# Ruddy Thomas

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{{Short description|Jamaican reggae singer}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = Ruddy Thomas
| image               = 
| caption             = 
| image_size          = 
| background          = solo_singer
| birth_name          = 
| alias               = 
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|df=yes|1951|07|12}}
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2006|06|10|1951|07|12}}
| origin              = Jamaica
| instrument          = Vocals
| genre               = [Reggae](/source/Reggae)
| occupation          = 
| years_active        = 
| label               = 
| website             = 
}}

'''Ruddy Thomas''' (12 July 1951 – 10 June 2006)<ref name="Evans"/> was a Jamaican [reggae](/source/reggae) singer, musician, and recording engineer, who had his greatest successes as a singer in the late 1970s and early 1980s with [lovers rock](/source/lovers_rock) songs.

==Biography==
Thomas worked for producer [Joe Gibbs](/source/Joe_Gibbs_(record_producer)) in the 1970s, running and arranging recording sessions, and providing percussion and backing vocals. He recorded several singles for Gibbs, including "Every Day Is a Holiday", "Let's Make a Baby" and a version of [Dobby Dobson](/source/Dobby_Dobson)'s "Loving Pauper".<ref name="Barrow">{{cite book|author1=Barrow, Steve |author2=Dalton, Peter |year=2004|title=The Rough Guide to Reggae|edition=3rd|publisher=Rough Guides|ISBN=1-84353-329-4}}</ref> Thomas's version of "Loving Pauper" was the number one song of the year on the 1978 [RJR](/source/Radio_Jamaica_Rediffusion) Top 100.<ref name="Chang">{{cite book|author1=O'Brien Chang, Kevin |author2=Chen, Wayne |year=1998|title=Reggae Routes|publisher=Ian Randle Publishers|ISBN=976-8100-67-2}}</ref> He had a number one reggae hit in the United Kingdom in 1981 with "Just One Moment Away".<ref name="Evans">{{cite news|author=Evans, Teino|url=http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060612/ent/ent2.html|title=JCDC finalist Ruddy Thomas dies on stage|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060701060249/http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060612/ent/ent2.html|archive-date=1 July 2006|work=[Jamaica Gleaner](/source/Gleaner_Company)|date=12 June 2006}}</ref> In 1983, he recorded the duet "(You Know How to Make Me) Feel So Good" with [Susan Cadogan](/source/Susan_Cadogan), which topped the reggae charts and was followed in 1984 by another duet with Cadogan, "Only Heaven Can Wait", and an album.<ref name="Thompson">{{cite book|author=Thompson, Dave|year=2002|title=Reggae & Caribbean Music|publisher=Backbeat Books|ISBN=0-87930-655-6}}</ref> Thomas also recorded duets with [J.C. Lodge](/source/J.C._Lodge) ("Time for Love"), [Marcia Aitken](/source/Marcia_Aitken) ("The Closer I Get to You"), [Pam Hall](/source/Pam_Hall) ("You Can't Hide") and [Cynthia Schloss](/source/Cynthia_Schloss) ("Don't Want to Lose You", "How Can I Let You Get Away", and "There Is a Fire").

Thomas provided backing vocals on several albums, including [Peter Tosh](/source/Peter_Tosh)'s ''No Nuclear War''.<ref name="ra">{{cite web|url=http://www.roots-archives.com/artist/687|title=Ruddy Thomas at Roots Archives|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040822210303/http://www.roots-archives.com/artist/687/|archive-date=22 August 2004}}</ref> He was also part of the horn section on [Cornell Campbell](/source/Cornell_Campbell)'s 1982 album ''What's Happening To Me''.

Thomas later joined [Tommy Cowan](/source/Tommy_Cowan)'s Talent Corporation roster.<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|author=Larkin, Colin|year=1998|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae|publisher=Virgin Books|ISBN=0-7535-0242-9}}</ref>

Thomas also acted as recording engineer on many releases by the likes of [Boris Gardiner](/source/Boris_Gardiner), [Leroy Smart](/source/Leroy_Smart), [Sugar Minott](/source/Sugar_Minott), [The Wailing Souls](/source/The_Wailing_Souls), [Beres Hammond](/source/Beres_Hammond), [Dennis Brown](/source/Dennis_Brown), [Frankie Paul](/source/Frankie_Paul), and [Dean Fraser](/source/Dean_Fraser).<ref name="ra" /> He was also credited with co-producing the 1982 album ''Superstar [Yellowman](/source/Yellowman) Has Arrived With [Toyan](/source/Toyan)''.

He died after suffering a [heart attack](/source/heart_attack) while performing at the [Popular Song Contest](/source/Jamaica_Independence_Festival) Street Blocker at [Port Antonio](/source/Port_Antonio), [Portland, Jamaica](/source/Portland%2C_Jamaica).<ref name="Evans" />

==Discography==
===Albums===
*''First Time Around'' (Joe Gibbs Music, 1981)
*''Reggae By Ruddy Thomas'' (Friends Records, 1983)
*''When I've Got You'' (Hawkeye, 1983)
*''The Very Best of Ruddy Thomas'' (Mobiliser, 1983)
*''Ruddy Thomas and Susan Cadogan'' (with Susan Cadogan)
*''Don't Want to Lose You'' (World Enterprise, 1987)
*''Time for Love'' (C & E Records, 1989)
*''Long Lost Lover'' (TekTwo, 1990)
*''Greatest Hits'' (Rhino, 1997)
*''Sings Bob Marley'' (Disky, 1997)
*''Sweet Lovers Rock'' (P-Vine Japan, 2003)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Ruddy+Thomas Ruddy Thomas at discogs.com]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Ruddy}}
Category:1951 births
Category:2006 deaths
Category:Jamaican reggae musicians

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ruddy Thomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruddy_Thomas) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruddy_Thomas?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.