Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas ( born February 18, 1941 in Ponchatoula, Louisiana as Irma Lee) is an American blues, soul and gospel singer. It is regarded as the Soul Queen of New Orleans.
Biography
Irma Thomas grew up in New Orleans and sang as a teenager in a gospel choir. At the age of 19 she was married for the second time and mother of four children. She first worked as a waitress and in 1960 was awarded her first recording contract. Their first single ( You Can Have My Husband But) Do not Mess With My Man reaching number 22 on the Billboard rhythm and blues charts. The following thereupon collaboration with Allen Toussaint, among others, come from the title Ruler of my Heart and It's Raining. Wish Someone Would Care 1964 reached with the back Break-a - Way number 17 on the Billboard pop charts and became the most successful single of their career. In the aftermath Irma Thomas bigger commercial successes were denied and after a long break, underwent her career until the late 1980s, a revival. After her album Live! Simply the Best in 1991 reached a Grammy nomination, her publications include several pure gospel albums. The high point of her career was the 2007 winning a Grammy for the album After the Rain in the category " Best Contemporary Blues Album".
Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans in 2005, both Irma's private home as well as their music club Lion's Den. Published in 2008, Irma Thomas album Simply Grand. She was accompanied by twelve well-known pianists such as Dr. John, Randy Newman, Norah Jones and Henry Butler. The songs are, among others, John Fogerty ( River Is Waiting ), Burt Bacharach ( What Can I Do " ), Norah Jones ( Thinking about you) and Doc Pomus ( Be you ).
Others
- 2009 Irma Thomas was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.
- Cover versions of Ruler of my Heart under the title Pain In My Heart published in 1964 by Otis Redding and 1965 by the Rolling Stones
- One month after Irma Thomas published the Rolling Stones in September 1964 a version of Pain in my heart
- It's Raining in the original version of Irma Thomas in the soundtrack of Jim Jarmusch film Down By Law of 1986 to hear
- A cover version of Break-A - Way in 1983 was an international hit for Tracey Ullman