Mississippi Firsts in Original Rock ‘N’ Roll, Part 2
By Johnny W. Sumrall Jr., Author of Classic Magnolia Rock — History of Original Mississippi Rock and Roll, 1953 – 1970
Dick Clark, Cliff, Barbara, and Ed Thomas
Cliff Thomas began playing with a lot of local bands in 1955, not the least because he had a guitar and an amplifier. He played at the local VFW, located at Hawkins Field in West Jackson, Mississippi. He also played at The American Legion Hut, located on Woodrow Wilson in Jackson. Mississippi, plus, at various high schools in the Jackson area.
Cliff’s brother, Ed was coming home from Notre Dame for a visit, when he wrote their first song. He called it, of course, “I’m On My Way Home.” After they had fine-tuned the piece, they went up to Memphis, Tennessee to the Sun Recording Studios and performed it for Sam Phillips. Phillips was so impressed with the song that he decided to release it on the Phillips International label.
The record featured Cliff Thomas, guitar and lead vocal, brother, Ed piano and background singer, and sister, Barbara background singer. The three went on to be the first Mississippians to appear on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. Since there was not an ABC television station in Jackson, Mississippi, their parents had to make arrangements with South Central Bell, the Telephone Company, to hook up a television set in the basement of the telephone company to see their children on television.
Cliff got an invitation to appear on The Alan Freed Show in December of 1958 — another first for Cliff — and, it was only Cliff to perform this time. Record producer, Sam Phillips sent Charley Rich with him, and they eventually flew out of Memphis, Tennessee. But, Phillips was confused about the date — it was actually the next Friday — so Cliff and Charley decided to rent a car to go to the many record shops in the area to pantomime their songs and sign autographs. They rented a car, and, as was often the case for Memphis in the winter, there was a good deal of snow. Charley had never driven in snow, but Cliff, a 16-year-old, had, so he became the driver. Cliff pantomimed his latest hit, “Sorry I Lied,” and it was another first, in part because it was the first time that a B3 organ was used on a record.
Sadly, for all of us, Cliff Thomas passed away in 2008.
Image provided by Johnny Sumrall
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