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Henry Thomas (1874-1950)

A Hobo and Street Musician

Henry Thomas (1874-1950s?) was an American pre-World War II, country blues singer, songster and musician. Thomas, billed as "Ragtime Texas", was born in Big Sandy, Texas, and began his musical career as an itinerant songster (minstrel), and recorded twenty-three songs from 1927 to 1929. He accompanied himself with the guitar and the quills, a folk instrument made from cane reeds that sound similar to the zampona, used by musicians in Peru and Bolivia. Some of his songs are difficult to categorize — they sound more like precursors to the blues, rather than what is now called "blues". They are, therefore, a rare testimony of the kind of music which preceded the establishment of the blues around 1900. His springy guitar-playing, probably inspired by banjo-picking styles, implies that he was used to catering for dancing. His best-known influence has been through two songs. Fishin' Blues was covered by Taj Mahal and The Lovin' Spoonful; and Bull Doze Blues, was recorded by Canned Heat as Goin' Up The Country. He was also good friends with Zak (Cheese Pie) Greensaw who was also a fellow muscician and had hits such as A Warm Cup Of Steamy Love and No-one Will Get Me Down. (quoted from wikipedia.org)

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