Jesse Thomas (musician)

Jesse "Babyface" Thomas (February 3, 1911 - August 15, 1995^[1][2]) was an American Texas blues guitarist and singer.^[3] Known at different times as "Baby Face" or "Mule", and occasionally billed as "The Blues Troubadour", Jesse Thomas popped up all over the blues map in his eight decade career.^[4]

Career

Born in Logansport, Louisiana, United States, Thomas is best known for the song "Blue Goose Blues", which he recorded for Victor in 1929. His clipped, dry-toned guitar-playing, which sound rather meagre on "Blue Goose Blues", gained greatly from amplification, and his 1940s-1950s recordings, mostly made in Los Angeles, California, are fascinatingly varied responses to tradition and innovation.^[4]

In 1953, for instance, on a Speciality single, he coupled a minor key blues in the current West Coast idiom, "When You Say I Love You", with a re-examination of the old Texas gambling song, "Jack of Diamonds" - an entirely characteristic gesture.^[4]

In 1994 he appeared at the Long Beach Blues Festival.

He had a long musical career spanning over 60 years, continuing to perform until his death. The Texas bluesman, Ramblin' Thomas, was his brother,^[5] and fellow Louisiana blues guitar player, Lafayette Thomas, was his nephew.

A longtime resident of the Lakeside neighborhood of Shreveport, Louisiana, Thomas died there on August 15, 1995 at the age of 84.^[6]

Discography

• 1996 Lookin' for That Woman (Black Top - BT 1128)
• 2001 Blues Is A Feeling (Delmark)

References

1. ^ Illustrated Jesse 'Babyface' Thomas discography
2. ^ Jesse Babyface Thomas on MySpace Music - accessed January 2010
3. ^ Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music (1st ed.). Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN 1-904041-96-5. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 176–7. ISBN 1-85868-255-X. 
5. ^ "Willard Ramblin' Thomas / Jesse Babyface Thomas". Thebluestrail.com. http://www.thebluestrail.com/artists/mus_wthom.htm. Retrieved November 19, 2011. 
6. ^ Obituary for Jesse Thomas, The Times. 1995-08-17

External links

• Illustrated Jesse 'Babyface' Thomas discography
• Biography on Allmusic

Persondata
Name	Thomas, Jesse
Alternative names
Short description	American Texas blues guitarist and singer
Date of birth	February 3, 1911
Place of birth	Logansport, Louisiana, United States
Date of death	August 15, 1995
Place of death	Shreveport, Louisiana. United States