Rufus Thomas was always an outspoken ambassador for Memphis and the music that originated there. In 1988, Alligator Records signed Thomas and released a come-back album titled " That Woman's Poison! ," but it failed to generate the same acclaim as his earlier works. The latter spawned a whole series of novelty dance songs named for "funky" animals.ĭespite an apparent drop in popularity during the early 1970s following the demise of Stax, Rufus Thomas continued to work steadily in Memphis. Among the songs that would reach prominence were favorites such as " Walking The Dog " (1964) and " Do The Funky Chicken " (1969). " Rufus, solo and with Carla, would release a string of popular songs over the following years for Stax. when they recorded the single "' Cause l Love You. Rufus and his daughter Carla, would become the first stars for new Memphis label, Stax Records. Despite the success of " Bear Cat ", Rufus only recorded one more single for that label, as after the discovery of Elvis Presley the label turned more toward white performers.īut, it did not mean the end of Rufus Thomas ' career. An answer song to Big Mama Thornton 's then-popular record, " Hound Dog ," it became the first national hit for the small record label. In 1953, Rufus recorded the single, " Bear Cat " for the Memphis Recording Studio, later to be known as Sun Records. King, Ike Turner, Roscoe Gordon and Junior Parker. In the late 1940s, Memphis radio station WDIA became the first black-operated station in the country, and Rufus Thomas took a job as a disc jockey, where he helped to break the careers of such musicians as Bobby "Blue"Bland, B.B.
With this group, Rufus worked as a tap dancer and as part of a comedy team known as Rufus and Bones, teamed with Robert "Bones" Couch.
Entertaining was always in his blood and he became a professional performer in the early 1930s with the traveling vaudeville show, The Rabbit Foot Minstrels. He was born in Cayce, Mississippi, on Ma, but his family soon moved to Memphis, where Rufus spent the rest of his life. A truly unique personality, who called himself " The World's Oldest Teenager ," Thomas ' career spanned more than 70 years. Rufus Thomas, one of the most beloved figures in the history of Blues and the renowned ambassador of Memphis music itself, died Saturday, December, 15th, of an apparent heart attack. THE FIRST TIME I HEARD THIS MAN HE BLEW MY MIND! I WAS OUT RECORD SHOPPING THE OTHER DAY AND PICKED UP ONE OF HIS RECORDS AND I CAN'T STOP LISTENING TO IT! HERE IS RUFUS AT WATT STAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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