Ural Thomas

Ural Thomas (born 1939 or 1940)[1] is an American soul music singer. While Thomas has made music for over fifty years, his public performances span two eras: the 1950s through 1960s, and as Ural Thomas and the Pain from 2013 through the present.

Early life and career

Thomas was born in Louisiana, learning to sing in church.[2] The seventh of sixteen children, his family relocated to Portland, Oregon when he was a young child.[3] He attended Jefferson High School.[4]

Thomas became a professional singer in the 1950s as a young man, with over forty performances at the Apollo Theater.[5] He worked with or opened for musicians such as Etta James,[4] Otis Redding, James Brown, and Stevie Wonder.[1] Thomas moved back to Portland in 1968.

Ural Thomas and the Pain

In the early 2010s Scott Magee, a Portland-based soul DJ, learned via the owner of Mississippi Records that Thomas - whose early records he spun - still lived in Portland.[1] Despite having weekly jam sessions in his home, a tradition started in the 1970s, Thomas seldom played live shows.[6] Together, Thomas and Magee created Ural Thomas and the Pain, an eight-piece backing band for Thomas's vocals.[2] The group has released two full length albums: 2016's self-titled release, and 2018's "The Right Time". Their 2018 album was released on Tender Loving Empire.[7] The band has played in venues as large as the main stage of the Waterfront Blues Festival.[8]

References
  1. Weinbender, Nathan. "Ural Thomas started making music 50 years ago, and his band will take you back to the '60s". Inlander. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  2. McElhiney, Brian. "No pain, no gain: Ural Thomas returns to Bend". The Bend Bulletin. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  3. Tonry, Andrew. "Heart and Soul". Portland Mercury. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  4. "Portland Soul Singers Ural Thomas and Blossom Get Dressed Up to Get Down". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  5. "Premiere: Ural Thomas And The Pain Bring Soul In 'No Distance'". Vibe. 2018-09-24. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  6. Singer, Matthew. "Soul Revival". Willamette Week. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  7. "Ural Thomas & The Pain". Tender Loving Empire. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  8. Rosman, John. "5 Picks For 2015 Portland Waterfront Blues Festival". www.opb.org. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
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