Tony Thomas (guitarist) explained

Tony "Strat" Thomas
Birth Date:2 June 1959
Instrument:Guitar
Occupation:Musician, record producer
Years Active:1974–2022
Label:Westbound, Ace, Casablanca Records, Warner Bros. Records, CBS Records, P-Vine Records, Capitol Records, Arista Records, Atlantic Records, A&M records, Musart Media
Associated Acts:Parliament-Funkadelic,Tony Strat Thomas Funk Mob, P-Funk Outlawz, Enema Squad, Kiddo, Muruga Booker, Billy Davis, Patrick Sarniak

Tony Thomas (also known as Tony "Strat" Thomas), (born June 2, 1959 – February 6, 2022) was an American funk and rock guitarist from Highland Park, Michigan U.S., and was best known for his work with George Clinton, Parliament, and the P-Funk All-Stars.[1] Thomas also recorded extensively with Muruga Booker, and was a guitarist in Muruga Cosmic Boogie and Muruga Blues All-Stars.[2]

As a teenager, Thomas fell in love with the sound of the Fender Stratocaster guitar, and his mother eventually bought him one, earning him the nickname "Strat" ever since.[1] He quickly learned how to play and he soon joined a Detroit, Michigan reggae band called Onyx.[1]

In 1979, Thomas and Donnie Sterling formed a P-Funk offspring group called Sterling Silver Starship, and an album was recorded, but was never released. Thomas and Sterling left Sterling Silver Starship in 1981 and formed a group, Kiddo, and they recorded a self-titled album that was released by A&M Records.

In 1982 Thomas played guitar on George Clinton's first solo recording project Computer Games,[3] which included the hit songs Atomic Dog and Loopzilla. Thomas went on to record through the 1980s with P-Funk, and was featured on many of their biggest-selling records.[1]

In 2014 Thomas joined fellow P-Funk All-Star Muruga Booker to form Muruga & The Cosmic Hoedown Band (later changed to Muruga Cosmic Boogie), and they recorded several projects including a couple with George Clinton and several other members of the P-Funk All Stars.[2] In 2015 Thomas and Muruga & The Cosmic Hoedown Band performed at the eighth annual Concert of Colors in Detroit, Michigan, performing with the Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue, and was a featured soloist playing Maggot Brain.[4]

In 2017 Thomas and Booker also formed a blues band called Booker Blues All-Stars and recorded an album in honor of John Lee Hooker's 100th anniversary birthday celebration, called Booker Plays Hooker,[5] which also features Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee J.C. "Billy" Davis,[6] Peter Madcat Ruth,[7] Misty Love,[8] John Sauter,[9] and Shakti Booker.[10]

Thomas' guitar work with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic related projects has been sampled by many artists, including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Digital Underground, Too Short, Tweedy Bird Loc and Ruthless Rap Assassins.[11] [12] [13]

Due to his guitar tone and playing style, Thomas has been compared to Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Hazel.[1]

Thomas died on February 6, 2022.[14] Two hours after George Clinton announced the death of Tony Thomas on his Facebook page, Eric Brenner confirmed the story with Steve Muruga Booker. Booker told Brenner that Tony "Strat" Thomas died on a couch at band practice.

Discography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tony Thomas. Georgeclinton.com. 5 August 2020.
  2. Web site: Musart Media. Murugabooker.bandcamp.com. 5 August 2020.
  3. Web site: George Clinton - Computer Games. Discogs.com. 1982 . 5 August 2020.
  4. Web site: MURUGA & THE COSMIC HOEDOWN BAND Maggot Brain performance with 2015 Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue. YouTube. 5 August 2020.
  5. Web site: Booker Plays Hooker, by Booker Blues All Stars. Murugabooker.bandcamp.com. 5 August 2020. 30 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191030225551/https://murugabooker.bandcamp.com/album/booker-plays-hooker. dead.
  6. Web site: Billy Davis. Musicwikidetroit.org. 5 August 2020.
  7. Web site: Blues harmonica player: Peter Madcat Ruth plays the blues harp based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Madcatmusic.net. 5 August 2020.
  8. Web site: Misty Love. Discogs.com. 5 August 2020.
  9. Web site: John Sauter. Discogs.com. 5 August 2020.
  10. Web site: Shakti Booker. Discogs.com. 5 August 2020.
  11. https://www.whosampled.com/George-Clinton/Loopzilla/ Loopzilla
  12. https://www.whosampled.com/George-Clinton/Atomic-Dog/ Atomic Dog
  13. https://www.whosampled.com/Parliament/Agony-of-Defeet/ Agony of Defeet
  14. Web site: Tony 'Strat' Thomas Death: Funk & Rock guitarist Thomas Dies, Cause of Death. topinfoguide.com. 7 February 2022.
  15. Web site: Trombipulation - Parliament | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic. 5 August 2020. AllMusic.
  16. Web site: Funkadelic - The Electric Spanking Of War Babies. Discogs.com. 1981 . 5 August 2020.
  17. Web site: Kiddo (2) - Kiddo. Discogs.com. 1983 . 5 August 2020.
  18. Web site: P-Funk All Stars - Urban Dancefloor Guerillas. Discogs.com. 1983 . 5 August 2020.
  19. Web site: Hydraulic Funk - P-Funk All Stars | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic. 5 August 2020. AllMusic.
  20. Web site: Jimmy G. And The Tackheads* - The Federation Of Tackheads. Discogs.com. 1985 . 5 August 2020.
  21. Web site: Parliament - Tear The Roof Off (1974-1980). Discogs.com. 1993 . 5 August 2020.
  22. Web site: George Clinton And The P-Funk All Stars* - Go Fer Yer Funk (George Clinton Family Series Vol. 1). Discogs.com. 1992 . 5 August 2020.
  23. Web site: Various - George Clinton Family Series Volume 3 - Plush Funk. Discogs.com. 1993 . 5 August 2020.
  24. Web site: Various - George Clinton Family Series Pt. 2. Discogs.com. 1993 . 5 August 2020.
  25. Web site: George Clinton And The P-Funk All Stars* - P-Funk Unreleased Remix. Discogs.com. 1994 . 5 August 2020.
  26. Web site: Various - George Clinton's Family Series: Testing Positive 4 The Funk. Discogs.com. 1993 . 5 August 2020.
  27. Web site: George Clinton - A Fifth Of Funk. Discogs.com. 5 August 2020.
  28. Web site: The Best of Parliament: Give Up the Funk - Parliament | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic. 5 August 2020. AllMusic.
  29. Web site: George Clinton - Greatest Funkin' Hits. Discogs.com. 1996 . 5 August 2020.
  30. https://www.discogs.com/George-Clinton-and-The-P-Funk-Allstars-Funk-Permission-Card/release/4670777 George Clinton and The P-Funk Allstars* - Funk Permission Card
  31. Web site: Parliament - The Best Of Parliament. Discogs.com. 5 August 2020.
  32. Web site: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Parliament - Parliament | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic. 5 August 2020. AllMusic.
  33. Web site: Gold - Parliament | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic. 5 August 2020. AllMusic.
  34. Web site: Deer Dreamers, by The New Newz. Murugabooker.bandcamp.com. 5 August 2020.
  35. Web site: The Fathership - Mothership World Connection, by Muruga Cosmic Boogie meets George Clinton & P-Funk All-Stars. Murugabooker.bandcamp.com. 5 August 2020.
  36. Web site: @ The Wormhole Cafe, by Wormhole Cafe (feat. P-Funk All-Stars & more). Murugabooker.bandcamp.com. 5 August 2020.
  37. Web site: Harmonious World, by Muruga Cosmic Boogie. Murugabooker.bandcamp.com. 5 August 2020.

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