IrmaThomas

Irma Thomas was born in Ponchatoula, Louisiana in 1941 and came to New Orleans as a young woman, where she began her recording career in the early 1960s. Her voice — a rich, powerful instrument capable of tremendous emotional range — immediately marked her as exceptional, and her recordings for Minit and Imperial Records became regional hits.

Her 1964 recording 'Time Is on My Side' — later covered by the Rolling Stones — demonstrated the quality of her artistry. Allen Toussaint produced many of her early recordings, and the partnership between his productions and her voice produced some of the finest R&B of the era.

Thomas has maintained a remarkable career longevity, recording and performing for more than six decades. Her 2006 album After the Rain, recorded after Hurricane Katrina destroyed her home and belongings, is a testament to resilience and remains one of her finest recordings. It won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album.

She owns and operates the Lion's Den club in Uptown New Orleans, where she performs regularly. A Grammy winner and a beloved figure in New Orleans, Irma Thomas is one of the essential voices in American music — a singer whose artistry has only deepened with time.