R&B/Funk | New York, NY
Fred Thomas occupies a very special niche in the history R&B. As James Brown’s principal bassist since 1971, he participated in one the most prolific periods in the Godfather of Soul’s incredible career as a member of Brown’s band, the J.B.’s. He can be heard on such hits as “Hot Pants,” “Papa Don’t Take No Mess,” “Make it Funky,” “Get on the Good Foot,” “Doing it to Death (Gonna Have a Funky Good Time),” and instrumentals like “Pass the Peas”, “Gimme Some More” and others. He’s on seminal albums like “Revolution of the Mind: Recorded Live at the Apollo, Vol. III,” and can be seen in many film and TV performances, including “Live in Zaire” and all the Soul Train appearances.
His first of three singles as solo artist have recently been released under Curtis E Records, titled “Living in New York City,” “Nothing’s Gonna Change (My Love for You),” and “For a Lick and a Promise.”
Growing up in rural Georgia, the oral tradition has always been the backbone to Fred’s playing, evident in his interpretation of James Brown’s basslines as sung to him in the studio right before recording a new hit, or in Fred’s own band today as he sings the parts as he hears them for his band to deliver onstage.
How did Fred meet Mr. Brown? He had come to New York in 1965 forming his own band as singer and bass player with Hearlon Cheese Martin. In 1971 James Brown saw the group at Smalls Paradise club in Harlem. Brown was in search of new musicians. He did an impromptu performance with the band and decided to hire the whole group. Thomas said his band used to cover Brown’s songs and that joining Brown was a smooth transition for them. The rest was history.