Rufus Thomas, Jr. (March 27, 1917 – December 15, 2001)

Rufus Thomas, Jr.
(March 26, 1917 – December 15, 2001)

Rufus Thomas, Jr. was an American rhythm and blues, funk and soul singer and comedian from Memphis, Tennessee, who recorded on Sun Records in the 1950s and on Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s…

Rufus got his start at WDIA in 1950 or 1951—

Depending on which biography one believes!

His celebrity was such that in 1953 he recorded an "answer record" to Big Mama Thornton's hit, "Hound Dog" called "Bear Cat" released on Sun Records… 

Rufus doin' The Funky Chicken

His afternoon show at WDIA was called Hoot and Holler where Rufus Thomas helped to break the careers of such musicians as


Bobby "Blue"Bland, 

As well as; B.B. King, Ike Turner, Roscoe Gordon and Junior Parker. All while still performing himself...

He also took on the hosting duties for the WDIA amateur shows, enabling him to claim the discovery of various local (Memphis) artists, including the aforementioned discovery of B.B. King…



 

But the prime of Rufus' recording career came in the 1960s and early 1970s, when he was on the roster of Memphis label, Stax, having one of the first hit sides at the historic soul and blues label, "Walking the Dog", (#5 R&B, #10 Pop) in 1963.…

Rufus Thomas was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001…

He died of heart failure in 2001, at the age of 84, at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis. A street is named in his honor, just off Beale Street in Memphis….

R.I.P. Rufus Thomas

and Thanks for EVERYTHING you did for us…

RUFUS AND HIS DAUGHTER
CARLA THOMAS

EVERYTHING!!!