Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas

Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas. . The post-reconstruction period in the South saw many African Americans moving in search of better economic opportunities. Many became traveling musicians or itinerant songsters who performed a variety of genres on street corners to passing audiences. One such performer was Henry "Ragtime Texas" Thomas. He was born in 1874 to sharecroppers on a farm in Big Sandy. His hometown, originally referred to as Big Sandy Switch, originated along the Texas and Pacific Railroad. Henry used the railroad to escape the life of farm work around 1890 to begin his musical career., Thomas rode along the Texas and Pacific and Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy) rail lines and made a living singing and playing the quills, a type of American panpipe. He later taught himself guitar and could play both instruments simultaneously. His song tempos often mimicked the beat and sound of a train moving along a track, while quills could imitate a train whistle, reflecting the railroad's influence in his music. His musical pacing reflected dance hall tunes of the period, earning Thomas the nickname "Ragtime Texas" from listeners who heard similarities between him and ragtime music., From 1927 to 1929, Thomas recorded 23 songs for Vocalion Records. Drawing from his travels, Thomas incorporated the train itinerary and the vagabond lifestyle in songs like "Railroadin' Some" and "When the Train Comes Along." Other songs, like "Cottonfield Blues" and "Fishing Blues," provided a compelling bridge between the African American songster styles of the 19th century and the development of the blues genre early in the 20th century. Details of Thomas later career and life remain a mystery, but his influence on music and bands has become his legacy.