Rufus Thomas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rufus Thomas
Thomas in 1972
Background information
Birth name	Rufus C. Thomas, Jr.
Also known as	Mr. Swing
Born	(1917-03-26)March 26, 1917 Cayce, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	December 15, 2001(2001-12-15) (aged 84) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	R&B southern soul novelty blues funk
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter dancer comedian television host disc jockey
Years active	1936–1998
Labels	Chess Sun Stax AVI
Associated acts	Carla Thomas Marvell Thomas Vaneese Thomas

Rufus C. Thomas, Jr. (born March 26, 1917 – died December 15, 2001) was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. He was known for his rhythm-and-blues (R&B), funk, soul, and blues music. Rufus Thomas was also a DJ and a funny performer from Memphis, Tennessee.

He recorded music for several record companies. These included Chess Records and Sun Records in the 1950s. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, he became famous with Stax Records. He was best known for his fun dance songs. Some of his hits were "Walking the Dog" (1963), "Do the Funky Chicken" (1969), and "(Do the) Push and Pull" (1970).

Many people say Rufus Thomas truly showed the spirit of Memphis music. He played many important roles in the local music scene from the 1940s until he passed away.

He started his career in the 1930s as a tap dancer. He also performed in vaudeville shows and was a master of ceremonies. Later, he worked as a disc jockey at radio station WDIA in Memphis. He continued this job even after his songs became popular.

Rufus Thomas kept performing into the 1990s. He was often called "The World's Oldest Teenager" because of his energetic shows. He was the father of singers Carla Thomas and Vaneese Thomas. His son, Marvell Thomas, was a keyboard player.

Early Life and Beginnings

Rufus Thomas was born in Cayce, Mississippi, near Memphis, Tennessee. His family moved to Memphis around 1920. His mother was a religious woman.

He first performed on stage at age six, playing a frog in a school play. By age 10, he was a tap dancer. He performed on the streets and in school shows. When he was 13, he worked with Nat D. Williams. Nat was his history teacher and a famous black DJ. Rufus helped host talent shows at the Palace Theater on Beale Street.

After high school, Thomas went to Tennessee A&I University for a short time. But he had to leave because of money problems. He decided to become a full-time entertainer instead.

Starting His Career

Thomas began performing in traveling tent shows. In 1936, he joined the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. This was an all-black show that toured the Southern states. He worked as a tap dancer and comedian. Sometimes he performed as part of a duo called Rufus and Johnny.

In 1940, he married Cornelia Lorene Wilson and they settled in Memphis. For over 20 years, Thomas also worked a regular job at a textile factory. He also formed a comedy and dancing duo called Rufus and Bones. They hosted amateur shows at the Palace Theater. Famous musicians like B.B. King and Bobby Bland were discovered at these shows.

In the early 1940s, Thomas started writing and singing his own songs. He looked up to musicians like Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller. He first sang professionally at the Elks Club on Beale Street. He became a regular performer in Memphis nightclubs.

In 1950, at age 33, Thomas made his first record. It was for a small label called Star Talent. He said he just wanted to make a record, not get rich. The song was "I'll Be a Good Boy." He also recorded for the Bullet label as "Mr. Swing." In 1951, he recorded for Chess Records at Sam Phillips's Sun Studio. These early songs were not big hits.

He started working as a DJ at radio station WDIA in 1951. He hosted an R&B show called Hoot and Holler. WDIA was a very important station for black music. It played blues and R&B for both black and white listeners. Rufus would start his shows with fun sayings. He also led tours for white teenagers to explore Beale Street at night. Thomas said he was the first black DJ to play Elvis Presley's music. He even performed on stage with Elvis for a black audience.

In 1953, he recorded "Bear Cat" for Sun Records. This song was a "answer record" to Big Mama Thornton's hit "Hound Dog." "Bear Cat" became Sun Records' first national hit, reaching number 3 on the R&B chart. However, a lawsuit over the song almost caused the record label to go bankrupt. After this, Thomas did not record again until 1956.

Success with Stax Records

In 1960, Rufus Thomas recorded with his 17-year-old daughter, Carla. They recorded for the Satellite label in Memphis. This label later changed its name to Stax Records. Their song, "Cause I Love You," was a regional hit. Thomas's son, Marvell, played keyboards on the song. This success helped Stax get a deal with the bigger Atlantic Records.

Rufus Thomas kept recording for Stax. In 1963, his song "The Dog" became a hit. It included barking sounds. His next song, "Walking the Dog," was even more successful. It reached number 10 on the pop chart. Rufus Thomas became the first father to have a Top 10 hit after his daughter had one. The Rolling Stones later recorded "Walking the Dog" on their first album.

Even while recording and performing, Thomas still worked at the textile factory. He said the factory noises sometimes gave him ideas for songs. He finally left that job in 1963 to focus on music. He recorded many fun dance songs for Stax, like "Can Your Monkey Do the Dog." He also helped younger Stax artists, like Otis Redding, with their stage moves.

After 1964, Thomas didn't have many hits for a few years. Stax focused on younger artists. But in 1970, he had another big hit with "Do the Funky Chicken." It reached number 5 on the R&B chart and number 18 in Britain. Thomas made up the song while performing. He added a funny spoken part he used on the radio.

Later in 1970, he had his only number 1 R&B hit with another dance song, "Do the Push and Pull." In 1971, "The Breakdown" also did well, reaching number 2 on the R&B chart. In 1972, he performed at the Wattstax concert. He had a few more hits before Stax Records closed in 1976.

Later Career and Legacy

Rufus Thomas continued to record and tour around the world. He called himself "The World's Oldest Teenager" and "the funkiest man alive." He used his old vaudeville skills to put on exciting shows. He would dance with amazing energy, even in his fifties. He often wore colorful outfits, including hot pants, boots, and capes.

He kept working as a DJ at WDIA until 1974. He later returned to WDIA in the mid-1980s to host a blues show. He appeared on television often and released more albums. Thomas performed regularly at the Porretta Soul Festival in Italy. The outdoor stage where he performed there was later named Rufus Thomas Park.

He was important in the Stax reunion in 1988. He also appeared in movies like Mystery Train (1989) and Cookie's Fortune (1999). In 1988, he released a blues album called That Woman Is Poison!. In 1996, he performed at the Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. He released another album, Rufus Live!, in 1997. In 1998, he hosted two New Year's Eve shows on Beale Street.

In 1997, for his 80th birthday, the City of Memphis named a road near the old Palace Theater "Rufus Thomas Boulevard." He received awards for his music, including a Pioneer Award in 1992. He was also added to the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001.

Death

Rufus Thomas' grave, at the New Park Cemetery in Memphis

Rufus Thomas passed away from heart failure in 2001. He was 84 years old. He is buried next to his wife, Lorene, in Memphis.

Writer Peter Guralnick said that Rufus Thomas's music brought joy to the world. But his personality brought even more happiness. He was determined and always saw the humor in life.

Thomas was honored with a special marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail.

In Popular Culture

• Bobby Brown played Rufus Thomas in the BET TV series American Soul.
• A character named Rufus in the movie “Kill Bill: Volume 2” played with Rufus Thomas.

Discography

Albums

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Singles

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See also

In Spanish: Rufus Thomas para niños