Joe Thomas
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Joe Thomas (born in Columbus, Georgia) is a popular African-American R&B singer and record producer. He is ususally credited simply as Joe.
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Early Career
Joe Thomas was born in Columbus, Georgia, the son of two preachers. The Thomas family moved to Opelika, Alabama when he was two and he grew up as an active member of the church including singing in the choir, playing guitar and eventually directing the choir.
In the late 1980s, he started playing in local bands in Alabama after his graduation to high school. He travelled to New York, New York to pursue a musical career. While working in a gospel music store and singing in the church, Joe met producer Vincent Herbert and recorded a three track demo tape.
Having signed with Polygram Records, Joe released his debut album Everything in 1993. Everything performed creditably for a debut album reaching a peak of #105 on the Billboard 200 album charts and #16 on the Billboard r&b/hip hop charts. It spawned a number of hit singles including:
- "I'm in Luv" reached #64 on the Billboard Hot 100, #6 on the dance charts and #10 on the r&b charts; and
- "All or Nothing" reached the top 40 of the r&b charts as did "The One for Me".
Joe also had a track on the soundtrack to Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood.
Joe signed to Jive Zomba and RCA Records for his 1997 album All That I Am. This proved to be his breakthrough album reaching #13 on the Billboard 200 album charts and number 4 on the r&b charts. The hit singles from this album included:
- "All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)" reached #2 on the r&b charts and #11 on the Billboard Hot 100;
- "Don't Wanna Be a Player", produced by Rodney Jerkins, reached #5 on the r&b chart and #25 on the Billboard Hot 100; and
- "The Love Scene" reached top 40 on the Billboard dance and rhythmic top 40 charts.
"Don't Wanna Be a Player" was also featured on the Booty Call soundtrack, helping its success. All That I Am eventually went plantinum in the US. Joe remixed a duet by Barry White and Tina Turner called "Never in your Dreams" and wrote and produced debut albums by Ideal and Deja Groove in the late 1990s. Joe also sang on the remix of Big Punisher's "Still Not a Player", which interpolated Joe's "Don't Wanna Be a Player".
Joe appeared on the track "Thank God I Found You" with Mariah Carey which appeared on her Rainbow album. This song was released as the second single, and became a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. This track also became a hit internationally, helping to raise Joe's profile in other parts of the world.
My Name Is Joe - 2000 onwards
Joe released his fourth album My Name is Joe in 2000 which, as of 2004, has been his most successful reaching the top of the r&b album charts and #2 on the Billboard 200 while eventually selling three million albums. This album was also his first album to make an impression outside the US. It featured a number of hit singles including:
- "I Wanna Know" reached #2 on the r&b chart, #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and top 40 in the UK and Australia; and
- "Stutter" was #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and r&b charts, top ten in the UK and top 20 in Australia - Mystikal appeared on a remix of the track.
The Better Days album was released in 2001, reaching #32 on the Billboard 200 and #4 on the r&b chart. It featured a couple of hit singles in:
- "Lets Stay Home Tonight" reached #18 on the US r&b chart and top 30 on the UK singles charts and composite world r&b chart based on the US, UK, Germany France and the UK - the remix featured Petey Pablo; and
- "Treat Her Like a Lady" reached #63 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #15 on the r&b charts.
Joe recruited high profile guests for the And Then ... album released in late 2003. R. Kelly features on the track "More and More" while G-Unit features on "Ride Wit U". Joe has returned the favour to the G-Unit by appearing on their first album. As of July 2004, singles from the And Then ... album include:
- "More and More" reached #15 on the US r&b charts, top 20 on the world r&b charts and #48 of the Billboard Hot 100;
- "Ride Wit You" reached #22 on the r&b charts and #56 on the Hot 100;
- a double a/sided single "More and More" and "Ride Wit You" has made the Australian top 40 in July 2004; and
- "Priceless" has reached #72 on the r&b charts.
And Then ... has so far reached #26 on the US album charts and #4 on the r&b charts.
Discography
- Everything (1993)
- All That I Am (1997)
- My Name Is Joe (2000)
- Better Days (2001)
- And Then ... (2003)
External links
- Joe's web site (http://www.joescrib.com/bio.html/)
- Joe All Music Guide article (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE4781ED947A57520EFB71670E1FA5CDE2DFE62D9BA5007656392940454880C71ED59E695CAAEFB72AB7BAFFF2AE85B0DD9CFEC5CF8DA764C40&uid=MIDMR0407162200&sql=11:mrsqoaqabijx~T50/)
Joe Thomas is also the name of a prominent middleweight boxer in the early twentieth century. He was considered by many as the unofficial middleweight champion of the world before two losses to Stanley Ketchel.
Joe Thomas is also a rock producer. He produced Brian Wilson's Imagination album in 1998 cowriting the first single "Your Imagination".
Joe Thomas is also the name of an American supercentenarian. Living from 1 May 1875 to 14 December 1986, he ranks second on the list of Oldest recognized living man.