Shardé Thomas Explained

Shardé Thomas
Birth Place:Mississippi, United States
Genre:Fife and drum, delta blues
Occupation:Musician
Instrument:Fife, piano, keyboard
Years Active:2003–present

Shardé Thomas (born January 1990, Mississippi, United States) is an American fife player in the vanishing American fife and drum blues tradition. She is the granddaughter of Othar Turner, who founded the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band, and cousin to bandmate Andre Turner Evans.[1] She plays a homemade cane fife.

Career

Martin Scorsese featured her grandfather, Othar Turner, in the 2003 PBS mini-series, The Blues, as a link between African rhythms and American blues. This concept was continued on the 2003 album Mississippi to Mali by Corey Harris. The album was dedicated to Turner, who died a week before he was scheduled to record for the album. Thomas, then 12 years old, filled in for the recording sessions.

In 2003, her band was at South by Southwest Music Festival.[2] In 2008, she performed in "The Heritage Project" in New York City,[3] and in 2009, at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.[4]

Discography

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Pareles. Jon. Othar Turner, Mississippi Master of the Fife, Is Dead at 94. April 29, 2013. The New York Times. March 1, 2003.
  2. Dean. Katie. Go On, Say the Unpopular Thing. Wired. April 29, 2013.
  3. News: La Rocco. Claudia. Telling Stories in Many Shades of Delta Blue. April 29, 2013. The New York Times. May 25, 2008.
  4. Web site: MacCash. Doug. Sharde Thomas, Rising Star Fife and Drum at Jazz Fest Blues Tent. The Times-Picayune. April 29, 2013. April 25, 2009.