Earl Thomas
Earl Thomas is back! He was supposed to retire from music, but now makes a thundering return to the stage in the form of Earl Thomas & the Gospel Ambassadors featuring Sister Leola
He triumphed in his comeback to Europe when he recently turned the legendary club Ronnie Scott’s upside down during the London Jazz Festival. His new project, after a three-year hiatus, is through and through vintage gospel mixed with rhythm & blues, soul and rock.
His mother always said he was a gospel singer, and now he’s finally performing songs that for decades have been the soundtrack to African-American culture and history. “These songs represent our struggle, our pain, our strength, our hope, our perseverance, our triumph and our joy,” says Thomas. Part Soul Stirrers, part Ike & Tina Turner Revue, this jubilant, hand-clapping, foot-stomping, “get up and dance in the aisle” Southern gospel celebrates what Earl Thomas calls “the soundtrack of African-American history.”
His new album “Church Songs” presents one of the world’s best bluesmen in a completely new light. Earl Thomas makes his debut with The Gospel Ambassadors, a tight quintet of guitar, bass, drums, piano, congas and powerhouse vocal trio Sister Leola. “With his dynamic band and amazing backing vocalists, Earl Thomas brings us a tent revival! A gospel show that cannot be ignored. Earl Thomas himself says that this is ‘The music I was always meant to make.’
Earl Thomas will also contribute with teaching at Little Steven’s Blues School, as in the 1990s he was a singing instructor at what was then called “Blues seminar for youth”. We are ecstatic to finally be able to bring Earl Thomas back to Norway and Notodden Blues Festival 2024.