August 21, 2024 - 948 views
In 1976, a soulful anthem hit the airwaves, capturing hearts with its smooth melody and unforgettable vocals. The voice behind it was none other than Mickey Thomas and while many know Thomas for his work with Jefferson Starship and Starship, it's his performance on this Elvin Bishop classic that continues to resonate with many fans. The story behind how this iconic track came to be, and Thomas's unforgettable contribution, is a testament to the magic that happens when talent, timing, and intuition align.
During an interview with The Don & Dean Baldwin of FM2.0, Thomas opened up about the recording process of "Fooled Around and Fell In Love." The Don, couldn’t help but express his admiration for Thomas's voice, recalling the first time he heard it on the track. "Whenever I hear you sing to this day, it elicits so many goosebumps up and down my arm," The Don shared. "It's your voice... it's truly amazing."
Thomas, in his characteristic humility, reflected on the experience, revealing that the song almost didn’t make it onto the album. As the band was wrapping up the Struttin’ My Stuff sessions, producer Bill Szymczyk felt that something was still missing. Thomas suggested revisiting a song that Bishop had played casually years earlier. "We were finishing up that album, and Szymczyk said, 'Everything sounds great, but I feel like we're just missing one piece... something different,'" Thomas recalled. "I suggested, 'What about 'Fooled Around and Fell In Love?'' Elvin had forgotten about it, but it had always stuck in my mind."
Dean Baldwin, co-host of the interview, focused on the iconic opening lines of the track, marveling at how effortlessly Thomas seemed to capture the essence of the song from the very first note. "The opening line, because to me, your first few words are the hook," Baldwin observed. "I mean, you hook immediately. That was the first take?"
Thomas confirmed Baldwin's intuition. "Yeah, that was one take," he responded, adding that while the myth of a single-take vocal isn't entirely true, it did come remarkably close. "I've heard the urban myth that it's a one-take vocal, but it's actually two. The first take before the solo, and then the vocal after the solo is the second take."
What followed was a performance so powerful that it hooked listeners from the first note. As Thomas humbly put it, "I felt really good about the vocal and about the song. I had a great feeling. I thought we nailed it."
The Don, clearly a longtime fan, couldn't resist sharing how deeply the song still affects him. "To this day, that song still affects me. I put it on all the time, and it's impossible to not sing along to you in the car. I have to do the really low backing vocal," he joked. But his admiration was sincere. "It's truly amazing."
The song’s impact on listeners is undeniable, and even today, it holds a special place in Thomas's live performances. "It's still very special for me," he said. "I do it in the show every night because it gets me back to my roots—the R&B, the soul, the gospel, and the blues. It provides a really good change of pace." Yet, despite its enduring popularity, Thomas often finds himself educating audiences about his role in the track. "It never fails that once I go into the song, I'll always see a few faces in the audience with a look that says, 'Oh, I didn't know he sang that song.'"
"Fooled Around and Fell In Love" may have been a surprise addition to Struttin’ My Stuff, but it became a defining moment in Thomas's career. The song not only showcased his extraordinary vocal talent but also solidified his place in the annals of rock and soul history.
A couple of years later, in 1979, Thomas would take his vocal talents to the next level by joining Jefferson Starship, a move that would catapult him into further stardom. His powerful voice would become a key element in defining the sound of the band throughout the 1980s, solidifying his status as one of rock’s most iconic vocalists. As fans continue to be captivated by his voice, both on the record and in live performances, Mickey Thomas’s legacy as the voice behind this timeless hit and beyond remains as strong as ever.
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