Robert “Top” Thomas

One Morning Soon

Hidden Chamber Records

Born in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1959, Robert “Top” Thomas was drawn to music early, picking up the guitar and performing professionally by the age of fourteen. His youthful gigs at school dances, private parties, and city functions quickly evolved into a lifelong devotion to the blues.

In 1987, Thomas joined the King Snake Records family in Sanford, Florida — a pivotal move that connected him with producer Bob Greenlee, who became both mentor and catalyst for his career. Over the years, Thomas has recorded and performed with Lazy Lester, Noble “Thin Man” Watts, The King Snake Allstars, Victor Wainwright & The Wildroots, and many others. But he’s perhaps best known as co-founder and co-leader of the Florida blues powerhouse Smokehouse, a band that released five acclaimed albums, toured 36 states and Europe, and earned a loyal following on both sides of the Atlantic.

Thomas’ solo journey began with The Town Crier (2012), followed by A Thin Dime (2023), produced by Billy Dean, who returns to the helm for Thomas’ third solo effort, One Morning Soon. Recorded, engineered, and mixed by Dean at The Hidden Chamber in Edgewater, Florida, the album captures Thomas at his most confident — deeply rooted in tradition yet alive with personal spirit.

Thomas handles all guitars and lead vocals, supported by a tight ensemble: Dan Walters (piano, bass), Gavin Jorgenson (clarinet, soprano sax), Stephen Kampa (harmonica), Billy Dean (drums, percussion, backing vocals), and Sadie Dean (Gator Bite). The album features three originals, one co-write, and nine handpicked covers, spanning early blues, gospel, ragtime, and folk traditions.

The set opens with “Hey Mattie,” a 1962 Gene Vincent tune first appearing on his Race With The Devil EP, later covered by Lazy Lester in 1987. Thomas gives it a fresh swampy feel as he sings, “Hey Mattie, always so fine, tell me what’s on your mind,” with Stephen Kampa’s harmonica adding a stinging counterpoint.

Next up is “Haints in My House,” co-written by Thomas and fellow Smokehouse alumnus Tony Thompson, first recorded by the band decades ago. The word haint — old Southern slang for ghost — anchors the song’s haunted humor. Thomas growls, “Haints in my house… bring that Bible, he said boy you got a poltergeist… feets don’t fail me now,” mixing Delta folklore with down-home wit.

“Gator Jig” is a lively original instrumental where Thomas’ finger-picking shines, powered by Dean’s tight drumming and punctuated by little Sadie Dean’s playful closing “bite.” It’s pure front-porch fun.

The tempo jumps with “Shake Shake Mama,” written by Mance Lipscomb in 1960. Thomas leans into the earthy humor: “A little bitty woman, hips just like a snake… shake, shake mama, buy you a diamond ring…” Kampa’s harmonica work once again drives the groove home.

Thomas shifts gears with “Children of Zion,” a gospel blues written by Rev. Gary Davis in 1971. Often reimagined as reggae, Thomas takes it back to its spiritual roots, singing with fervor: “I wonder where my brother be, I wonder where my mother be… I’m on my way to heaven, amen.”

“Sugarbabe,” another Mance Lipscomb classic, finds Thomas in full storyteller mode. His crisp fingerpicking and clear, soulful phrasing make this traditional tune sound as fresh as ever.

The instrumental “Long, Long Gone” lets the musicians stretch out, with Kampa’s harmonica sweetly gliding over Thomas’ steady picking — a short, satisfying breather before the next burst of energy.

“Georgia Rag,” written by Blind Willie McTell circa 1930, is a joyous romp that captures the spirit of Atlanta’s early blues scene: “Down in Atlanta on Harris Street, that’s where the boys and gals do meet…” Thomas delivers it with playful swagger, his guitar dancing around the ragtime rhythm.

The spiritual thread returns with “I Heard the Angels Singing,” another gem from Rev. Gary Davis. Thomas delivers it like a heartfelt prayer — somewhere between blues and gospel, somewhere between Eric Bibb and bluegrass tradition. “One day I was walkin’ along, I heard the angels singin’…” It’s simple, pure, and deeply moving.

“Stop, Smell the Blossoms” brings a shift in tone, a sweet instrumental where Dan Walters’ piano and Gavin Jorgenson’s clarinet swirl around Thomas’ melodic guitar lines, painting a springtime picture that feels both nostalgic and new.

“Take Me Back,” written by McMahon and made famous by Little Walter, finds Thomas pleading, “Take me back, oh babe, didn’t you say you’d let me have my way.” The harmonica tone here — sharp and yearning — nods respectfully to Walter’s signature sound.

Next comes a timeless standard, “Bye Bye Blackbird,” written by Mort Dixon and Ray Henderson and reimagined by Les McCann in 1961. Thomas’ version is tender and unhurried: “Pack up all my cares and woes, here I go, singin’ low…” Walters’ piano and Kampa’s harp weave gently behind Thomas’ warm vocal delivery.

The album closes with “Texas Blues,” another Mance Lipscomb tune. Thomas sings, “I was raised in Texas, schooled in Tennessee, I know woman you made a fool out of me…” His performance — relaxed, confident, and wry — feels like a perfect summation of the record’s spirit: humble, heartfelt, and steeped in lived experience.

Now based in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Robert “Top” Thomas remains a bridge between the deep country blues of the past and the coastal groove of modern Florida roots. His influences — Rev. Gary Davis, Mance Lipscomb, Blind Willie McTell — echo through every note, but it’s his voice, touch, and phrasing that make these songs unmistakably his own.

One Morning Soon is more than a tribute — it’s a continuation. With clarity, warmth, and deep respect for the masters, Thomas proves that the blues, when played with love and understanding, never grows old.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor / Making A Scene

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