Evelyn Thomas
Chicago native Evelyn Thomas emerged before the commercial peak of disco with the Top 40 U.K. hit "Weak Spot" (1976), but it was in the post-disco era that she truly etched her name in dance music history. Launched from underground clubs, "High Energy" (1984), produced by long-term studio partner Ian Levine, rejuvenated the singer's career by cracking the U.K. Top Ten and topping the U.S. club chart, and in turn became one of the definitive recordings of the post-disco era. An ex-gospel singer blessed with a bluesy voice, Thomas has had a lengthy career beyond her signature hit, as her elastic, soulful vocals have fit everything from soul-jazz to torch songs to the pulsating electronic dance music for which she's best known.
Ellen Lucille Thomas was discovered in her hometown of Chicago by British DJ and songwriter/producer Ian Levine. Levine had come to the U.S. to discover talent for his newly formed Voltafine Production Company. His goal was to record American soul singers and lease the results to major recording companies. Impressed by Thomas' voice, he cut some tracks with her and secured a deal with 20th Century Records. Levine and Danny Leake produced Thomas' first single, "Weak Spot," which in early 1976 reached number 26 on the U.K. pop chart. The success of Thomas' record and others prompted Voltafine to fly their American artists to England to tour and appear on Top of the Pops in hopes of additional success. Thomas came over with fellow Chicagoans and Voltafine artists Barbara Pennington and L.J. Johnson. The appearances went well, and Thomas nearly scored a second Top 40 U.K. hit with her follow-up, "Doomsday." After returning to Chicago, the trio were soon flown back to England to tour the Northern soul clubs as the Chicago Soul Revue. Levine had established himself earlier in the decade as a DJ at the Blackpool Mecca, one of the major Northern soul venues.
After a total of four singles for 20th Century, Thomas recorded for Casablanca and AVI, releasing the albums I Wanna Make It on My Own and Have a Little Faith in Me by the end of the '70s. For a few years, Thomas didn't record any new material. After Levine became one of the leading producers of the uptempo and electronic post-disco sound dubbed Hi-NRG (with club hits Miquel Brown's "So Many Men, So Little Time"), he and Thomas resumed their partnership with "High Energy." Sure enough, the 1984 single became one of the style's most representative songs, peaking at number five in the U.K., where it was issued on Record Shack. In the U.S., licensed to the Vanguard label, it topped the Billboard club chart. High Energy was consequently Thomas' biggest album, and was followed two years later by Standing at the Crossroads. Thomas released a batch of lower-profile singles through the '90s and continued recording and performing into the 2010s.
© Andy Kellman & Andrew Hamilton /TiVo
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Discography
20 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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High Energy (Almighty Mixes)
Electronic - Released by Almighty Records Ltd on Sep 21, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
High Energy (Deluxe Edition)
Electronic - Released by Record Shack Records - OMiP on Oct 9, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best of Evelyn Thomas "High Energy"
Electronic - Released by Record Shack Records - OMiP on Sep 8, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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High Energy
Electronic - Released by Record Shack Records - OMiP on Sep 8, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Evelyn Thomas Selected Hits Vol. 1
R&B - Released by Charly Records on Jun 12, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best of Evelyn Thomas
Electronic - Released by Record Shack Records - OMiP on Sep 8, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ultimate Evelyn Thomas
Soul - Released by Carter Lane - OMiP on Nov 18, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Work That Thang - EP
Electronic - Released by East Props Music - OMiP on Sep 9, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
High Energy - The Best of Evelyn Thomas
Soul - Released by Vanilla OMP on Nov 25, 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Remember Evelyn Thomas
Electronic - Released by Carter Lane - OMiP on Dec 1, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Standing at the Crossroads
Electronic - Released by Record Shack Records - OMiP on Jan 1, 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Have a Little Faith in Me
Disco - Released by Record Shack Records - OMiP on Sep 8, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lo Mejor de Evelyn Thomas
Soul - Released by Carter Lane - OMiP on Jan 12, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Almighty Presents: Reflections
Pop - Released by Almighty Records on Mar 28, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Evelyn Thomas Selected Hits Vol. 2
R&B - Released by Charly Records on Mar 21, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let the Energy Take You High
R&B - Released by East Props Music - OMiP on Jan 6, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Stick to the Plan
Pop - Released by Night Dance Records on Jun 1, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Evelyn Thomas Selected Hits Vol. 2
Soul - Released by Charly Records on Mar 21, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo