Timmy Thomas

Timothy Earle Thomas (November 13, 1944 – March 11, 2022) was an American R&B singer, keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer, best known for the hit song, "Why Can't We Live Together".

Life and career Thomas was born in Evansville, Indiana, on November 13, 1944, one of twelve siblings. He first attracted interest in his work as an accompanist with Donald Byrd and Cannonball Adderley, before working as a session musician thumb Timmy Thomas recording "Turtle Blues", Miami 2000Thomas followed up the release with "People Are Changin'" (B-side "Rainbow Power") which reached the charts in 1973. In 1974, he released the album You're the Song I've Always Wanted to Sing. He went on to release six further Glades singles and then, in 1975 recorded a duet with Betty Wright entitled "It's What They Can't See". From 1976 through 1980, Thomas recorded singles for both the Glades imprint and the T.K. Disco label, including "Stone to the Bone", "Africano", "Touch to Touch", "The Magician", "Freak In, Freak Out" and "Drown in My Own Tears" and the albums The Magician (Glades, 1976) and Touch to Touch (Glades, 1977). He also continued to work on sessions for TK Records artists, including Gwen McCrae, and in later years as a producer.

Thomas went on to record several R&B hits culminating in "Gotta Give a Little Love (Ten Years After)", a U.S. top 30 soul entry in 1984 for Gold Mountain Records.

In the 1990s, he worked as a producer for LaFace Records and released the album With Heart and Soul for DTM Records. Also, his song "(Dying Inside) To Hold You" was a hit in the Philippines, and gained further popularity in 2017 when it was covered by Darren Espanto for the film All of You.

In 2015, Drake sampled Thomas' signature hit, "Why Can't We Live Together", on his single "Hotline Bling".

Thomas died of cancer on March 11, 2022, at the age of 77.

Discography Albums YearAlbumPeak chart positionsUS Pop US R&B 53 10 1974 You're the Song I've Always Wanted to Sing — — 1976 The Magician US R&B US Dance AUS UK CAN (RPM) 1972 "Why Can't We Live Together" 3 1 — 25 12 6 1973 "People Are Changin'" 75 23 — — — — "Let Me Be Your Eyes" 107 48 — — — — "What Can I Tell Her" 102 19 — — — — 1974 "One Brief Moment" — 62 — — — — "I've Got to See You Tonight" /"You're the Song (I've Always Wanted to Sing)" —— 3178 — — — — "Deep in You" — — — — — — 1975 "Sexy Woman" — 69 — — — — "Ebony Affair" — — — — — — 1976 "Love Shine" — — — — — — "The Magician" (UK only) — — — — — — 1977 "Stone to the Bone" — 74 12 — — — "Touch to Touch" — — 32 — — — 1978 "Freak In, Freak Out" — 92 — — — — 1980 "Drown in My Own Tears" — — — — — — 1981 "Are You Crazy???" (Pt. 1) — 73 — — — — 1982 "My Last Affair" — — — — — — 1984 "Gotta Give a Little Love (Ten Years After)" 80 29 28 — — — "Love Is Never Too Late" — 90 — — — — 1985 "New York Eyes" (with Nicole) — — — — 41 — 1990 "Why Can't We Live Together" (remix) — — — — 54 — "(Dying Inside) To Hold You" — — — — — — 1991 "What Do You Say to a Lady" (with Jackie Moore) — — — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.