Ian Thomas

Ian Campbell Thomas (born 23 July 1950) is a Juno Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter, actor and author. Best known for his 1973 hit "Painted Ladies" and his role on The Red Green Show as Dougie Franklin, he is the younger brother of comedian and actor Dave Thomas.

Early life Thomas was born in Hamilton, Ontario, to Moreen Duff Muir (1928–2022), a church organist for thirty years originally from Glasgow, Scotland, and composer of church music, and John E. Thomas (1926–1996), a medical ethicist from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, who was head of the Philosophy Department at McMaster University, and the author of several books.

The family moved temporarily to Durham, North Carolina, where Thomas's father attended Duke University and earned a PhD in philosophy. The family moved back to Dundas, Ontario, in 1961.

Career Thomas began his music career with the folk group Tranquillity Base before joining the CBC as a producer. He launched a solo career that peaked in the 1970s with most notably the 1973 hit "Painted Ladies". While he achieved acclaim in Canada, maintaining a long-term presence in the U.S. remained a challenge; "Painted Ladies" remains his only U.S. Top 40 hit. Thomas has also composed scores for around a dozen films and television shows.

In 1974, Thomas won the Juno Award for "Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year" and toured Eastern Canada with April Wine. He later signed with Chrysalis Records in 1976.

In 1981, Thomas made a cameo appearance on SCTV with alongside his older brother, Dave Thomas, during a "The Great White North" sketch. Appearing as himself, he performed the songs "Pilot" and "Hold On". He also wrote and recorded the theme song for his brother's 1983 comedy film, Strange Brew. Additionally, Thomas appeared as a musical guest on the 1979 CTV children's show Whatever Turns You On, a short-lived spinoff of You Can't Do That on Television.

Many of his songs have been covered by popular artists, including "Hold On" (Santana, 1982), "Chains" (Chicago, 1982), "The Runner" (Manfred Mann's Earth Band, 1984), and "Right Before Your Eyes" (America, 1983). In 1988, Daryl Braithwaite had hits in Australia with two Thomas compositions: "As the Days Go By" (which peaked at No. 10), and "All I Do" (a No. 12 chart hit). Bette Midler also covered his song "To Comfort You" on her Bette of Roses album.

He is also known for the portrayal of the character "Dougie Franklin" on the Canadian comedy series The Red Green Show.

Thomas was music producer on films including Care Bears: Journey to Joke-A-Lot (2004) and The Care Bears' Big Wish Movie (2005).

In 2009, Thomas provided the music for the animated series Bob & Doug, based on the SCTV characters of the same name.

He has written two books, Bequest (2006), A Canadian bestseller, and The Lost Chord (2008), both through Manor House Publishing.

In 2010, Wounded Bird Records re-issued "Still Here" on CD.

On 16 June 2014, Thomas was awarded the National Achievement Award by SOCAN at the 2014 SOCAN Awards in Toronto.

In 2015, he performed with Darcy Hepner and the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, and recorded with them for a CD.

During the summer of 2016, Thomas was touring Ontario, Canada, with singers Murray McLauchlan, Cindy Church, and Marc Jordan, in the group Lunch At Allen's. The tour was continuing in late 2018 with a series of dates in Ontario.

Thomas is a member of the Canadian charity Artists Against Racism.

Personal life His son Jake Thomas, a director of adventure sports documentaries, was injured in a snowmobiling accident in 2017.

Discography

Singles

With Tranquillity Base (1970–71) Year Title Chart positions AlbumCanada RPM 100Canada A/CUS Hot 100 1970 "If You're Lookin'"2447 - Non-LP singles "In the Rain" - - -

Ian Thomas solo career (1973–2016) Year Title Chart positions AlbumCanada RPM 100Canada A/CUS Hot 100 1973 "Painted Ladies"4534 Ian Thomas "Come the Sun"4184 - 1974 "Long Long Way"8539 -Long Long Way 1975 "Mother Earth"41 - -Re-recorded single version:Original version from Long Long Way "Julie"69 - -Delights "The Good Life"91 - - 1976 "Liars"25 - -Calabash "Mary Jane" - - - 1977 "Right Before Your Eyes"57 - - 1978 "Coming Home"4033 -Still Here "Sally" - - - "I Really Love You" - - - 1979 "Time is the Keeper"71 - -Glider "Pilot"83 - - 1980 "Tear Down the Wall" - - -The Best of Ian Thomas 1981 "The Runner" - - -The Runner "Hold On"2820 - "Borrowed Time" - - - "Chains"29 - - 1983 "Strange Brew" - - -Strange Brew soundtrack 1984 "Do You Right"65 - -Riders on Dark Horses "Picking Up the Pieces" - - - 1985 "Endless Emotion" - - -Add Water "Harmony" - - - "Touch Me" - - - 1988 "Levity" 25 - -Levity 1989 "Back to Square One" 33 - -

With The Boomers (1991–2002) Year Title Chart positions AlbumCanada RPM 100Canada A/CUS Hot 100 1991 "Love You Too Much"4132 -What We Do "One Little Word"4929 - "Wishes"6828 - 1993 "You've Got to Know"2026 -Art of Living "Art of Living"41 - - 1994 "Good Again"68 - - 1996 "I Feel a Change Coming"1715 -25 Thousand Days 1997 "Saving Face"1824 - 2002 "I Want to Believe in Something" - - -Midway

With Lunch at Allen's (2004–present) Year Title Chart positions AlbumCanada RPM 100Canada A/CUS Hot 100 2004 "Perfect World" - - -Lunch at Allen's 2007 "What Kind of Love" - - -Catch the Moon

Solo albums 1973 - Ian Thomas; #30 CAN (10 weeks in Top 100) 1974 - Long Long Way 1975 - Delights 1976 - Calabash (aka Goodnight Mrs. Calabash) (as Ian Thomas Band); #62 CAN (20 weeks in Top 100) 1978 - Still Here (as Ian Thomas Band); #60 CAN (10 weeks in Top 100) 1979 - Glider (as Ian Thomas Band); #77 CAN (8 weeks in Top 100) 1980 - The Best of Ian Thomas 1981 - The Runner 1984 - Riders on Dark Horses; #91 CAN (6 weeks in Top 100) 1985 - Add Water 1988 - Levity; #74 CAN (6 weeks in Top 100) 1993 - Looking Back 2012 - Little Dreams 2016 - A Life in Song 2024 - How We Roll

Albums with The Boomers

1991 - What We Do 1993 - Art of Living 1996 - 25 Thousand Days 2002 - Midway

Albums with Lunch at Allen's 2004 - Lunch at Allen's 2007 - Catch the Moon 2010 - More Lunch at Allen's 2012 - Zuzu's Petals 2017 - If It Feels Right

Comedy Album with the Air Pirates 1990 - Volume Two