Chris Thomas King facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Thomas King
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Chris Thomas King at the Koh Samui Music Festival, 2005
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Durwood Christopher Thomas |
| Born | October 14, 1962 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States |
| Origin | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, actor |
| Instruments | Guitar, piano |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Labels | Black Top Records, 21st Century Blues Records, Scotti Bros. Records |
Chris Thomas King (born Durwood Christopher Thomas, October 14, 1962) is an American blues musician and actor. He is known for his unique blend of blues and hip hop music. Chris Thomas King lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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About Chris Thomas King
Chris Thomas King was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. His father, Tabby Thomas, was also a famous blues musician. Chris first released music under the name Chris Thomas.
He has won several important awards for his music. These include "Album of the Year" at the Grammy Awards. He also won a "Country Music Award." Chris Thomas King has sold over 10 million records in the United States.
In 2021, Chris Thomas King wrote a book called “The Blues: The Authentic Narrative of My Music And Culture.” In his book, he shares his ideas about where the blues music style really came from. He suggests it grew from the city culture of New Orleans.
His Music Career
Chris Thomas King is a pioneer in mixing rap and blues music. In the early 1990s, he created the first blues album that used samples. This means he used parts of other songs in his own music. This album was called 21st Century Blues… from da Hood. It was released by RCA Records.
Chris Thomas King also became an entrepreneur. He took charge of his own music recordings in the 1990s. He started his own record company, 21st Century Blues Records. He also created a music publishing company called Young Blues Rebel, LLC.
Chris Thomas King as an Actor
Chris Thomas King has acted in several movies and TV shows. He often plays musicians.
One of his most famous roles was in the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?. In this movie, he played a skilled blues guitarist named Tommy Johnson. This character claimed he sold his soul to the devil to become such a great guitar player. This story is based on real blues musicians like Tommy Johnson and Robert Johnson. Chris Thomas King also played guitar for the movie's band, the Soggy Bottom Boys. His live performance of Hard Time Killing Floor Blues was included on the movie's Grammy-winning soundtrack.
He also appeared in the Oscar-winning film Ray (2004). In this movie, he played the band leader and blues guitar player Lowell Fulson. Chris Thomas King worked with Ray Charles himself to help create the music for the film.
Other films he has been in include:
- The Soul of a Man (2003), where he played Blind Willie Johnson.
- Kill Switch (2008) with Steven Seagal.
Movies and TV Shows
- O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) as Tommy Johnson
- The Soul of a Man (2003) as Blind Willie Johnson
- Ray (2004) as Lowell Fulson
- Kill Switch (2008) as Detective Storm Anderson
- Imagination Movers (2010) as T-Bone Crosby
- Treme (2011) HBO series
- Quarry (2016) as Blues Musician
Documentaries He Appeared In
- Last of the Mississippi Jukes (2003)
- Lightning in a Bottle (2004)
- The Soul of a Man (2003)
- 22nd Annual W.C. Handy Blues Awards (2001)
- Down from the Mountain (2000)
- Inside Look: Down from the Mountain (2000)
His Albums
- Blue Beat (1984)
- The Beginning (1986)
- Cry of the Prophets (1990)
- Simple (1993)
- 21st Century Blues... from da Hood (1994)
- Chris Thomas King (1997)
- Red Mud (1998)
- Whole Lotta Blues: The Songs of Led Zeppelin (1999)
- Me, My Guitar and the Blues (2000)
- O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack (2000)
- Down from the Mountain (2001)
- The Legend of Tommy Johnson, Act 1: Genesis 1900s-1990s (2001)
- Dirty South Hip-Hop Blues (2002)
- A Young Man's Blues (2002)
- The Roots (2003)
- Along the Blues Highway (2003) with Blind Mississippi Morris
- Johnny's Blues: A Tribute to Johnny Cash (2003)
- Why My Guitar Screams & Moans (2004)
- Ray soundtrack (2004)
- Rise (2006)
- Live on Beale Street (2008)
- Antebellum Postcards (2011)
- Bona Fide (2012)
- Hotel Voodoo (2017)
- ANGOLA (2020)
See also
In Spanish: Chris Thomas King para niños
