Vaneese Thomas | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Vaneese Yseult Thomas |
| Born | (1952-08-24)August 24, 1952 (age 72) Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels |
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Vaneese Yseult Thomas (born August 24, 1952) is an AmericanR&B,jazz andsoul blues singer, best known for her 1987 USBillboardR&Bchart hit single, "Let's Talk It Over".[1] In addition, in more recent times, she has supplied backing vocals on a long list of other musicians' work.[2] Thomas has appeared at theMontreux Jazz Festival,[3] and at the 2006Pleasantville Music Festival. At the 36thBlues Music Awards, she was nominated in two categories; firstly for the 'Soul Blues Album' award for her 2013 album,Blues for My Father, and also as the 'Soul Blues Female Artist'.[4]
Born inMemphis, Tennessee, United States,[1] she is the youngest child ofRufus Thomas; her brotherMarvell and sisterCarla are also musicians.[3] Vaneese Thomas enjoyed some success in the late 1980s, with her solo releases being made on theGeffen Records label.[2] Her self-titled debut album spawned a couple of top 20 US R&B hit singles in "Let's Talk It Over", which featured a saxophone solo byNajee,[5] and "(I Wanna Get) Close To You" in 1987.[2] Follow up releases did not sustain her earlier success levels, but she switched to working as mainly a backing vocalist appearing on many recordings made by other musicians. Hersession duties included working alongsideLenny White,Bob James,Carl Anderson,Freddie Jackson,Beau Williams,Melba Moore,Joe Cocker,Sarah Dash,[2]Luciano Pavarotti,Sting,Stevie Wonder,Michael Jackson,Celine Dion,Eric Clapton,Carly Simon, andDr. John.[3]
On November 15, 1998, she released her second albumWhen My Back's Against the Wall.Billboard described the album as "a small label masterpiece that begs for attention from savvy majors".[3]
In addition to her concerts and numerous recordings, Thomas has worked in both film and television. She provided the singing voice of Grace the Bass on the PBSchildren's television series,Shining Time Station, and of Clio the Muse in the Disney film,Hercules. Thomas has also sung backing vocals in the film soundtracks includingAnastasia (1997),Mighty Aphrodite andThe First Wives Club. On television, Thomas has made appearances onLate Show with David Letterman,Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and theNBC showToday.[citation needed]
Her work has included record producing, supervising vocal arrangements and song writing duties. Her material has been recorded byPatti Austin ("A Candle", "Rain Rain Rain"),[6]Freddie Jackson (Just Like the First Time), Bob James ("Gone Hollywood"),[7]Larry Coryell ("This Love of Ours"),[8] and Melba Moore (A Lot of Love).[9]Diana Ross had a top 10 UK hit single with the Thomas penned "One Shining Moment".[3] Her production credits include Patti Austin'sStreet of Dreams (1999), Sarah Dash'sYour All I Need (1988), and Freddie Jackson's,Just Like the First Time (1986).[10]
Thomas helped in the foundation of theSwarthmore College Gospel Choir, where she was formerly a pupil.[3][11]
In 2008, Thomas andJames D-Train Williams won theOdyssey Award as joint narrators ofWalter Dean Myers' audiobook,Jazz.[12]
Her most recent release wasBlues for My Father (2013), for which Thomas wrote most of the material.[3] The tracks include a 'duet' with her late father, and another with her sister,Carla Thomas, on the song "Wrong Turn".[13]
Thomas lives inWestchester County, New York, with her husband and fellow songwriter and producer, Wayne Warnecke.[3] She once taught in a school in France when she resided in that country for a time and, more recently, taught at theCity College of New York.[14]
| Year | Title | Record label | US R&B [15] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Vaneese Thomas | Geffen Records | 45 |
| 1998 | When My Back's Against the Wall | Peaceful Waters Music | — |
| 2001 | Talk Me Down | Unleashthe80's | — |
| 2003 | A Woman's Love | Segue Records | — |
| 2009 | Soul Sister, Vol. 1: A Tribute to the Women of Soul | Segue Records | — |
| 2013 | Blues for My Father | Segue Records | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||
| Year | Title | Record label | US R&B [15][16] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | "Let's Talk It Over" | Geffen Records | 10 |
| 1987 | "(I Wanna Get) Close to You" | 12 | |
| 1988 | "Heading in the Right Direction" | 76 |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |