Background
Thomas was born on June 13, 1928 in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Thomas was born on June 13, 1928 in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Thomas began his music career in 1947 after a move to San Francisco, California, playing with First Rate (at Lloyd's) Simmons’ Rhythm Rockers. The following year he joined Jimmy McCracklin"s band, and continued to work and record with McCracklin for most of the rest of his life. He also frequently recorded on sessions with other singers, including Jimmy Wilson, from the late 1940s into the 1950s.
As well as recording with McCracklin, Wilson and others, Thomas recorded a number of sessions of his own during the 1950s, appearing as L. J. Thomas and his Louisiana Playboys, or "Thing" Thomas, on Chess, as Jerry Thomas on Modern, and as Lafayette Thomas on a number of other labels.
In 1968 he recorded an album with Dave Alexander and L.C. ‘Good Rockin’’ Robinson for World Pacific Records. He remained active in the early 1970s, working with Sugar Pie DeSanto and others
Thomas died on May 20, 1977 from a heart attack, in Brisbane, California, at the age of 48. Writing in Living Blues magazine in July 1977, Tom Mazzolini, director of the San Francisco Blues Festival said, "Unquestionably the finest guitarist to emerge from the San Francisco-Oakland blues scene, there is hardly a guitarist around here today who doesn"t owe a little something to Lafayette Thomas".