Two-for-Tuesday: Two Covers- from Truman Thomas

Like the aliteration in today's title? Me too. First thing's first, this post goes out to my buddy Kevin who is so graciously allowing my woman and I to steal his newly set up internets. Also I got the scanner workin' so I can continue providing you with tasty scans of the labels.

Today's post brings you two superb covers done by organist expert Truman Thomas. According to Mr. Funky16Corners Thomas is a Texas native who got his start playing in Jackie Wilson's band and eventually set off on his own to drop some great funky sides.

I bought this record because I'm always intrigued when I find a song that intersects two unlikely genres/artists (i.e. a soul player covering a rock song and vice versa). With The Band being one of my all time favorites I found it absolutely necessary to own this record. The Band themselves crossed over and combined so many different genres and styles of music, hell they even wrote a couple straight up funk songs, "Up On Cripple Creek" and "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" just to name two. Thomas' cover of "The Weight" is just such an awesome take on the song. It has everything you could ask for: electric piano, organ, blazing-treble-induced guitar work that would make Robbie Robertson sweat a little bit, some blaring horns for good measure, and very tastefully implement soul-sister backups to compliment Truman's work on the keys. I'm in love with this version.

The second cover is less surprising, a fantastic version of Edwin Starr's "Twenty-Five Miles." Thomas' version stays pretty close to the original with the only major difference of the substitution of Starr's vocals for Thomas' blazing work on the organ. He definitely shows his chops on this one and it makes for an excellent version of the song. Again, I like the tasteful use of backup singers to accent Thomas' playing and to keep a little something of the original in the cover. Two great tracks.

Be good my friends.

Truman Thomas - "The Weight"


Truman Thomas - "Twenty-Five Miles"