Joe Thomas
Joe Thomas or Joe is a popular United States r&b singer and producer.
Early Career
Joe Thomas was born in Columbus, Georgia, the son of two preachers. The Thomas family moved to Opelika, Alabama when he was two and he grew up as an active member of the church including singing in the choir, playing guitar and eventually directing the choir.
In the late 1980s, he started playing in local bands in Alabama after his graduation to high school. He travelled to New York, New York to pursue a musical career. While working in a gospel music store and singing in the church, Joe met producer Vincent Herbert and recorded a three track demo tape.
Having signed with Billboard Hot 100, #6 on the dance charts and #10 on the r&b charts; and
- "All or Nothing" reached the top 40 of the r&b charts as did "The One for Me".
Joe also had a track on the soundtrack to Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood.
Joe signed to Jive Zomba and RCA Records for his 1997 album All That I Am. This proved to be his breakthrough album reaching #13 on the Billboard 200 album charts and number 4 on the r&b charts. The hit singles from this album included:
- "All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)" reached #2 on the r&b charts and #11 on the Billboard Hot 100;
- "Don't Wanna Be a Player" reached #5 on the r&b chart and #25 on the Billboard Hot 100; and
- "The Love Scene" reached top 40 on the Billboard dance and rhythmic top 40 charts.
Joe also sand on the Fat Joe hit remix Still Not a Player released shortly after.
"Don't Wanna Be a Player" also featured on the Booty Call soundtrack helping its success. All That I Am eventually went plantinum in the US. Joe remixed a duet by Barry White and Tina Turner called "Never in your Dreams" and wrote and produced debut albums by Ideal and Deja Groove in the late 1990s.
Joe appeared on the track "Thank God I Found You" with Mariah Carey which appeared on her Mystikal appeared on a remix of the track.
The Better Days album was released in 2001, reaching #32 on the Billboard 200 and #4 on the r&b chart. It featured a couple of hit singles in:
- "Lets Stay Home Tonight" reached #18 on the US r&b chart and top 30 on the UK singles charts and composite world r&b chart based on the US, UK, Germany France and the UK - the remix featured Petey Pablo; and
- "Treat Her Like a Lady" reached #63 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #15 on the the r&b charts.
Joe recruited high profile guests for the And Then ... album released in late 2003. R. Kelly features on the track "More and More" while G-Unit features on "Ride Wit U". Joe has returned the favour to the G-Unit by appearing on their first album. As of July 2004, singles from the And Then ... album include:
- "More and More" reached #15 on the US r&b charts, top 20 on the world r&b charts and #48 of the Billboard Hot 100;
- "Ride Wit You" reached #22 on the r&b charts and #56 on the Hot 100;
- a double a/sided single "More and More" and "Ride Wit You" has made the Australian top 40 in July 2004; and
- "Priceless" has reached #72 on the r&b charts.
And Then ... has so far reached #26 on the US album charts and #4 on the r&b charts.
Discography
