FACT SHEET

For fans of: James Brown, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley

While Thomas has fond memories of meeting the Stones on their first tour of the US (“Mick and I hit it off right away, and Keith showed me some magic on his guitar”), experiences with some of his other heroes left a bitter taste. “My dream was to sing with James Brown and Otis Redding, but I found out they were bitter enemies, and it broke my heart. They were like spoiled kids, and I wanted no part of it.”

Magee ascribes Thomas’s impeccably preserved voice to never having smoked, and only ever having drunk in moderation. “Also, he’s always chewing on osho root, which is a native American herbal medicine,” Magee adds. “I’m amazed he can hit that falsetto at 82.”