On February 18, 1941, in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, The Queen Of Soul Of New Orleans was born. With only 13 years he came to auditions for the Speciality label, although his first recordings were for the Ron label in 1958.
In the early 60’s she worked as a waitress in New Orleans and occasionally sang with the Tommy Ridgley, who helped her get her first record deal with the local label Ron. His first single (You Can Have My Husband but) Don’t Mess with My Man was released in the spring of 1960, and reached the number 22 on the Billboard R&B.
After this first success, she began recording with Minit Records, working with the composer and producer Allen Toussaint on themes like It’s Raining y Ruler of my Heart. The record label Imperial Records acquired Minit in 1963 and Thomas released some successful singles among which are «Breakaway«, her greatest success, composed by Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheeley, Wish Someone Would Care, Anyone Who Knows What Love Is, written by Randy Newman and Jeannie Seely, and Time Is on My Side, recorded previously by Kai Winding and later by The Rolling Stones. Although these first four singles with Imperial Records entered in the Billboard charts, their subsequent releases had a discreet welcome. At the end of the decade signed with Chess Records, where she obtained some success with songs like Good To Me by Otis Redding. In the 70’s she settled in California, where continued recording with modest labels.
At the end of 80’s her career gains strength again, her songs It’s Raining y Time is On My Side, are included in several soundtracks and are again very popular. It’s during the decade of 90’s when she receives more recognition and she is nominated on several occasions to the Grammy awards, which finally obtained for her album After Rain in 2006.
