Joseph Lewis Thomas (born July 5, 1972), usually credited
simply as Joe, is an American R&B singer and record producer.
Joe is a native of Cuthbert, Georgia and later moved to Opelika, Alabama.
The son of two preachers, Joe spent much time in church singing, playing
guitar, and even directing the choir. He was influenced in his early
career by gospel performers such as The Winans, Commissioned, and Vanessa
Bell Armstrong. Joe also grew to love soul legends such Stevie Wonder
and Marvin Gaye as well as contemporary stars such as Bobby Brown and
Keith Sweat.
[edit] 1990s
Joe graduated from high school and continued to sing and write music
while working at occasional temporary jobs. Finally, he traveled to
New Jersey, hoping to make connections in the music industry. While
working at a gospel record store and continuing his music education
through a local church, he met producer Vincent Herbert and recorded
a three-song demo tape. He signed to Polygram/Mercury and in 1993 released
his album debut, Everything. This album produced a minor hit for him
and he was subsequently released from his contract. Joe also had a
song called "All the Things" that appeared on the soundtrack
to the Wayans Brothers film Don't Be a Menace to South Central While
Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (the brothers later used songs from
Joe in loves scenes in their various films over the years). This song
was the only smash hit from the entire album. Joe then signed to Jive
Records for his 1997 album, All That I Am. This proved to be his breakthrough
album, reaching #13 on the. Billboard 200 album charts and number 4
on the R&B charts. The hit singles from this album included the
Top 5 R&B/Top 20 pop hit "All the Things Your Man Won't Do",
the Top 5 R&B/Top 40 pop hit "Don't Wanna Be a Player",
produced by Rodney Jerkins, and "The Love Scene". "Don't
Wanna Be a Player", produced by Rodney Jerkins, was also featured
on the Booty Call soundtrack, helping its success. All That I Am eventually
went platinum in the US.[citation needed] Joe remixed a duet by Barry
White and Tina Turner called "Never in Your Dreams" and wrote
and produced debut albums by Ideal and Déjà Groove in
the late 1990s. Joe also sang on the remix of Big Punisher's "Still
Not a Player", produced by Knobody, which interpolated Joe's "Don't
Wanna Be a Player". Joe sang the background vocals on Brandy's
track "Angel in Disguise" on her sophomore 1998 album, Never
Say Never.
Joe appeared on the track "Thank God I Found You" with Mariah
Carey which appeared on her Rainbow album. This song was released as
the second single and came a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. This
track also became a hit internationally, helping to raise Joe's profile
in other parts of the world.
[edit] 2000-2007: Rise to Success
In April 2000, Joe released his third album, My Name Is Joe, which
became his most successful album to date, reaching the top of the R&B
album charts and #2 on the Billboard 200, eventually selling more than
three million copies.[citation needed] This album was also his first
to make an impression outside the US. It featured the Top 5 R&B
(#2) and pop (#4) hit lead single "I Wanna Know", which also
reached the top 40 in the UK and Australia. The second single released
was "Treat Her Like A Lady", which enjoyed moderate success.
The third single, the Roy "Royalty" Hamilton & Teddy
Riley-produced "Stutter", was #1 on both the Billboard Hot
100 and R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks chart, and part of the Top 10 in the
UK and top 20 in Australia. Mystikal appeared on the remix of the single,
which sampled The Pharcyde's 1992 hit "Passin' Me By", which
in turn samples Quincy Jones' Summer in the City.
The Better Days album was released in 2001, reaching #32 on the Billboard
200 and #4 on the R&B chart. It featured two singles, "Lets
Stay Home Tonight", which reached #18 on the US R&B chart,
and "What If A Woman".
In 2002, Joe did another collaboration with Mariah Carey on the remix
version of her first single "Through the Rain" from her album
Charmbracelet. The song also features vocals from Kelly Price. He also
recorded a track called "God's Work" which was not released
but appeared on a sampler on Jive Records.
Joe recruited high profile guests for the And Then ... album released
in late 2003. R. Kelly wrote the track "More and More", which
was supposed to be on his Loveland album. G-Unit features on "Ride
Wit U". The singles from the And Then ... album included the Top
20 R&B hit "More and More", "Ride Wit U", and "Priceless".
A Double A-sided single "More and More" and "Ride Wit
U" made the Australian top 40 in July 2004, as well as #12 in
the UK Singles Chart. And Then ... reached #26 on the US album charts
and #4 on the R&B charts.
Joe's sixth album, Ain't Nothin' Like Me, was produced by Tim & Bob,
The Underdogs, Cool & Dre, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Sean Garrett.
The album featured guest appearances by Nas, Fabolous, Papoose, Young
Buck and Tony Yayo; and was released on April 24, 2007. The first single
was "Where You At", written by Sean Garrett and produced
by Chrisclusive featuring rapper Papoose. The video for the single
was shot by music video director Billie Woodruff.
He was confirmed to be one of the judges on Making the Band (4). Joe
performed a cover version of "Before He Cheats", a Carrie
Underwood hit, as a Pepsi Smash exclusive on Yahoo! Music. He changed
the lyrics to fit a male's perspective and titled his version "Before
I Cheat".[1]
[edit] 2008-Present: Independent Releases with Kedar Entertainment
Joe playing the guitar at the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New
York in June 2009
Joe released "Joe Thomas, New Man" independently on September
23, 2008, and his second independent album, titled Signature, was released
on July 14, 2009 in Japan and the US. It was name iTunes Best R&B
album of 2009. He is also working on a record with singer Ayoade Adeyinka.
2010 - Joe has collaborated with Keith Sweat featuring on the song
entitled, "Test Drive." This appears on Keith's newly released
June 2010 album. October 2010 - On European Tour
[edit] Awards and nominations
* iTunes
o 2009, Best R&B Album: "Signature"
* BET Awards
o 2001, Best R&B Male Artist (Nominated)
* Grammy Awards
o 2002, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: "Let's Stay Home Tonight" (Nominated)
o 2002, Best R&B Album: Better Days (Nominated)
o 2002, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "More Than a Woman" w/
Angie Stone (Nominated)
o 2000, Best Pop Collaboration w/ Vocals: "Thank God I Found You" w/
98 Degrees & Mariah Carey (Nominated)
o 2000, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: "I Wanna Know" (Nominated)
o 2000, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Coming Home" w/
Brian McKnight & BeBe Winans (Nominated)
o 2000, Best R&B Album: My Name Is Joe (Nominated)
* Image Awards
o 2001, Outstanding Music Album: My Name is Joe (Nominated)
* Soul Train Awards
o 1999, Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video: "Still Not a Player" w/
Big Pun (Nominated)
[edit] Discography
Main article: Joe discography
Studio albums
* 1993: Everything
* 1997: All That I Am
* 2000: My Name Is Joe
* 2001: Better Days
* 2003: And Then...
* 2007: Ain't Nothin' Like Me
* 2008: Joe Thomas, New Man
* 2009: Signature
Compilation albums
* 2008: Greatest Hits
Christmas albums
* 2009: Make Sure You're Home for Christmas
* 2009: Home Is The Essence Of Christmas