Carl Thomas (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carl Thomas
Thomas performing in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Carlton Neron Thomas
Born	(1972-06-15) June 15, 1972 (age 53) Aurora, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Bad Boy (1997–2005) Bungalo (2006–10) Verve Forecast (2011–14)
Associated acts	Dave Hollister Malik Yusef Mike City Puff Daddy Memphis Bleek

Carl Thomas, whose full name is Carlton Neron Thomas, is an American R&B singer. He was born on June 15, 1972, in Aurora, Illinois. He became famous for his smooth R&B songs. A well-known rapper, Puff Daddy, discovered Carl Thomas. Puff Daddy signed him to his record label, Bad Boy Records, in 1997.

Carl Thomas is best known for his song "I Wish". This song came out in 2000. It reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart. His first album, Emotional, was released after this hit song. Both Emotional and his next album, Let's Talk About It (2004), were very popular. They both reached the top ten on the Billboard 200 album chart. After leaving Bad Boy Records, he released more albums. These included So Much Better in 2007 and Conquer in 2011.

Early Life and Music Start

Growing Up in Aurora

Carl Thomas was born in Aurora, Illinois. He went to East Aurora High School. Even when he was young, he loved to sing.

Finding His Voice

Thomas started singing in Chicago. He was part of a music group called The Fourmula. Later, he decided to try singing on his own. He moved to New York City. There, he sang at clubs during "open-mic nights." This is where new artists can perform for an audience.

Discovered by a Star

One night, while performing, Carl Thomas was noticed by Sean "Puffy" Combs. Combs is a very famous rapper and music producer. He was so impressed that he signed Carl Thomas to his company, Bad Boy Entertainment, in 1997. This was a big step for Carl Thomas's career.

Music Career Highlights

First Album Success

In February 2000, Carl Thomas released his hit song "I Wish". This song was produced by Mike City. "I Wish" quickly became very popular. It was number one on the R&B charts for six weeks in a row. Because of this success, his first album, Emotional, came out on April 18, 2000.

The album Emotional was a huge success. It sold over 1 million copies. This earned it a platinum award. Other popular songs from the album included "Summer Rain" and the title track "Emotional." "Summer Rain" was also featured in the movie Shaft (2000).

Collaborations and More Music

After his first album, Carl Thomas worked with other artists. Rapper Jay-Z used parts of "I Wish" in his song "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" in 2000. Carl Thomas also sang on a song called "Everyday" with rapper Memphis Bleek. He also worked with rappers Cuban Link and Big Pun on a song called "Cheat On Her."

Facing Challenges

Carl Thomas released his second album, Let's Talk About It, on March 23, 2004. The songs "She Is" and "Let's Talk About It" from this album did not become big hits. A sad personal event involving his brother caused Carl Thomas to take a break from music. This break affected the promotion of his album.

In 2005, Carl Thomas was featured on R&B singer Amerie's album Touch. He sang on the song "Can We Go." In 2006, he was also on a 2Pac album called Pac's Life. He sang on the track "Dumpin'."

Grammy Nomination and Later Albums

On December 7, 2006, Carl Thomas received a special honor. He was nominated for a Grammy Award. This nomination was for the song "Everyday (Family Reunion)." He shared the nomination with Chaka Khan, Yolanda Adams, and Gerald Levert. The song was from the movie soundtrack of Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion. It was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo Or Group With Vocals.

His third album, So Much Better, was released on May 30, 2007. It reached number 25 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Carl Thomas's most recent album is Conquer. It was released on December 6, 2011. The first song from this album was "Don't Kiss Me," which featured Snoop Dogg.

Personal Life

In October 2004, after his album Let's Talk About It came out, Carl Thomas experienced a difficult family event. This led him to cancel his music tour. His record label created the Duranthony Evans Foundation to honor his brother. In 2019, Carl Thomas had surgery to remove a non-cancerous growth from his salivary glands. He recovered well from the procedure.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Emotional (2000)
• Let's Talk About It (2004)
• So Much Better (2007)
• Conquer (2011)

Awards and Nominations

Carl Thomas has been recognized for his music with several awards and nominations.

See also

In Spanish: Carl Thomas para niños