Irma Thomas - wikipedia Irma Thomas Irma Thomas Irma Thomas at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, 2006 Background information Birth name Irma Lee Also known as Soul Queen of New Orleans Born ( 1941 - 02 - 18 ) February 18, 1941 ( age 77 ) Ponchatoula, Louisiana, United States Genres R&B, soul, blues, gospel, pop Occupation ( s ) Musician, songwriter Instruments Vocals Years active 1960 -- present Labels Minit Records Imperial Records Chess Records Rounder Records Website www.IrmaThomas.com Irma Thomas ( born February 18, 1941, Ponchatoula, Louisiana, United States ) is an American singer from New Orleans. She is known as the `` Soul Queen of New Orleans ''. Thomas is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin and Etta James, but never experienced their level of commercial success. In 2007, she won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for After the Rain, her first Grammy in a career spanning over 50 years. Contents 1 Life and career 1.1 Artists worked with 1.2 Influences 2 Discography 2.1 Singles 2.2 Albums 2.3 Compilation albums 2.4 Guest appearances 3 Filmography 4 References 5 External links Life and career Born Irma Lee, as a teenager she sang with a Baptist church choir. She auditioned for Specialty Records at the age of 13. By the time she was 19, she had been married twice and had four children. Keeping her second ex-husband's surname, she worked as a waitress in New Orleans, occasionally singing with bandleader Tommy Ridgley, who helped her land a record deal with the local Ron label. Her first single, `` Do n't Mess with My Man '', was released in late 1959, and reached number 22 on the US Billboard R&B chart. She then began recording on the Minit label, working with songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint on songs including `` It 's Raining '' and `` Ruler of My Heart '', which was later reinterpreted by Otis Redding as `` Pain in My Heart ''. Imperial Records acquired Minit in 1963, and a string of successful releases followed. These included `` Wish Someone Would Care '', her biggest national hit ; its B - side `` Breakaway '', written by Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheely ( later covered by Tracey Ullman, among others ) ; `` Anyone Who Knows What Love Is ( Will Understand ) '', co-written by a young Randy Newman and future country star Jeannie Seely ; and its B - side, `` Time Is on My Side '', a song previously recorded by Kai Winding and later by the Rolling Stones. Her first four Imperial singles all charted on Billboard 's pop chart, but her later releases were less successful. Unlike her contemporaries Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick, she never managed to cross over into mainstream commercial success. She recorded for Chess Records in 1967 -- 1968 with some success ; her version of the Otis Redding song `` Good to Me '' reached the R&B chart. She then relocated to California, releasing records on various small labels, before returning to Louisiana, and in the early 1980s opened the Lion 's Den Club. Thomas and her husband still own the Lion 's Den Club near the French Quarter of New Orleans. Down by Law, the 1986 independent film by Jim Jarmusch featured `` It 's Raining '' in the soundtrack. The film 's actors Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi, whose characters fell in love in the movie, danced to the song. After several years ' break from recording, she was signed by Rounder Records, and in 1991 earned her first Grammy Award nomination for Live ! Simply the Best, recorded in San Francisco. She subsequently released a number of traditional gospel albums, together with more secular recordings. The album Sing It ! ( 1998 ) was nominated for a Grammy in 1999. Thomas is still active as a performer, appearing annually at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. She reigned as Queen of the Krewe du Vieux for the 1998 New Orleans Mardi Gras season. She often headlined at her own club, but it went out of business due to Hurricane Katrina, which caused her to relocate to Gonzales, Louisiana, 60 miles ( 97 km ) from New Orleans. According to her website she is now back in her home in New Orleans. Thomas appearing with James Taylor and others in 2008 In April 2007, Thomas was honored for her contributions to Louisiana music with induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Also in 2007, Thomas accepted an invitation to participate in Goin ' Home : A Tribute to Fats Domino where, singing with Marcia Ball, she contributed `` I Just Ca n't Get New Orleans Off My Mind ''. The same year she won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for After the Rain. In August 2009, a compilation album with three new songs titled The Soul Queen of New Orleans : 50th Anniversary Celebration was released from Rounder Records to commemorate Thomas ' 50th year as a recording artist. Thomas was the subject of the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival poster. She was chosen as the subject before the painting was chosen for the poster. Artist Douglas Bourgeois painted the singer in 2006. In 2010, Thomas rode in the New Orleans parade `` Grela ''. In April that year, Thomas performed at the Corner Hotel, Richmond, Victoria, Australia. In 2011, Thomas performed twice at the Bluesfest music festival in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. On April 24, she performed on the Crossroads stage, coming on after Mavis Staples ; then on April 25, she headlined the Crossroads stage, coming on after Jethro Tull and Osibisa. Charlie Brooker 's anthology series, Black Mirror, has repeatedly featured Thomas ' song `` Anyone Who Knows What Love Is ( Will Understand ). '' Appearances include in the second episode, entitled `` Fifteen Million Merits, '' in a karaoke segment in the seventh episode, `` White Christmas, '' and in the third season in `` Men Against Fire. '' It appeared again in the fourth season in `` Crocodile. '' The song was also featured in the official trailer to the 2018 film, Jurassic World : Fallen Kingdom. In 2013, Thomas was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the `` Soul Blues Female Artist '' category, which she duly won. She won the same award in 2014. Artists worked with Tommy Ridgley Eddie Bo Edgar Blanchard Bill Sinigal Irving Banister Patsy Vidalia Marcia Ball Dr. John Allen Toussaint Skip Easterling Influences Etta James Mahalia Jackson Pearl Bailey Nancy Wilson Brook Benton John Lee Hooker Percy Mayfield Discography Singles Year A-side B - side Record label and catalog reference US chart statistics 1959 `` Do n't Mess with My Man '' `` Set Me Free '' Ron Records 328 No. 22 -- R&B 1959 `` A Good Man '' `` I May Be Wrong '' Ron Records 330 1961 `` Girl Needs Boy '' `` Cry On '' Minit Records 625 1961 `` It 's Too Soon to Know '' `` That 's All I Ask '' Minit Records 633 1962 `` Gone '' `` I Done Got Over It '' Minit Records 642 1962 `` It 's Raining '' `` I Did My Part '' Minit Records 653 1962 `` Two Winters Long '' `` Somebody Told Me '' Minit Records 660 1963 `` Ruler of My Heart '' `` Hittin ' on Nothing '' Minit Records 666 1963 `` For Goodness Sake '' `` Whenever ( Look Up ) '' Bandy Records 368 1963 `` Foolish Girl '' `` When I Met You '' Bumba Records 711 1964 `` Wish Someone Would Care '' `` Breakaway '' Imperial Records 66013 No. 17 -- Pop 1964 `` Anyone Who Knows What Love Is ( Will Understand ) '' `` Time Is on My Side '' Imperial Records 66041 No. 52 -- Pop 1964 `` Times Have Changed '' `` Moments to Remember '' Imperial Records 66069 No. 98 -- Pop 1964 `` He 's My Guy '' `` ( I Want A ) True, True Love '' Imperial Records 66080 No. 63 -- Pop 1965 `` Some Things You Never Get Used To '' `` You Do n't Miss a Good Thing '' Imperial Records 66095 1965 `` I 'm Gonna Cry Till My Tears Run Dry '' `` Nobody Wants to Hear Nobody 's Troubles '' Imperial Records 66106 1965 `` It 's Starting to Get to Me Now '' `` Hurt 's All Gone '' Imperial Records 66120 1965 `` Take a Look '' `` What Are You Trying to Do '' Imperial Records 66137 1966 `` It 's a Man 's - Woman 's World ( part 1 ) '' `` It 's a Man 's - Woman 's World ( part 2 ) '' Imperial Records 66178 1967 `` Somewhere Crying '' `` Cheater Man '' Chess Records 2010 1967 `` A Woman Will Do Wrong '' `` I Gave You Everything '' Chess Records 2017 1968 `` Good to Me '' `` We Got Something Good '' Chess Records 2036 No. 42 -- R&B 1970 `` Save a Little Bit For Me '' `` That 's How I Feel About You '' Canyon Records 21 1971 `` I 'd Do It All Over You '' `` We Wo n't Be in Your Way Anymore '' Canyon Records 31 1972 `` Full Time Woman '' `` She 's Taking My Part '' Cotillion Records 41444 1973 `` She 'll Never Be Your Wife '' `` You 're the Dog '' Fungus Records 15119 1973 `` In Between Tears ( part 1 ) '' `` In Between Tears ( part 2 ) '' Fungus Records 15141 `` Coming from Behind ( part 1 ) '' `` Coming from Behind ( part 2 ) '' Fungus Records 15353 1977 `` Do n't Blame Him '' `` Breakaway '' Maison de Soul 1012 1978 `` Hip Shakin ' Mama '' `` Hittin ' on Nothin ' '' Maison de Soul 1058 1979 `` Safe With Me '' `` Zero Willpower '' RCS Records 1006 1980 `` Take What You Find '' `` I Ca n't Help Myself ( Sugar Pie Honey Bunch ) '' RCS Records 1008 1980 `` A Woman Left Lonely '' `` Dance Me Down Easy '' RCS Records 1010 1981 `` Looking Back '' `` Do n't Stop '' RCS Records 1013 1988 `` Mardi Gras Manbo '' `` I Believe Saints Go All the Way '' Sound of New Orleans 10311 Albums Year Title Record label Notes 1964 Wish Someone Would Care Imperial Records 1966 Take a Look Imperial Records 1973 In Between Tears Fungus Records 1977 Irma Thomas Live - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Island Records 1978 Soul Queen of New Orleans Maison de Soul 1979 Safe with Me RCS Records 1981 In Between Tears Charly Records Reissue of Fungus LP 1981 Hip Shakin ' Mama Charly Records Reissue of Island LP 1984 Down at Muscle Shoals Chess Records / P - Vine Records Recordings from 1967 / 68 for Chess 1986 The New Rules Rounder Records 1988 The Way I Feel Rounder Records 1991 Live : Simply the Best Rounder Records 1992 True Believer Rounder Records 1993 Walk Around Heaven : New Orleans Gospel Soul Rounder Records 1993 Turn My World Around Shanachie Records The Story of My Life Rounder Records 1998 Sing It ! Rounder Records with Marcia Ball & Tracy Nelson 2000 My Heart 's in Memphis : The Songs of Dan Penn Rounder Records 2006 After the Rain Rounder Records 2008 Simply Grand Rounder Records / Decca Records 2014 Full Time Woman - The Lost Cotillion Album RGM Records / Rhino Records Recordings from 1971 / 72 for Atlantic / Cotillion Compilation albums Year Title Record label Notes 1979 Irma Thomas Sings Bandy Records Bandy / Minit recordings Time Is on My Side Kent Records Minit / Imperial recordings 1986 Break - A-Way : The Best of Irma Thomas Legendary Masters Series ( EMI - USA ) BreakaWay Stateside Records Minit / Imperial recordings Something Good : The Muscle Shoals Sessions MCA Records / Chess Records Chess recordings 1991 Safe with Me / Irma Thomas Live Paula Records 1992 Time Is on My Side : The Best of Irma Thomas Volume 1 EMI - USA Minit / Imperial recordings Ruler of Hearts Charly Records Minit / Bandy / Island recordings Sweet Soul Queen of New Orleans : The Irma Thomas Collection Razor & Tie Minit / Imperial recordings Time Is on My Side Kent Records Expanded version of 1983 LP If You Want It, Come and Get It Rounder Records 2005 Straight from the Soul Stateside Records Minit / Imperial recordings 2006 A Woman 's Viewpoint Ace Records Fungus / Canyon / RCS recordings 2006 Wish Someone Would Care / Take a Look Collectables Records Imperial recordings 2009 The Soul Queen of New Orleans : 50th Anniversary Celebration Rounder Records Three previously unreleased, out of fifteen tracks Guest appearances Year Title Artist Label Notes 1993 Blues Summit B.B. King MCA Records Duet on `` We 're Gonna Make It '' 2005 I Believe to My Soul Various artists Rhino Records Singing `` Loving Arms '' 2005 Our New Orleans : A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast Various artists Elektra Records / Nonesuch Records Singing `` Back Water Blues '' 2006 Sing Me Back Home The New Orleans Social Club Burgundy Records / Honey Darling Records Duet with Marcia Ball on `` Look Up '' 2007 Goin ' Home : A Tribute to Fats Domino Various artists Vanguard Records Duet with Marcia Ball on `` I Ca n't Get New Orleans Off My Mind '' Ya - Ka - May Galactica Anti - Vocals on `` Heart of Steel '' 2011 Let Them Talk Hugh Laurie Warner Bros. Records Vocals on `` John Henry '' and `` Baby, Please Make a Change '' Filmography Year Title Notes 1978 Always for Pleasure 2006 New Orleans Music in Exile Treme TV series References Jump up ^ `` I Hear You Knockin ' '', Jeff Hannusch, 1985 ; `` I was born in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, February 18, 1941 '' ^ Jump up to : Ankeny, Jason. `` Biography : Irma Thomas ''. AllMusic. Retrieved May 16, 2010. Jump up ^ Du Noyer, Paul ( 2003 ). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music ( 1st ed. ). Fulham, London : Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN 1 - 904041 - 96 - 5. ^ Jump up to : `` Irma Thomas ''. Grammy.com. May 14, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017. Jump up ^ Elijah Wald ; John Junkerman ( 1999 ). River of a Song. New York : St. Martin 's Press. pp. 300 -- 307. Jump up ^ `` Down by Law ( 1986 ) : Soundtracks ''. IMDb. Retrieved August 23, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Irma Thomas - Soul Express 4 / 1994 ''. soulexpress.net. Retrieved September 21, 2015. Jump up ^ `` The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival : Line - up : Irma Thomas ''. Lineup.nojazzfest.com. Retrieved 2017 - 08 - 23. Jump up ^ `` The Soul Queen of New Orleans Irma Thomas on Gospel Music & the Gifts of Growing Up ''. Bestculturaldestinations.com. Retrieved August 23, 2017. Jump up ^ Simon, Scott ( July 1, 2006 ). `` A Visit with the Soul Queen of New Orleans ''. Weekend Edition Saturday ( NPR ). Jump up ^ Shepherd, Mike. `` Louisiana Music Hall of Fame - IRMA THOMAS - 2007 ''. Louisianamusichalloffame.org. Retrieved August 23, 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Goin ' Home : A Tribute to Fats Domino - Various Artists - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2017. Jump up ^ `` The Soul Queen of New Orleans : 50th Anniversary - Irma Thomas - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Art critic calls 2008 Jazzfest poster ' the best ever ' ''. Blog.nola.com. Retrieved August 23, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 ''. Consequenceofsound.net. December 1, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2017. Jump up ^ Bland, Archie ( September 19, 2016 ). `` What was the best hour of television ever ? ''. The Guardian. Retrieved October 21, 2016. Jump up ^ Papet, Charlotte ( March 12, 2015 ). `` Théorie Black Mirror : Un seul univers et une seule timeline ? '' ( in French ). Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Jurassic World : Fallen Kingdom trailer - Uncle Chris Pratt needs to save his dinosaurs from a volcano ''. Hindustan Times. December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Blues Music Awards Nominees - 2013 - 34th Blues Music Awards ''. Blues.org. Retrieved March 21, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Blues Music Awards - Past Years ''. Blues.org. Retrieved May 24, 2013. Jump up ^ `` 2014 Blues Music Awards Nominees and Winners ''. Blues.about.com. Retrieved May 16, 2014. Jump up ^ Hannusch, John ( 2001 ). The Soul of New Orleans, a Legacy of Rhythm and Blues. Swallow Publications. access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ Sinclair, John. `` Irma Thomas : An Audience with the Soul Queen of New Orleans ''. Bluesaccess.com. Retrieved May 16, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Irma Thomas - Chart history - Billboard ''. Billboard.com. Retrieved August 23, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Irma Thomas : A discography of US singles ''. Helsinki.fi. Retrieved May 16, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Irma Thomas - Album Discography - AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Blues Summit - B.B. King - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2017. Jump up ^ `` I Believe to My Soul - Various Artists - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Our New Orleans : A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast - Various Artists - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Sing Me Back Home - The New Orleans Social Club - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Ya - Ka - May - Galactic - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Let Them Talk - Hugh Laurie - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic ''. AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2017. External links This article 's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia 's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. ( March 2013 ) Wikimedia Commons has media related to Irma Thomas. Official website Irma Thomas at AllMusic Irma Thomas discography at Discogs Irma Thomas on IMDb Lifetime Achievement Award Bio from the Oregonian NPR : A visit with the Soul Queen of New Orleans An interview with Irma Thomas at Soul Express, April 1994 Bob Edwards Interview `` At Home with Irma Thomas '' An interview in April 2014 at Soul Express VIAF : 37103562 LCCN : n87803068 ISNI : 0000 0001 1470 7937 GND : 134857402 SUDOC : 084289627 BNF : cb13900407n ( data ) BIBSYS : 3089996 MusicBrainz : 710c7ffa - 977e - 4431 - 9f00 - c8d4eddf6808 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Irma_Thomas&oldid=826222034 '' Categories : 1941 births Living people African - American female singers American female singers American rhythm and blues singers Contemporary blues musicians Delgado Community College alumni Imperial Records artists Chess Records artists Island Records artists Rounder Records artists R&B musicians from New Orleans People from Ponchatoula, Louisiana American soul musicians African - American musicians Grammy Award winners Blues Hall of Fame inductees Alive Naturalsound Records artists American blues singers Blues musicians from Louisiana Singers from Louisiana Hidden categories : CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL Use mdy dates from February 2017 Articles with hCards Wikipedia external links cleanup from March 2013 Wikipedia spam cleanup from March 2013 Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano Magyar 日本 語 Português Suomi Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 17 February 2018, at 22 : 41. 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Question: when was anyone who knows what love is made
Answer: 1964