Chart Toppers
Another chart topper followed in 1966 with “B-A-B-Y”. Carla’s songs hit the national charts more than 20 times with singles like “Let Me Be Good to You,” “I Like What You're Doing to Me,” “I’ve Got No Time to Lose,” “A Love of My Own,” and the Sam Cooke answer song, “I'll Bring It on Home to You.” In 1967 she recorded the LP King & Queen with Otis Redding. The album of duets featured soul favorites like “Tell It Like It Is” and “Bring it on Home,” but the stand out single was their witty playfulness on Lowell Fulson’s “Tramp.”
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In between recording and performing, she found time to gain her undergraduate degree from Tennessee State University. Carla then continued studies at Howard University with classmates Roberta Flack, Donnie Hathaway, and Harold Wheeler. Carla Thomas was a star at the historic, label-sponsored WATTSTAX concert in Los Angeles, California. Carla embraced the 100,000 plus audience with “Pick Up the Pieces,” “Gee Whiz,” and the soul-stirring “I Have A God Who Loves.” In 1967 she embarked on the now famous European tour of the Stax/Volt Revue which featured many of the label’s stars including Otis Redding, William Bell and Booker T. & the MGs.
Carla Thomas has been featured in a number of reissues, most notably a 1994 compilation of her greatest hits and a 2002 live recording from a Memphis performance. However 2007 brought the release of Live at the Bohemian Caverns, recorded in 1967 at the famed Washington, D.C. jazz hotspot, featuring an all-star band led by Donny Hathaway. The Bohemian Caverns performance was Carla’s brainchild to demonstrate that her vocal dexterity could not be confined to Soul music. It reveals Carla’s affection for pop and jazz as she deftly worked out standards made famous by the likes of Irving Berlin, Johnny Mathis, Billie Holliday, Doris Day and Frank Sinatra.
What Others are Saying
Carla still wows us today listening to her croon her songs especially “Gee Whiz!” and “B-A-B-Y.” STAX and the Memphis Sound influenced me more than words during my formative years growing up in east Memphis.
Ms. Carla Thomas was and always will be my first girl friend. Gee Whiz to this day still brings tears to my eyes. All of her songs are very special to me because of the way she express what love is all about. Thank you Ms. Thomas for over 50 years of teaching me how to love and respect the love of a girl and a woman.
Carla, in 40Th anniversary in MSG New York in 1988, in the song Walking The Dog Of RUFUS THOMAS (his father, rest in peace) are the excellent Background Vocals, (Tamara Champlin, Charlotte Crossley, Lynn Scottt and Another…who is this Another?. She also sing in background vocals with Young Rascal,,,,
Tnank yo very much
luis. Barcelona . Spain
A voice undeniably excellent and distinctive. It’s an honor to have learned the history behind the voice. Thank You
Meet her! If she’d like it
My brother-in-law introduced me to “Gee Whiz” by Carla Thomas and I love it and just want to say thank you to Carla for it❣️❣️ I love it!!!
I love reading the articles about Rufus, Carla and Marvell Thomas. As a native of Memphis and a Memphis musician, as well, I had the opportunity to know them. Thank you for keeping Memphis music alive. I also enjoyed the article on The Bar-Kays.