Boogie Woogie & George Washington Thomas Jr.

George Thomas Junior

Source: Discogs

Boogie woogie was much the southern equivalent of ragtime, said to have developed out of the Marshall region in eastern Texas. Styled from out of ragtime with a walking bass (left hand), it spread through the region in barrelhouses roamed by blues artists, then developed into a major form upon getting picked up by big swing and jump blues (R&B) bands. It became a highly popular style of rock in the fifties via such as Piano Red and Jerry Lee Lewis. Boogie woogie has been widely articulated by country, jazz and UK musicians as well. Wikipedia cites Clarence Pinetop Smith's 'PineTop's Boogie Woogie' in 1929 as the first musical reference to "boogie woogie" as a term, affecting the boogie woogie genre.

Harriet Tubman 18955

Source: City Data

Born on 9 March 1883 in Plum Bayou, Arkansas, pianist George Washington Thomas Jr. was elder brother to Hersal Thomas by twenty-one years. He was also the brother of Sippie Wallace and father of Hociel Thomas. His composition, 'New Orleans Hop Scop Blues', published in 1916, is among the earliest markers in the development of boogie woogie. It was later recorded by such as Sara Martin, Bessie Smith and Jimmie Noone. A bare bones rendition by an unknown pianist:

'Hop Skop Blues'   Composed by George Thomas 1916   Pianist unknown

Thomas composed 'The Fives' with younger brother, Hersal, published in 1922:

'The Fives'   Composed by George & Hersal Thomas 1922

Piano by Stefan Ulbricht

Also known as Clay Custer, it is thought Thomas first recorded in 1923. His sister, Sippie, put away a version of 'Shorty George Blues' a couple months before his own rendition w the obscure Tiny Franklin.

'The Rocks'   George Thomas as Clay Custer   Recorded Feb 1923 in New York City

Composition: George Thomas

'Shorty George Blues'   Sippie Wallace   Piano: Eddie Heywood

Recorded Oct 1923 toward issue on Okeh 8106 probably Jan 1924

Composition: George Thomas

'Shorty George Blues'   Tiny Franklin   Piano: George Thomas

Recorded Dec 1923 toward issue on Gennett 5345

Composition: George Thomas