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Saturday, 12 March 2022

R.I.P. Timmy Thomas (13 Nov 1946 - 11 Mar 2022)


I have just received notification that Timmy Thomas has passed from his friend Gary Van Den Bussche which has been confirmed by a post on Timmy Thomas' facebook. Thomas is universally known for his worldwide hit "Why Can't We Live Together" in 1972.

It is very poignant that Gary notified me as we were just taking about him last week after he played an exclusive stereo Tom Moulton mix of his classic "Why Can't We Live Together" in solidarity for the Ukrainian people for which Gary had previously received a message from Timmy thanking him for playing his anthem.


What better tribute to Timmy and the current world crisis than to kick off with his 1990 Lasting Peace Mix of Why Can''t We Live together.


Thomas' first recording was part of a group known as Phillip (Reynolds) & The Faithfuls "Love Me" / "Rhythm Marie" on Goldwax in 1964. In 2009 a previously unreleased recording "What'cha Gonna Do" by them was uncovered and released on Kent Select which sounds to me very similar to Major Lance's "Monkey Time".

After this he became a session musician in Memphis and released two solo singles on Goldwax in 1967 before relocating to Miami where he released a single for Climax "What's Bothering Me" / "Dizzy Dizzy World" with "What's Bothering Me" receiving spins on the Northern Soul circuit.

He had a total of thirteen entries into the US &&B chart in his career with only three hitting the Hot 100 and was never able to emulate the success of "Why Can't We Live Together".

In the UK he hit with the song twice, in 1973 and again with the Stand Up For Love Remix in 1990. Sandwiched in between he had a hit with Nicole (McCloud) "New York Eyes" in 1985.

Album Discography

Links to Spotify albums on title and Discogs on Cat. no.

1976 - The Magician [Glades #7510]
1977 - Touch To Touch [Glades #7513]
1980 - Live [Glades #7517]
1984 - Gotta Give A Little Love (Ten Years After) [Gold Mountain #GM-80006]
1994 - With Heart & Soul [Transistor Music #7280]

As a tribute I've gathered together twenty of his best songs.



1 comment:

USMAN47 said...

Really very sad of this disappearance because Timmy had known how to create an immediately recognizable style. This will remain for me a great discovery of 1972.

Yves