Home → Overview → Blues Artists → Jesse "Babyface" Thomas

Jesse "Babyface" Thomas (1910-1995)

"The Blues Troubadour"

Jesse Thomas' date of birth is one of speculation. Most historians place it somewhere between 1908 and 1911, and most often it is suggested to be February 3, 1910. He was one of nine children born into the family in the small Community of Logansport, Louisiana, on the Texas border His first musical influence came from his father, who played the fiddle. Jesse had an interest in the piano, but his brother, Willard took up the guitar. Jesse's family moved to Shreveport, where he began to explore the small neighborhood known as Blue Goose, with its cafes, and a handful of barrelhouses offering lively Blues musicians such lap-steel slide guitarist The Black Ace (Babe Turner) and Oscar "Buddy" Woods (who would later record with Louisiana's famed singing governor, Jimmie Davis). Brother Willard had moved to Dallas by the late 1920s, where he developed a noteworthy career as a Blues musician in Deep Ellum, performing under the name "Ramblin'" Thomas. During a visit to Dallas in 1927, Willard took Jesse to see a performance by Lonnie Johnson. It was the impression of Lonnie's extraordinary playing that convinced young Jesse to turn away from the piano and to focus his concentration on the guitar. Another artist who also left an effect on Jesse in Dallas was Blind Lemon Jefferson, not to mention the blind musician's former guide, Aaron "T-Bone Walker. Jesse Thomas soon made the move to Dallas himself, and for the next year, poured himself into studying the guitar. He learned quickly and within the year was working on the streets of Deep Ellum alongside Texas Alexander. He was also developing his own sound by transferring the piano lines he studied earlier into guitar notes. By the age of 18 he was already being noticed. He was approached by talent scout R. T. Ashford, who sent him on a trip to Chicago to audition for Paramount Records. But, Paramount turned him down. not seeing enough in the young guitarist at the time. In 1929, Jesse Thomas was given another chance when famed producer, Ralph Peer heard him and invited him to record for Victor Records. On August 4, 1929, he laid down four sides for Peer under the name "Babyface" Thomas, recieving $25 per side. Among the numbers were Down In Texas Blues and his signature song, Blue Goose Blues. His reputation began to grow in Dallas and he was invited back to Victor that October, where he recorded another four tracks behind Texas Blues vocalist, Bessie Tucker. He would also record on a handful of sides under his brother's name in 1972. Thomas was also reported to have recorded in Atlanta with Troy Ferguson on his popular song, Good Night. This was repeatedly denied by Thomas himself. Deciding to expand his musical knowledge, Thomas enrolled in music school in Fort Worth. where he gained formal training. Despite the success he was enjoying in Dallas and Fort Worth, Jesse soon moved to Oklahoma City, where he remained for most of The Depression years. It was there that he head the sound of big band Jazz music, which also intrigued him. He began composing using Jazz saxophone lines into his Blues guitar playing as he had earlier with the piano. It created an interesting new sound that preceded fusion by 30 years. In 1937, Jesse Thomas moved again, this time to Los Angeles. Here he rediscovered one of his earlier influences, T-Bone Walker, and the mixture that he was producing using Jazz band backing. Thomas' initial thought when he moved to the West Coast was to work in movie studios, but he found himself once again returning to working in clubs. Another artist that proved to impact Thomas in Los Angeles was singer, Nat "King" Cole. He began to write a number of successful songs that incorporated the dance feel of big hand jazz along with the blossoming new sound of West Coast Jump Blues. Often accompanied by pianist Lloyd Glenn, songs such as Zetetter Blues, Another Fool Like Me and Double Do Love You, on labels like Swingtime, Modern, Specialty and Echo were harbingers of the style that Chuck Berry took to the top of the national charts just a few short years later. Jesse Thomas returned to Shreveport in 1956, going into semi-retirement. He continued to perform from time to time in clubs throughout Louisiana. A devout Christian, he was a deacon in has Baptist church and would never perform on a Sunday. Eventually, music called Jesse back. During the mid-1970s, he began performing as the elder Bluesman, often as a solo artist or with small accompaniment. He ran his own club for a short time and created his own record label called Red River releasing Down Behind Rise in 1979 and Blues Moved In in 1993. He became a popular attraction at festivals across the country, making regular appearances at the New Orleans &: Heritage Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival, and several others throughout the South. He also appeared on National Public Radio's Blues Before Sunrise syndicated program. In 1993, a compilation of recordings he made while on the West Coast was released under the title Jesse Thomas 1948-58 (Document) He was also featured prominently, as was his brother, on the Dallas Before 1950 on the regional Collectables label. Jesse Thomas' final recording was released in 1995, shortly before his death, for Black Top titled Lookin' For That Woman. It included updated versions of earlier singles like Zetetter Blues and Blue Goose Blues. Jesse Thomas suffered a fatal heart attack on August 15, 1995, in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, ending a career that spanned seven decades. He was buried in that city's Carver Cemetery. (quoted from Jesse "Babyface" Thomas tribute page at myspace.com)

Blues Search Engine

Home
Overview
Booking Agencies
Blues Artists
→  Jesse Thomas
Blues Societies
Blues Directories, Portals
Blues in General
Blues Live on Stage
Learn to Play the Blues
Blues and Science
Record Companies
Search Page
Submit a Site
Contact
Your Own Search Engine
Bookmark This Site!

Artist Title Song Soundtrack Label

Home → Overview → Blues Artists → Jesse "Babyface" Thomas