ROBERT 'TOP' THOMAS
&
SMOKEHOUSE
(5CD)
BIOGRAPHY
Robert 'Top' Thomas's debut "The Town Crier" on Wild Root Records is terrific, all Florida swamp blues and delta roots. For those who might be unfamiliar with Thomas, over the past 10-12 years he has toured and/or recorded with Noble 'Thin Man' Watts, Lazy Lester, Victor Wainwright, The King Snake All Star Revue, Alex Taylor, Bill Wharton, Blue House and Mark 'MuddyHarp' Hodgson.
Thomas may be best known, however, as a founding member of King Snake recording artist "Smoke-House" who recorded 4 ground-breaking cds in the 90s that defined the genre of Florida swamp blues. Their 1 5 cd "Cadillac In The Swamp" was listed among the best blues cds of that year.
The lowdown guitar sound of Robert ''Town Crier'' Thomas. The deep Blues vocals and harp playing of Anthony ''Packrat'' Thompson that make you think of the pine flatwoods and cypress bottoms of Central Florida.
The swamp sound of Baton Rouge has spread and taken root in these steamy Florida lowlands. The Town Crier is from New Smyrna Beach; Packrat is from Lake Helen. Although they have shared bandstands since the late 1970's, It wasn't until 1988 that they began to explore their common roots and their love of the Blues.
They recruited Gary and Ture to provide a fat bottom and they began to hypnotize audiences throughout the South-East with their simple, straight-forward and powerful music. Don't expect Rock-Blues pyrotechnics of trick arrangements… or even the familiar, horn-lead King Snake sound! This is straight down-home Blues, played with emotion and conviction. The Swamp Blues… Florida style and as only Smokehouse can play'em!
