Life and Career
Thomas was born into a family of freed slaves in Big Sandy, Texas in 1874 He began traveling the Texas rail lines as a hobo after leaving home in his teens. He eventually earned his way as an itinerant songster, entertaining local populaces as well as railway employees.
Although the circumstances are not known, Thomas recorded twenty-three sides for Vocalion Records between 1927 and 1929. The repertoire on these cuts includes a combination of reels, gospels, minstrel pieces, ragtime numbers and blues. Besides guitar, Thomas accompanied himself on quills, a folk instrument fabricated from cane reeds whose sound is similar to the zampona played by musicians in Peru and Bolivia. His springy guitar-playing, probably inspired by banjo-picking styles, suggests that he performed for dances.
Read more about this topic: Henry Thomas (blues Musician)
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