Jesse Thomas

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For the U.S. politician of the 19th century, see Jesse B. Thomas

Jesse "Babyface" Thomas (February 3, 1911 - August 15, 1995^[1]) was a blues guitarist and singer from Louisiana, U.S. Known at different times as "Baby Face" or "Mule", and occasionally billed as "The Blues Troubadour", Jesse Thomas popped up all over the blues map in his eight decade career.^[2]

1 Career
2 Discography
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Career

Born in Logansport, Louisiana, Thomas is best known for the song "Blue Goose Blues", which he recorded for Victor in 1929. His clipped, dry-toned guitar-playing, which sound rather meagre on "Blue Goose Blues", gained greatly from amplification, and his 1940s-1950s recordings, mostly made in Los Angeles, California, are fascinatingly varied responses to tradition and innovation.^[2]

In 1953, for instance, on a Speciality single, he coupled a minor key blues in the current West Coast idiom, "When You Say I Love You", with a re-examination of the old Texas gambling song, "Jack of Diamonds" - an entirely characteristic gesture.^[2]

In 1994 he appeared at the Long Beach Blues Festival.

He had a long musical career spanning over 60 years, continuing to perform until his death. Texas bluesman Willard "Ramblin'" Thomas was his brother, and fellow Louisiana blues guitar player, Lafayette Thomas, was his nephew.