Lamar

LAMAR THOMAS

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Record details

THOMTAY Records # 6467

Artist: Lamar Thomas

Album: "I Get Lifted"

Release date: June 15, 2001 "I Get Lifted", ships to the UK. 22 June 22

Available through: Record Corner (Terry Davis)

Also Check: Soul 24-7 Web sites for other locations and for Album Give-Always

Available from: tandtmusic@noln.com,

Record Corner/Crazy Beats Records, Soul 24-7.com etc

It's Soul, R & B, Pop, Blues, Gospel, Inspirational. But more importantly than all of that, "It's honest and it's real"

Lamar Thomas

THOMTAY Records #6467

Order your copy(s) now!!!

About the album:

I decided to do a solo album when my mother was very ill. It was just before she died in October, 1999. I wanted to do it because all of the great spirit that my mother had had been passed on to me by her. I didn't want such a great spirit to go unheard. All of my talent, my compassion for the human spirit, and that part of me that wants to make people happy and feel a part of this life, my mother gave it to me. And so I wanted to say something, which is why the titled song (I Get Lifted) became the concept.

Also, I was moved to sing again, after working with Johnnie Taylor on his last album, "Gotta Get The Groove Back". We had so much fun in the Muscle Shoals studios recording that album. There were so many great talents and musical legends on that project. I felt very blessed to be a part of it, and to be the co-writer of one of the songs from that Gold-plus, Grammy Nominated album. Our song (Judy Thomas and myself), "Woman Don't Be Afraid", is a very different song for Johnnie to record, but he smoked it. I mean he got his teeth into it. It really is a great song and that's part of the reason I covered it on this album.

About my past

I have been truly blessed to have not only make a few dollars in this business, but to survive it as a 'whole human being'. I had refused to become apart of the negatives of the music business. I really got into this business because I wanted to write music and craft songs. I have never wanted to be famous or wanted to this to be rich. I really just wanted to "LEARN THE BUSINESS", and write songs. What has gotten me to this point in my life has been music, my wife, Judy and my four kids, and of course my immediate family. Music saved my life. Music gave me a life. Music has been a great part of my life. And while music has been my life's mistress, I have never let it consume my life, nor have I let it define my life. That is why I say I have been "BLESSED">

Songs I have written and people I have written for.

This really is a bigger list that I talk about. There are many people that I have written for and worked with that I don't mention at all. Many of those I do mentioned because they were not under the best of circumstances. However, I have written for Chuck Jackson. He actually recorded, "Woman Don't Be Afraid" before Johnnie, but it went no place.

We (Judy and I) have written two songs for Dorothy Moore. Both of the albums that our songs appeared on were nominated for the prestigious, W.C. Handy Blues Awards. Our songs were, "Who Can The Winner Be", and she covered our Gold record, "You Can't Blame Love".

Johnnie Bristol has recorded more than six of our songs. The promo single from my new album, "Life and Love" was originally written for Johnnie and recorded by him on his "Come To Me" album. The single from his album, "Come To Me", was in fact a big UK club favorite back in the 90's. I had a lot of input on this album because I produced about six of the tracks. I recorded all of the background vocals and music in New York before we brought Johnnie in from Detroit.

On the Johnnie Taylor album, we cut three of our songs, although only one made it on his present album, "Gotta Get the Groove Back". There will be a new Johnnie Taylor album out in the fall and Judy and I hope that one of our other tracks will appear there. I did a lot of work on this album with Johnnie because the producer (my great friend, Wolf) wanted me to be a part of the session to work with Johnnie as we cut the tracks. I actually cut the vocal tracks live as we were recording the music. And I got the great opportunity of a life time to stand next to Johnnie in this small, small vocal both and work on the vocals with him. It was a life's thrill.

Successful Songs for us

"You Can't Blame Love", made Judy and I lots of money. But it made us famous around the world as a team of writers, producers, and performers. We owe so much to Chrysalis Records (Cooltempo) because they really exposed us and that record. The song has appeared on no less than 6 compilation albums. But it has not been our biggest song as writers and as publishers (Thomas and Taylor Music Works). We have had mega-hit songs as publisher via American television shows. We had one song, "You're my Angel" which was performed on national television more than 2, 500 times. As well, a song called, "City Lights" became a favorite all over the country on elevators and in shopping centers via the Musiak. And there have been others. Of course the track, "Woman Don't Be Afraid" on the Johnnie Taylor album is going to be our biggest record seller of all-times in America. It will always sell.

Recording career

I really don't know what I am going to do recording wise. I know that Judy and I want to re-issue the hit single, "You Can't Blame Love" as a re-mix and as the original. We own the tracks so we have to put it back out. It needs a re-issue because of the success that it had all over the world. Of course Thomas and Taylor will have to release something in the very near future. However, because we both have separate personal interest and different jobs that we like, music is not the priority. It is simply part of who we are and is one part of the many things that we want to do.

Don't get me wrong, I sing every day in the hallways at the school where I work. I love singing. It is who I am, but it is not all that we can do.

New project

Is a female artist named, Mari. She has a new album that was written and produced by Judy and I called, "Angel". Two of the tracks from her debut album on our label will appear in a few weeks on the Soul 24-7 compilation album. She is probably too classy for many of the formats that are being played in the market today. However, I am sure that over time this album will catch on and that she will become a big star.

Comments

Of all the people that I have worked with, I enjoyed with James Brown, Maynard Ferguson, Nancy Wilson, Chuck Jackson, The Main Ingredient. My closest friend of all times from the music business has to be the legendary writer, producer, arranger, Patrick Adams. We have been friends since we were both 17 or 18. More than that, Patrick and I never argue, we simply move on.

One of my dearest friends and life's mentors would have to be the late music arranger, Sammy Lowe. He taught me about music and life's lessons. And of course there is Johnnie Bristol who I love very much. But the best person that I have ever worked with musically was Johnnie Taylor. For some reason, we just clicked spiritually. It was magic with Johnnie and I. His death hurt me deeply because we were just begging a life long friend ship that was beyond music even though it was music that brought us together. We just had that magic. "So Long Pete".

I hope that everyone who likes music will listen to the contents of my new album. Listen to the words and the meaning behind the words. Listen to the music, the arrangements and the honesty in the vocals. And then support the project, just to be a part of something that is true. I believe that "I Get Lifted" can lift you up and shine its' spirit on you if you let it.

Don't call it Soul, R & B, Blues, Old Skool or Pop, just listen to songs like,

"Rise Up", "Shine", "I Get Lifted", "Life and Love", "Too Many Bitches in The Temple", "I Swear" (blinding) and walk away feeling good that I was blessed to write it, to pass on to you and my late mother Rebecca, passed it on to me.

"Don't Keep the faith; Pass it On"

Lamar

Coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!! June 22, 2001

Lamar Thomas "I Get Lifted"

tandmusic@noln.com

"Special"

Written by: Grammy-Nominated Songwriters,

Lamar Thomas/Judy Taylor-Thomas

A New Soul Compilation

Thomas and Taylor

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