienced their level of commercial success. In 2007, she won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for After the Rain×After the Rain25 April 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1In the Middle of It All4:452Flowers4:223I Count the Tears3:034Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor4:305I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free3:036If You Knew How Much2:277Another Man Done Gone3:498Till I Can’t Take It Anymore3:279These Honey Dos4:2810Another Lonely Heart4:2011Soul of a Man3:0112Stone Survivor3:4913Shelter in the Rain4:14, her first Grammy in a career spanning over 50 years.

Life and career

Born Irma Lee, in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, United States, she was the daughter of Percy Lee, a steel chipper, and Vader Lee, who worked as a maid. As a teenager, she sang with a Baptist church choir. She auditioned for Specialty Records at the age of 13. By the time she was 19, she had been married twice and had four children. Keeping her second ex-husband's surname, she worked as a waitress in New Orleans, occasionally singing with bandleader Tommy Ridgley, who helped her land a record deal with the local Ron label. Her first single, "Don't Mess with My Man", was released in late 1959, and reached number 22 on the US Billboard R&B chart.
She then began recording on the Minit label, working with songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint on songs including "It's Raining" and "Ruler of My Heart", which was later reinterpreted by Otis Redding as "Pain in My Heart". Imperial Records acquired Minit in 1963, and a string of successful releases followed. These included "Wish Someone Would Care×Wish Someone Would Care1964 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracksA1Wish Someone Would Care2:20A2I Need Your Love So Bad3:10A3Without Love (There Is Nothing)2:57A4Please Send Me Someone to Love2:28A5Another Woman’s Man3:03A6Sufferin’ With the Blues2:18B1Time Is on My Side2:53B2While the City Sleeps2:25B3Straight From the Heart2:26B4I’ve Been There2:39B5I Need You So2:21B6Break‐a‐Way2:30", her biggest national hit; its B-side "Breakaway", written by Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheely (later covered by Tracey Ullman, among others).
"Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)" was co-written by a young Randy Newman and future country star Jeannie Seely. This song has gained renewed appreciation as a result of its inclusion in numerous episodes of the science fiction anthology television series Black Mirror, stretching back to the first season. On its B-side is "Time Is on My Side×Time Is on My Side1983 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracksA1Take a LookA2Time Is on My SideA3Baby Don’t Look DownA4Times Have ChangedA5I Done Got Over ItA6It’s RainingA7Somebody Told YouA8Wait, Wait, WaitB1BreakawayB2I Haven’t Got Time to CryB3Some Things You Never Get Used ToB4Look UpB5Ruler of My HeartB6I Need Your Love So BadB7Wish Someone Would CareB8I Want a True True Love", a song previously recorded by Kai Winding and later by the Rolling Stones.
Her first four Imperial singles all charted on Billboard's pop chart, but her later releases were less successful. Unlike her contemporaries Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick, she never managed to cross over into mainstream commercial success. She recorded for Chess Records in 1967–1968 with some success; her version of the Otis Redding song "Good to Me" reached the R&B chart. She then relocated to California, releasing records on various small labels, before returning to Louisiana, and in the early 1980s opened the Lion's Den Club.
Down by Law, the 1986 independent film by Jim Jarmusch featured "It's Raining" in the soundtrack. The film's actors Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi, whose characters fell in love in the movie, danced to the song.
After several years' break from recording, she was signed by Rounder Records, and in 1991 earned her first Grammy Award nomination for Live! Simply the Best, recorded in San Francisco. She subsequently released a number of traditional gospel albums, together with more secular recordings. The album Sing It!×Sing It!1998 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Sing It4:192I Want to do Everything for You2:413In Tears3:124Love Maker4:185Yield Not to Temptation3:066Heart to Heart4:437People Will Be People4:528Please No More4:179If I Know You3:1510Woman on the Move4:0211He’s Mine2:5712Shouldn’t I Love Him3:1113You Don’t Know Nothin’ About Love4:44 (1998) was nominated for a Grammy in 1999.
Thomas was still active as a performer as of 2021, appearing annually at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (and was scheduled to appear at the iterations that were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). She reigned as Queen of the Krewe du Vieux for the 1998 New Orleans Mardi Gras season. She often headlined at her own club, but it went out of business due to Hurricane Katrina, which caused her to relocate to Gonzales, Louisiana, 60 miles (97 km) from New Orleans. As of April 2008 she was back in her home in New Orleans.

Thomas is interviewed on screen and appears in performance footage in the 2005 documentary film Make It Funky!, which presents a history of New Orleans music and its influence on rhythm and blues, rock and roll, funk and jazz. In the film, she performed "Old Records" with Allen Toussaint.
In April 2007, Thomas was honored for her contributions to Louisiana music with induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Also in 2007, Thomas accepted an invitation to participate in Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino where, singing with Marcia Ball, she contributed "I Just Can't Get New Orleans Off My Mind". The same year she won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for After the Rain×After the Rain25 April 2006 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1In the Middle of It All4:452Flowers4:223I Count the Tears3:034Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor4:305I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free3:036If You Knew How Much2:277Another Man Done Gone3:498Till I Can’t Take It Anymore3:279These Honey Dos4:2810Another Lonely Heart4:2011Soul of a Man3:0112Stone Survivor3:4913Shelter in the Rain4:14.
In August 2009, a compilation album with three new songs titled The Soul Queen of New Orleans×Soul Queen of New Orleans1978 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Breakaway2:302Ruler of My Heart2:353Hittin’ on Nothin’2:384Hip Shakin’ Mama3:165For the Good Times3:156Don’t Blame Him4:107Friendly2:518It’s Raining3:099Wish Someone Would Care7:06: 50th Anniversary Celebration×50th Anniversary Celebration2009 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Got to Bring It With You4:142Let It Be Me3:513I’m Your Puppet3:524Loving Arms4:075There Must Be a Better World Somewhere4:146The New Rules4:127Another Man Done Gone3:508What Can I Do4:009I Count the Tears3:0410Old Records4:0211Back Water Blues3:3112In the Middle of It All4:4813Sweet Touch of Love3:3214Your Ship Has Sailed3:3815River Is Waiting4:04 was released from Rounder Records to commemorate Thomas' 50th year as a recording artist.
Thomas was the subject of the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival poster. She was chosen as the subject before the painting was chosen for the poster. Artist Douglas Bourgeois painted the singer in 2006. In 2010, Thomas rode in the New Orleans parade "Grela". In April that year, Thomas performed at the Corner Hotel, Richmond, Victoria, Australia.
In 2011, Thomas performed twice at the Byron Bay Bluesfest in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. On April 24, she performed on the Crossroads stage, coming on after Mavis Staples; then on April 25, she headlined the Crossroads stage, coming on after Jethro Tull and Osibisa.
In 2013, Thomas was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the "Soul Blues Female Artist" category, which she duly won. She won the same award in 2014.
In 2018, Thomas received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance at the Americana Music Honors & Awards.
On May 2, 2024, Thomas appeared onstage with the Rolling Stones at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival where she and Mick Jagger sang a duet of her 1964 hit song "Time Is On My Side", which the Stones also recorded just months after her version was released. The song was the Stones' first Top Ten American hit, and the Jazz Fest set was the first time that Thomas and the Stones have performed together.
In 2025, Thomas's album Audience with the Queen×Audience With the Queen11 April 2025 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1How Glad I Am3:082Where I Belong3:273Love’s Gonna Find a Way Again3:134Lady Liberty3:185Puppet on Your String4:206Peace in My Heart3:287People3:268Over You3:249Be Your Lady3:48 came out with Galactic, the New Orleans electro-funkers.

Artists worked with

Tommy Ridgley
Eddie Bo
Edgar Blanchard
Bill Sinigal
Irving Banister
Patsy Vidalia
Marcia Ball
Dr. John
Allen Toussaint
Hugh Laurie
Skip Easterling
Danny White

Influences

Etta James
Mahalia Jackson
Pearl Bailey
Nancy Wilson
Brook Benton
John Lee Hooker
Percy Mayfield