Vaneese Thomas

Stories In Blue

Overton Music

Vaneese Thomas was born in Memphis, Tennessee. She is as close to Blues royalty as you can get as she is the daughter of Rufus Thomas, a rhythm and blues singer, whose career spanned a half century. Rufus recorded for both Sun Records and Stax Records; his 1963 hit “Walking The Dog” is still aired on radio stations everywhere. Vaneese’s elder sister Carla Thomas recorded “When Something is Wrong With My Baby” with Otis Redding. Her brother Marvell Thomas is a keyboardist and producer, who also worked for Stax. Vaneese began her career by singing back up on several Stax sessions.

Vaneese released her first album in 1987, included was the R’n B single “Let’s Talk It Over”. Two more albums’s followed before Vaneese recorded 2009’s “Soul Sister, Vol.1: A Tribute to The Women of Soul; on it she paid homage to those singers she admires. Her fifth album 2014’s “Blues For My Father” was produced by her husband, guitarist and percussionist, Wayne Warnecke. More albums followed, Vaneese has since, been nominated for eight Blues Music Awards, while her last album was 2022’s “Fight The Good Fight” on Blue Heart Records.

All songs were written, and sung by Vaneese. The opening track “Do Y’all”, “know where the blues comes from ? do y’all, well it comes from faces as dark as night, bodies from toil and strife”. “When You Were My Man”, “everyday I had peace of mind, but darkness did come, our love was undone”. On “Wandering”, “Wandering on the street, head in my hands, shuffling my feet, what will I do without him, ain’t nothing left for me”. a sensuous sax solo follows as Vaneese is on electric piano.

“1917” is a tribute to Vaneese’s father Rufus, the legendary patriarch of Memphis soul, who was born that year. “his attire could take you higher, and leave you wanting more, his voice was a jewel and his blues gave you fuel, and shook you to the core”. “The Last Thing On My Mind” is a hypnotic ode of a woman wronged, “but I found you done me wrong, to my surprise you up and gone, I had a love but now I moan, that was the last thing on my mind”.

“7 Miles From Home”, “Seven miles from home, no more to roam, Oh, my soul, Oh, my soul, longs for home”. Included throughout the album are the ensemble of Dave Keyes, keyboards; Al Orlo, guitars; Paul Adamy, bass; Ross Pederson, drums; and the fabulous horn section of Tim Ouimette, trumpet and arrangements; Andy Drelles, clarinet and sax; and Walter Barrett, trombone and tuba. The chilling, uplifting gospel track, “End Of The Road”, closes this fine album, as Vaneese chimes “I see the end of the road, lord, I’m on my way to Jordan’s shores, may’be it’ll be today”.

This session showcases Vaneese’s all-around skills as a marvelous story-telling songwriter, and a joyous, full-throated singer. On “Stories In Blue”, Vaneese Thomas refreshes and embraces her musical roots.

Richard Ludmerer

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