| Timmy Thomas | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Birth Name: | Timothy Earle Thomas |
| Birth Date: | November 13, 1944 |
| Birth Place: | Evansville, Indiana, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Years Active: | Early 1960s - 1990s |
Timothy Earle Thomas (November 13, 1944 – March 11, 2022) was an American R&B singer, keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer, best known for the hit song, "Why Can't We Live Together".[1]
Thomas was born in Evansville, Indiana, on November 13, 1944,[2] one of twelve siblings.[3] He first attracted interest in his work as an accompanist with Donald Byrd and Cannonball Adderley, before working as a session musician[1] in Memphis, Tennessee, and releasing singles on the Goldwax Records label. He had little solo success until he moved to Glades Records in Miami, Florida, and in late 1972 he released "Why Can't We Live Together".[1] The record topped the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, made the top three on the Billboard Hot 100, and top 20 in other countries including the United Kingdom[2] where it peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. This disc sold over two million copies.[2]
He was earlier part of a group called Phillip & the Faithfuls, which also included the singer Phillip Reynolds, releasing material for the Goldwax imprint, including "Love Me", "What'Cha Gonna Do" and "'If You Love Her" (all in 1964). He then became a session musician in Memphis, continuing to release solo sides for Goldwax, including "Have Some Boogaloo". He also released "It's My Life" in 1967. In 1970, he had switched labels to the Climax imprint and one side called "What's Bothering Me". Relocating to Miami, Florida, in 1972, Thomas played sessions for the TK group labels, signing to the Glades Records imprint, where, later that year, he released "Why Can't We Live Together".[4]
Thomas followed up the release with "People Are Changin'" (B-side "Rainbow Power") which reached the charts in 1973. In 1974, he released the album You're the Song I've Always Wanted to Sing. He went on to release six further Glades singles and then, in 1975 recorded a duet with Betty Wright entitled "It's What They Can't See". From 1976 through 1980, Thomas recorded singles for both the Glades imprint and the T.K. Disco label, including "Stone to the Bone", "Africano", "Touch to Touch", "The Magician", "Freak In, Freak Out" and "Drown in My Own Tears" and the albums The Magician (Glades, 1976) and Touch to Touch (Glades, 1977). He also continued to work on sessions for TK Records artists, including Gwen McCrae, and in later years as a producer.[5]
Thomas went on to record several R&B hits culminating in "Gotta Give a Little Love (Ten Years After)", a U.S. top 30 soul entry in 1984 for Gold Mountain Records.[1] Thomas appeared on Nicole McCloud's 1985 album What About Me?, singing on a duet with her called "New York Eyes". This track reached number 41 in the UK.[6]
In the 1990s, he worked as a producer for LaFace Records and released the album With Heart and Soul for DTM Records. Also, his song "(Dying Inside) To Hold You" was a hit in the Philippines, and gained further popularity in 2017 when it was covered by Darren Espanto for the film All of You.
In 2015, Drake sampled Thomas' signature hit, "Why Can't We Live Together", on his single "Hotline Bling".[7]
Thomas died of cancer on March 11, 2022, at the age of 77.[8] [9]
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop [10] | US R&B | ||||||
| 1972 | Why Can't We Live Together[11] | align=center | 53 | align=center | 10 | ||
| 1974 | You're the Song I've Always Wanted to Sing[12] | align=center | — | align=center | — | ||
| 1976 | The Magician | align=center | — | align=center | — | ||
| 1977 | Touch to Touch | align=center | — | align=center | — | ||
| 1979 | Live | align=center | — | align=center | — | ||
| 1984 | Gotta Give a Little Love (Ten Years After) | align=center | — | align=center | — | ||
| 1994 | With Heart and Soul | align=center | — | align=center | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | |||||||
| Year | Single | Chart positions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop [13] | US R&B [14] | US Dance [15] | AUS [16] | UK [17] | CAN (RPM) [18] | |||
| 1972 | "Why Can't We Live Together" | 3 | 1 | — | 25 | 12 | 6 | |
| 1973 | "People Are Changin'" | 75 | 23 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Let Me Be Your Eyes" | 107 | 48 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "What Can I Tell Her" | 102 | 19 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974 | "One Brief Moment" | — | 62 | — | — | — | — | |
| "I've Got to See You Tonight" / "You're the Song (I've Always Wanted to Sing)" | — — | 31 78 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Deep in You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975 | "Sexy Woman" | — | 69 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Ebony Affair" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976 | "Love Shine" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "The Magician" (UK only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Stone to the Bone" | — | 74 | 12 | — | — | — | |
| "Touch to Touch" | — | — | 32 | — | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "Freak In, Freak Out" | — | 92 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1980 | "Drown in My Own Tears" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1981 | "Are You Crazy???" (Pt. 1) | — | 73 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1982 | "My Last Affair" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1984 | "Gotta Give a Little Love (Ten Years After)" | 80 | 29 | 28 | — | — | — | |
| "Love Is Never Too Late" | — | 90 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985 | "New York Eyes" (with Nicole) | — | — | — | — | 41 | — | |
| 1990 | "Why Can't We Live Together" (remix) | — | — | — | — | 54 | — | |
| "(Dying Inside) To Hold You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991 | "What Do You Say to a Lady" (with Jackie Moore) | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||
. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995. Joel Whitburn. 1996. Record Research. 443.
. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 308.